LCWRA when already in work

CC27810

Hello, I was already in work when I started to receive LCWRA. It is a 0 hours contract working in a pub.

I picked up a new job that started a few days ago that is 17.5 hours a week. I declared the changes to the job centre. Will this affect my payments at all?

Santosha12

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/135843/lcwra-when-already-in-work

Hi @CC27810, A big welcome to the Community 😊.

I'm not a benefits expert but I do know that you are allowed to work when you are in receipt of LCWRA and can earn £411.00 per month, without it affecting your UC or LCWRA payments.

The type/nature of the work, and potentially the number of hours, should not of course be in contradiction of your health situation and reason for claiming LCWRA. I do not know what triggers an assessment of LCWRA but maybe others will know that and be able to advise better on that.

Any amount you earn above the £411.00 per month, is deducted by 0.55p per £1.00 earned, off your UC. So you keep 0.45p of every £1 earned (on top of the first £411.00 earned).

You have to report it each month, on your Journal, but I don't know exactly WHEN you have to report it (i.e. the last day of your Assessment Period maybe) but please check that and get certainty as the reporting of it correctly will be very important, and on the correct part of your Journal. Hopefully others will come along who know with more certainty on these points too.

I'm assuming 'earnings' means the amount before you pay any tax or NI contributions, if they are applicable to your situation. If you need to work out what your net pay will be salary calculator.co.uk is worth looking at and it calculates monthly/weekly net pay etc.

I only know the above from enquiring myself from the Citizen's Advice Bureau but more from a 'self-employed' perspective as I am housebound. I've no personal experience as I'm not well enough yet to even do that and got to figure out what that would be 🙄🫠) but I hope that the above gives you a bit of a start in being able to plan and work things out.

With very warmest wishes and good luck too in your job 🫂.

CC27810

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1039851#Comment_1039851

Thank you! It’s a job being a gallery attendant and it’s promising so far!

Probably worth clarifying as well that this is a second job. I didn’t get it originally but I was top of the reserves list and someone on my team went on MAT leave, so it’s a six month contract so far.

Santosha12

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1039916#Comment_1039916

You're very welcome and that sounds a fab job!

Really very best wishes to you with it all 😊

Albus_Scope

Heya @CC27810 and a big welcome to the community from me too!

I can see you've already had your queries answered, but i just wanted to pop in and say hi and also good luck with the new job! 😁

OverlyAnxious

Just to confirm the above, it is the final day of each assessment period that you should declare your earnings. 🙂

CC27810

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1040020#Comment_1040020

Thank you! Would you mind explaining in more detail what that entails please? So far I haven’t had an assessment period because I’ve only been on LCWRA for a few months, so how will it happen going forwards?

Santosha12

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1040181#Comment_1040181

Excuse me interjecting. If you log in to your UC Journal and go to Payments, that will show when your next UC payment/statement is due and will show the timescale of each individual Assessment Period that's set for you ie say, 21st June to 20th July.

If you are not on UC then I don't know as the above wouldn't apply ie if you're only on LCWRA and not UC. I hope that helps a bit.

CC27810

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1040184#Comment_1040184

Heya, I am on UC and LCWRA, and I found the assessment period; UC just deducts funds as appropriate.

Just that work coaches also told me to accept new commitments so I guess I’ll find out this coming week 🤞