Lwrca

Camkk2020

Hi im 21 years old and im looking for some help regarding my lwrca claim:). So around august 2018 i was diagjosed with paranoid schizophrenia and was admitted into a psychological unit in hospital, whilst i was a patient there i started claiming benefits. Due to a grievance in my family early 2019 i was forced into living on my own for the first time properly. Because i dont feel emotianally or physically (some days) capable of going back to work as i feel paranoid about things that happen in busy environments even if its obvious its got nothing to do with my life i was told by my support worker about lwrca and told i should definitely apply. so in march last year i sat down with my sister and cpn and sent it off and then waited for a response. Around july time i still hadnt heard anything so me and my support worker went to the job centre and had asked about it again, when we spoke to my work coach he said there was something wrong with my fit note and i needed to provide a new one so i did and waited....... and waited......and waited until i got upset about the situation bc im finding living off what ive got atm very struggling as im stuck in my 3 bedroom childhood home on my own with huge bills from household to extra bedrooms that i simply cannot afford so i visited the job centre again and this time my work coach claimed i never completed the form and returned it to sender even though he said previously it was to do with my sick note and informed me i need to bring a sick note in again and re-do the form. Can someone please explain if

1. I will get back dated for the time ive been waiting because they claim they never recieved it and that worries me because if anyone could really do with it its me (i know this sounds like im spoilt here as there are obviously people worse off from me but i really have had a horrible experience this last year)   

2. have to wait another 3 months even though its been just over 10 months  

3. if there is anyway i can talk to someone higher up than just my work coach (if the above question is a yes) as he has been making me jump through hoops and telling me one thing but making me do another?

poppy123456

HI and welcome,

Have you been referred for the work capability assessment? if so have you received and returned the work capability assessment form, with all your evidence to support your claim?

Once you've returned that a face to face assessment is most likely because most people have them. Once a decision's been made if you're given limited capability for work related activity (LCWRA) you will receive an extra £336 per month from the 4th month of your claim starting from when you sent your first fit note, providing there's been no gaps in those fit notes. It won't be paid from the start of your UC claim because of the waiting period.

Are you receiving help with your rent in with your UC claim? Although you won't receive help for all the rent, if it's a 3 bedroom house and you live alone. For any shortfall of rent you can apply for a discretionary housing payment from your local council. There's no guarantee you'll receive it and if you do, it's only paid for a short period of time and then you need to reapply.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/claiming-discretionary-housing-payments/claiming-discretionary-housing-payments

Are you also claiming council tax reduction? this needs to be claimed from your local council because it's not part of UC.

May i also ask if you're claiming PIP or DLA?

Camkk2020

Hello and thankyou:) 

I was reffered for a work capability assesment and completed the form and sent it back to which my work coach explained a few months later that i needed a new fit note to move forward so i did that also and as i explained in my original post my work coach then proceeded to tell me i needed to do all of it again as the form had been "returned to sender". This is what  im trying to make sense of as all the posts ive read on here noone has really encountered a situation like this as of yet.

also im recieving help with rent and council tax deductions but the bills still add up unfortunately as my benefits cant cover every expense or bill. 

And im currently awaiting my tribunal for PIP as Citizens advice bureau have decided i wasnt given the correct points and they decided to help me appeal for the 3rd time which as you already know involves a tribunal 

poppy123456

I have no idea about the "return to sender" issue with the form you returned. Work capability assessments are done by The Health Assessment advisory service and are nothing to do with DWP. My advice is to ring them to ask if they can give you any updates about what's happening to your claim. See link, although it states ESA it's exactly the same because it's still the work capability assessment.  https://www.chdauk.co.uk/employment-and-support-allowance-esa

Camkk2020

Thankyou for your help, i have just got off the phone and sort of have an idea of the situation. Thanks again have a good rest of the day

Adrian_Scope

Hi @Camkk2020. I'm glad they were able to give you an idea of what stage your WCA is at.

I know you said you were receiving help with rent. Are you definitely receiving the DHP or do you just mean rent within your Universal Credit? 
The DHP (discretionary housing payment) Poppy mentioned would help cover the rent shortfall from bedroom tax.
They're not guaranteed but if successful it may help you out in the short term.