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LCWRA - Confused about payments

DG1323155

Hello,

I’ve just received my latest statement and I’m confused about my entitlement.

I was awarded LCWRA earlier this month, and when I checked with my work coach they said I could expect the entitlement to be included on this month’s statement but it’s the same as usual.

Just some information according to my journal:

First note ran 30/11/24 until 31/01/25
Second was 30/01/25 until 6/03/25
Third was 13/03/25 until 22/03/25

As you can see there is a discrepancy as a new note started a day before my first one was due to end (not sure why).

I was awarded the additional entitlement on the 15th of April and my work coach advised the three assessment periods were covered and I wouldn’t need to provide any more fit notes. Was this a mistake? I understand there are some gaps in my fit notes, do they need to cover every day of an assessment period? My assessment periods are from 26th until 27th of each month and received my first payment from an assessment period for October to November.

Can someone please explain if my coach my a mistake? If so, when would I expect the additional entitlement, and will I need to provide any additional fit notes?

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Comments

Kimi87

Work coaches aren't the best people to get advice from unfortunately on issues outside of what they deal with everyday.

LCWRA has a waiting period of three full assessment periods, from the date the first Fit Note was handed in. No money is paid or subsequently owed for that period.

Unfortunately gaps in Fit Notes effect when the waiting period is counted from.

You have at least one gap from 6/3- 13/3 and was 13/3 - 22/3 a typo?

Fit Notes should have been provided until a decision was made which for you was on 15/4.

You no longer need to provide any and backdated ones are unlikely to be accepted because it's the date UC are given them that counts, not the start date written on them.

Due to the gap(s) we can't advise from here when you get the LCWRA added to your payment.

You can add a Journal note asking when they are counting as your "relevant period".

DG1323155

thanks for the quick response. There appears to be several discrepancies on the UC system. I’ve attached a screenshot of a note from my journal regarding my fit notes which shows there aren’t any gaps from Nov 24th until 6th of March (they had issues processing one of my earlier notes so perhaps they adjusted this retroactively). With this in mind, would I be correct that this covers three full months?

27th November until 26th December
27th December until 26th January
27th January until 26th February

{edited photo to remove personal information}

Kimi87

Did your next Fit Note cover you from March 7th to April 15th (date of decision?).

DG1323155

No unfortunately not, my last one expired on the 22nd of March. I had my work capability assessment on the 30th of March and the nurse advised I wouldn’t need to submit anymore fit notes as she’d be awarded the full entitlement. I then received the letter advising the results of the assessment on the 15th of April.
Does this mean I need to now wait an additional 3 months from the date of my decision?

Kimi87

Health Assessment Agency staff really shouldn't be handing out benefits advice full stop never mind advice that is wrong, but you already had a gap in Fit Notes before your assessment.

My previous advice applies, you need to ask UC when they are counting your "relevant period".

We can't tell what their decision would be from here, I've seen both happen cases where a small gap is overlooked (against regulation), others where it isn't.

DG1323155

Okay, thanks for the advice. I’ll contact UC tomorrow morning for more information.