UC LCWRA and UC50 help please!

StarLilly

Hi everyone, I'm new here and jumping straight in with a UC LCWRA question, so I apologise if this has been asked and answered already.

My husband and I have done our Tax Credits to Universal Credit migration application claim this week. I have a chronic health condition that has become worse over the past 12 months and had to stop working (self employed) at the end of March 2024 - although the tax office stated they didn't consider me as working at all over the tax year 2023 -2024 as I earnt so little again due to struggle with my condition as it worsened.

I filled out my Universal Credit form and stated I am disabled and receiving PIP, but they stated I am fit for work and a work coach will contact me. They also wanted me to physically attend the job centre just to verify my ID (they didn't do this with my husband's ID even though he unpload both my and his documents to the UC portal).

I explained in my UC journal that I can not physically attend the centre due to my disabilities and they said they would do a home visit instead - this is just for looking at my ID documents and feels so invasive and unnecessary! I also suffered from PTSD / anxiety and having someone come to the house I don't know can be very triggering.

They have now said they will try to do a phone can to verify my ID but I still may need to have an appointment to come in to the job centre if they decide to. I don't understand why they have singled me out for this and not my husband (who would have no issues getting to the job centre to verify his ID).

Also, a UC50 has not been mentioned and thanks to the SCOPE helpline advice I have now asked why I haven't been issued one. The reason I have been given is that I need to get a Fit Note from my GP that lasts for more than 28 days before being issued a UC50 form. NOWHERE, on the UC claim form does it state this.

Does this all sound correct to you? Are UC behaving in the way they are legally supposed to? tbh, this is all causing me so much stress and causing my symptoms to become more severe this seems cruel. Any advice would be so greatly welcomed 🙏

Meg24

Definitely get that sick note in as soon as you can as they will only backdate it to then. Hopefully Poppy or someone else will tell you how to upload it and start the process. Good luck

Kimmy87

Yes that is correct.

Once you have a Fit Note, your work coach will add an upload link onto your journal (it will appear on your To Do list).

On day 29 your work coach should start the WCA process which will trigger a UC50 form.

https://www.gov.uk/health-conditions-disability-universal-credit

StarLilly

Thank you both. That's all really helpful to know.

StarLilly

@Kimmy87 Thanks for replying. I Reported a Fit Note on the 18th September and left a message on my UC journal that I had done so and asked what happens next, but I haven't received any response from my work coach or a link to upload to. I do however still have a First Commitment telephone appointment with a work coach tomorrow which seems a bit ridiculous as I have a Fit Note but maybe this will be an opportunity for me to have some questions answered and ask that a link be upload asap. It all feels very frustrating how slow they are being as we are currently without any money coming in for food, bills, rent etc so working as quickly as we can to get all the paperwork done but UC are clearly not in any hurry to offer support.

poppy123456

Although it doesn't actually mention the WCA process when you filled out the form, it would have asked you if you have a health condition and if that prevents you from working. When you answer yes to both of those it should have then prompted you to provide a fit note.

When you "report a fit note" it will ask you for the details on that fit note so you need to provide those details. You just need to hold onto that just incase they ask you to send it to them.

Unfortunately that fit note doesn't exclude you from commitments because you're still treated as a job seeker. It's a work coaches discretion to either turn off or reduce commitments, some do and others don't.

They should however, allow a reasonable adjustment for a telephone appointment.

Your first UC payment will be just under 5 weeks after you submitted your claim. You can ask for an advance payment but this will need to be repaid back from future UC payments so please be aware of that.

Dendoo

you still

Have commitments. I’m

New to

That world too. I

Got my

Form

A week

After applying for uc. I had my commitments phone call a few days ago. She was absolutely lovely turned work commitments off and as part of my commitments I have to continue seeing any medical people I’m

Involved with . It was just a general chat really getting to know me after I had filled in my to do list of questions . My next phone appointment is around 9th October . I’m getting help to fill the uc50 form in from welfare rights x

Dendoo

oh I

Got a 3 month fitnote . You apply for these online your gps surgery .