Since moving onto Universal Credit we have lost the severe disability premium

tonyrotherham

Hi, My partner and I both claim universal credit. Does anyone know the state of play regarding this. I broke my back in a car crash and the wife had a stroke and a annuerism on her brain. We had never claimed benefits before so it was all very new and slightly overwhelming. I have been told my wife can claim carers allowance for me. How will this affect our universal credit? Can it be backdated. Since moving onto Universal Credit we have lost the severe disability premium. Apparently this omission is been looked at somewhere by someone somewhere but I haven't heard anything from anyone. Any help/information from anyone would be gratefully received. Thank you for reading this.

steve51

Hi @tonyrotherham

Good Afternoon & Welcome!!!!!

I am one of the Community Champion’s here at Scope.

I am very sorry to hear about your current problems.

I have also had a Stroke (Bleed) in my (30’s)

Yes Benefit’s can be hard to get your head around to be honest.

Here some info on them below for you.

https://www.scope.org.uk/advice-and-support/benefits-funding-extra-costs-of-being-disabled/

Please come back to me if you need any further help assistance??

@steve51

Adrian_Scope

Hello @tonyrotherham and welcome to the community.

A few weeks ago plans were announced to give compensation to all those who lost SDP when they applied for Universal Credit and pay the transitional premium to them going forward. To qualify you must still be eligible for SDP and if your wife claims Carer's Allowance for you, this will null your eligibility. 

Can I ask, do both you and your wife claim PIP and have either of you been awarded the LCW/LCWRA element of Universal Credit?

tonyrotherham

Hi we both claim pip we havent  claimed carers yet. I think it would be wise to wait until they pay the compensation, LCW and LCWRA are just acronums to me. many thanks

Hart86

Definitely do not claim carers until you’ve had your SDP compensation as you’ll lose entitlement to it! 

Amounts you can expect are written here: https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/news/2019/july/compensation-loss-severe-disability-premium-through-claiming-universal-credit

LCW and LCWRA are the universal credit equivalent to ESA (employment and support allowance) and stand for limited capacity for work / limited capacity for work and work related activities. 

Adrian_Scope

Hi @tonyrotherham, have you had any updates as to your entitlement to the compensation and back-payment? I know a few people have now been contacted.

tonyrotherham

21 Aug 2019 at 7:47am	Hi Antony and Victoria You are now receiving the carers element so your payment has increased slightly for you. Your statement is there for you to view. Karen	Karen Makerfield Service Centre
19 Aug 2019 at 12:25pm	Hi Antony It was carers element that I have put down for Victoria, we do not do carers allowance applications on Universal Credit you would need to ring the carers allowance benefit line, if you haven't done that then you have not applied for this benefit. Karen  Send reply	Karen Makerfield Service Centre
16 Aug 2019 at 8:39pm	Hi Karen, I hope you had a good weekend. Having taken advice we have decided we do not want to claim carers allowance at this time. Could you please cancel any application. Sorry to inconvenience you. Many thanks.

H Hi Karen will this in any way effect the severe disability component that we discussed previously ? I was reading on;ine that it could invalidate our receiving this benefit when it goes through. Sorry for the delay in getting back to you but Vicky was really ill the last few days. Her bowels don't work correctly following her stroke. Thank you for your understanding i Antony The carers element does not affect your entitlement to SDP, it is only if you claimed carers allowance that it would affect SDP, whilst you are on ESA you would not be entitled to carers allowance even if you applied for it but Victoria is entitled to carers element that does not affect SDP. Karent This is where we are currently at. Apparently this will not effect our right to compensation form the severe disability premium. I havent told the wife but i personally am incredibly worried.

poppy123456

I'm afraid your work coach is not correct here. If a person claims the carers element it will affect any entitlement owed for the SDP backdated money, in the same way a claim for carers allowance would.