LCWRA first payment

Loumc48

Hi all

Like many, I’m really confused about why my husbands LCWRA first pay has not been included in our October UC payment so after some insight please ! We are paid on the 6th of each month.

First fit note was accepted on the 31st May and there have been no gaps with further ones being sent .

He was awarded LCWRA on 24 September. Our assessment period is 31 Aug - 29 September. The previous ones were 31 July - 30 August , 30 June - 30 July and 31 May- 29 June 2024.

Could one of you lovely lot help me with this . Also would there be any back pay due.

Many thanks

OverlyAnxious

Hi,

Was the fit note put in on May 31st or accepted on that day?

Unfortunately, as May 31st is the first day of your payment period, that period gets removed altogether from the 3 month wait. So it will be next month when you get the first LCWRA payment. No backpay owed. You are just unlucky if that is what's happened.

However, if the fit note was put in before May 31st, then you should have got LCWRA with this months statement as you say. In that case, you should put a note on the journal and ask them to check why it hasn't been included.

Loumc48

thanks for the quick response . The first sick note was sent in and completed on the 31st May with the date of the original sick note starting from the 19th May (although I didn’t join UC until the 30th May as my husband was in a coma at that time). So I’m assuming as you say , it won’t be till November which is annoying . Thanks again @OverlyAnxious

poppy123456

If you submitted your claim on 30th May then that will be the start date of each assessment periods, so they should be 30th to 29th of every month.

If his health condition was reported when you first claimed on 30th then it will be from that date because you have 7 days to provide a fit note.

That means his waiting period will be May/June, June/July, July/Aug.. LCWRA starts from assessment period 30th Aug to 29th Sept and first payment will be 6th October.

If your assessment periods are 31st to 30th of every month then that indicates that you submitted your claim on 31st May. As the fit note was provided on that date then your first payment will still be 6th Oct.

If it wasn't included in this months statement then it could be that there wasn't enough of time to include it this month so they will owe you for that.

Loumc48

Thank you Poppy. I appreciate it. I’ve been in contact with them via the journal so will hopefully hear back soon

Jimm_Scope

I hope our members have managed to help @Loumc48, do let us know if you get that payment on the 6th!

Loumc48

Thanks @Jimm_Scope . Apparently I’m not getting it until the 6th Nov. I’ve been told that the LCWRA decision start date was the 18th July, the 30th June to 30th July was only a part period so the following three months are the full APs.

But when I called UC, I was told that the payment would not go in until next month however my husband would get a back payment for October . To be honest, I trust the chap that responses to all my enquiries through my journal so I’m not expecting a back payment .

We also had a letter through the journal stating that they had unpaid us by £444 and amended the previous two months statements however it was to go to debt management as we owe money back from the covid era where I lost my business . I called DM and they said to call back in a couple of weeks but would definitely get the money back given our situation however after calling UC today and also asking the question , I was told the money would be back in our account but no idea when.

I’m personally so sick of it all but what can any of us do ? Not a lot!

Thanks to you all for helping me !

poppy123456

That doesn't sound correct to me, In your first comment you said your first fit note was accepted on 31st May. Based on this your first payment should be 6th October.

Why have they only applied it from 18th July? Were there any gaps in the fit notes?

Loumc48

I’ve no idea Poppy. There were no gaps at all. Any thoughts on what I should do ? Many thanks

poppy123456

Who told you that your first payment isn't due until next month? If it was the helpline when you rang them then that explains it. They are not benefits advisors, they are call centre staff with limit knowledge in benefits, other than to sit there reading from a screen.

As the decision was made very close to the end of your assessment period there may not have been enough time to include the element this month. Therefore they owe you 1 months LCWRA element.

Put a message onto your journal under the payment section and tell them that the element wasn't included in this months statement but your calculations say it should have been.

Loumc48

it was both the helpline and the work coach . I will do that Poppy. Thanks again

Loumc48

Hi Poppy

Just wanted to update you as followed your advice and have now been told that a request has been sent to a decision maker to see if the claim can be backdated to the start of the original fit note so really appreciate you helping me with this.

Not sure how long it will take but if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have queried this so thank you.

Loumc48

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/916686#Comment_916686

hi Poppy

could you please tell me what the second paragraph means ! I’ve received the attached from a DM regarding the back dated LWRCA payment that you said I should have questioned which I seem to have won but now no idea! Thank you so much !

Loumc48

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/930111#Comment_930111

sorry the above should have said could you look at the second paragraph in italic !

poppy123456

Great news! That means your first payment is 6th October which is what I advised. I’m very happy to see that the correct decision has now been made regarding your waiting period. You will be owed the LCWRA element from this month. This will be paid as a separate payment.

Going forward it should be included in your statements. Please check your next one to see if it’s included.

Loumc48

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/930130#Comment_930130

Oh my gosh! Thank you so much! Couldn’t have done it without you 😃