UC/WCARA Help Needed

DaveDave1

Hi SC

I need some help in understanding my situation for WCARA,

Previously on UC and getting the WCARA, for over one year, I needed to sign off and now have just signed back on to UC, The person said on the interview that I would not need to redo the assessments for the WCARA as you only need to do this once, is this correct? have just checked my statement but there is no mention of the WCARA on there and the payment is not there also? do I need to do anything further? what is the process that will happen for this to be back on my claim, they are also taking a lot of money back from that advance payment thing, is there any way to reduce this? any help is much appreciated, Thank you,Dave

poppy123456

How long ago did your UC end? and what was the reason why it ended?

DaveDave1

Hi Poppy,

thank you for the response.

My UC Claim ended in Jan this year due to me getting some money which took this over the threshold to claim UC.

When speaking to the adviser he stated I would not need to redo an assessment for LCWRA, but am clueless as to how I get this element back on my UC? Will it just be applied? I remember I needed to wait over 3 months after the assessment took place for this to be awarded.

Any help in this is greatly appreciated. Dave

poppy123456

Thank you for that information. Unfortunately, you were advised incorrectly. You will now need to go through another work capability assessment. (WCA)

For this you'll need to report your health condition by clicking report a change of circumstances. Then you'll need to provide a fit note within 7 days of that. You'll be referred for another WCA usually from day 29 after providing that fit note.

If found to have LCWRA you'll receive extra money from the 4th month after you provided your first fit note.

You must continue to provide fit notes without any gaps until a decision is made on the WCA.

The repayment for your advance payment should be no more than 25% of your standard allowance. If you're experiencing financial difficultly you can ask them if they can reduce that payment.

poppy123456

Sorry, forgot to add a link about information for reducing your debt repayment.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/find-out-about-money-taken-off-your-universal-credit-payment

What to do if you’re struggling to repay your debt

If you’re struggling, you can ask for a financial hardship decision to reduce the amount of benefit debt you pay.

You may be considered for this if you have money taken from your Universal Credit for:

• benefit debt
• Budgeting Loan and Crisis Loan repayment
• advances
• rent arrears (if they’re taken at a rate greater than 10% of the standard allowance)

If a decision is made to reduce the amount you pay, it will be applied automatically to your next Universal Credit assessment period.

Find out who to contact about money taken off your Universal Credit payment.

DaveDave1

Hi Poppy

Thank you for the information.

Could you explain why would I need to redo the assessment if I have lifelong conditions? it was so hard doing these originally and nearly ended me, along with all the other assessments with the brutality of the DWP process and stress this caused some conditions to get worse, When I looked online it says you only need to do one of these. When the adviser stated this he said he would send the LWCRA on to a department to place on my claim. another lie no doubt to stop me from having a full-on meltdown. I just want to make sure that this is on my claim. I have had nothing but misery from the DWP for many years, compounding my health conditions to the max,

Sorry if i m a little off track, hard to comprehend information at times, and seem to make lots of mistakes due to my conditions that have been punished harshly by the DWP just cannot take any more stress, hope you understand.thank you,Dave

poppy123456

The reason is because your claim closed due to capital of more than £16,000. When you reclaim once capital drops below £16,000 then unfortunately you need to go through another work capability assessment.

If a claim closes for any other reason and you reclaim within 6 months your LCWRA would be paid from the start of your claim. So even if it was closed for any other reason you would still need to go through the process again.

What you should have done in your case back in January was claimed New style ESA as NI credits only claim and this would have then entitled you to the LCWRA element from the start of your claim and no new assessment would have been needed.

DaveDave1

Hi Poppy

Thank you for all the information.

Much Appreciated, Dave