Moving home but so confused and panicking

kamala

Hi

I need some advice please as my situation is causing me sleepless nights and panic attacks.

My partner and I are in receipt of universal credit. I am 64 years old and in the LCWRA group and he get the carers allowance element so we get the full amount. I was assessed for this only last October or November. I can't remember. We live in a very dilapidated house, damp and unheated, which exacerbates my health conditions and the landlord Will not fix things for us. she is also in poor health and 78 so we have the worry of her passing away too and we do not have a tenancy agreement with her as she refuses to get registered. I was attacked and assaulted here by a young male neighbour just over a year ago and living here reminds me of this all the time. I suffer with complex PTSD from childhood and several other traumas, including the aftermath of this attack.

I have an opportunity to move a long way away and this new place is 4 doors away from my brother and sister in law, who I am very close to. The area is also a place where I feel calm and safe, having spent a lot of my childhood there. But my partner has just started to expand his business here and has spent money on new equipment and improving his workspace, so he wants to stay here for a year or so, to try and get the business up and running, while visiting me every 6 weeks or so. So we will be live separate but still be in our relationship.

I have worked out that with me on single UC element, with LWCRA element and receiving the local housing authority rate, together with my PIP, I can afford this move and I will have support from my brother if needed but I am very worried that my new situation will trigger me having to go through another work capability assessment and that in turn, they will take me out of this group which will reduce my money and require me to get work, which I am not capable of doing now with my health conditions. I do not drive due to them. If this happens I will not be able to afford the move but the conundrum is that I won't know until after I have committed to the move and change and this opportunity may not arise again.

Can anyone advise me on what may happen? I am worried that because my partner is my carer, if he stays, then they may assume that my conditions have improved enough to take me out of LCWRA group, but this is not the case. I will have support from my brother and may have to find a carer to come and help a few hours if I need to. I have to make a decision very quickly or I will lose the offer of the house.

OverlyAnxious

Hi,

Many, if not most, LCWRA claimants do not have a carer.

Moving shouldn't trigger a work assessment anyway. But even if it did, there's no reason that you shouldn't remain in the LCWRA group.

kamala

That is interesting OverlyAnxious, I did not realise that. Thank you for your reply.