UC LWCRA PIP

pindy

Hi I'm Pindy, hoping to get some guidance today if possible and will explain the circumstances;

I am in ESA support group, and I claimed UC in July 2025 after separating with my husband since Feb 2024.

I am a single parent with 3 kids at home. I have an autistic son 20 years old whom I support and is a now currently doing a supported internship since September to improve his independence and gain skills for working world. I also have 2 other children in full time education 12 years and 17. I am in the ESA support group and have a long standing arthritis condition and various other conditions which impact my ability to engage and sustain work with having home and child responsibilities also, I receive Pip standard rate daily living and enhanced rate motability.

My autistic son receives PIP also enhanced rate in both, not in UC system as yet, but have been advised to claim.

(Would he be better off living independently in supported conditions so he can receive his full support and I myself receive mine, altho I'm concerned he'll have difficulty coping independently and would require alot of external support and training.)

UC - I have standarad rate, child element for 2 kids and an entitlement of the carers element.

With claiming carers allowance I have the entitlement but get no payment as i think this is covered through my ESA being in support group. ESA is therefore deducted from my total UC allowance.

I have recently undergone a WCA with UC but not heard of any outcome, it's been 2 months since assessment. I have read that you can't get both carers element and LWCRA so can I still gain illegibility for this LWCRA and in which case will my carers element be automatically removed or should I remove this status myself?

Also would it be of benefit to me to close my ESA claim and have everything from one place UC as it all feels a bit messy?

Not sure what's the best thing to do here but don't want to be financially worse off and if anything, I was hoping to be put in the LWCRA so I can utilise the option of doing something even volunteering when I feel able to improve my mental health and as my condition can vary dependant on activity.

Any advice would be helpful and feel free to ask any further questions if I have missed anything. Thanks in advance.

Pindy

Kimi87

If you were in ESA Support Group at the time of claiming UC, you should have been given the equivalent under UC automatically which is LCWRA.

I don't understand why you haven't already got LCWRA element on your UC award.

It's correct that New Style ESA is being deducted from your UC award. They are both income replacement benefits and a person can only get one.

It's correct that under UC you cannot get paid for both LCWRA and Carers Element at the same time. The higher amount applies.

There are however two different things which people commonly get mixed up:

Carers Element paid under UC £201.68.

Carers Allowance which is separate to UC & deducted in full at £353.16 (due to CA also being an income replacement benefit).

I appreciate New Style ESA & UC feels messy however there are advantages to retaining the NS ESA:

Fortnightly payments

Better class of NI stamp paid

If you change circumstances such as an inheritance which means closing your UC claim due to too much capital, the NS ESA remains in payment and if your capital then drops below the limit, you bypass another medical assessment for UC and are awarded LCWRA element automatically.

With your son, you are considered separate households for benefit purposes even though you live together.

Your ESA and PIP are not impacted, nor is your UC because the only potential impact is a non dependant deduction from Housing Element, but your PIP prevents that.

Your son should absolutely claim UC in his own right. He would be entitled to Standard Allowance £316.98, and if found to have LCWRA after an assessment, an extra £423.27. If found to have LCW then no extra money is paid.

pindy

Hi thankyou for your response.

"If you were in ESA Support Group at the time of claiming UC, you should have been given the equivalent under UC automatically which is LCWRA."

Please see response to this from UC when I queried it...

Since I have been put through the WCA what outcomes are possible, could I still receive entitlement to LWCRA and if so would UC remove the carers element? Would this alter any benefit amounts or give any other incentive, like with ESA support group there's permitted work incentive.

My son since sept is doing a supported internship program which is deemed as an education programme only for those under 25 with an EHCP, he's doing 16 hrs weekly receiving job coaching, travel training, budget training etc to gain independence and workability skills. Should I therefore report this as a change of circumstance on what I declared as caring for someone 35 hrs, altho I still care for him around this program, that never ends!

Can you offer any further advice around this. Much appreciate yr advice around my other queries too, especially as it's Sunday!

Pindy

Kimi87

I can't make sense of what UC have done with your claim.

I would recommend contacting a local welfare rights organisation and speaking to a trained benefits advisor.

https://advicefinder.turn2us.org.uk/

Disability Rights UK have a Disabled Students Helpline, they are really good at giving advice around Universal Credit, disability and studying.

https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/disabled-students-helpline

pindy

Thankyou, I have a welfare rights officer and we have both been waiting for an WCA outcome, I have contacted UC through my journal to chase this up. I will also see if anyone at the link you provided can help further. I have been holding out on a claim for my son until mine is all sorted but will get further advice on him also. Thankyou for all you advice today.