Need advice

tara2019

Hi I've been off work been paid sick pay from work for 26 weeks I'm still off work with long term I'm going into retention end this week can someone advice me what to do now 

janer1967

Hello and welcome to the community. Are you wanting to know what benefits you can claim ? you could contact your local job centre, or research benefits on the gov.uk website. I will also tag in one of our experts who can advise. It will all be dependant on your circumstances and if you have partner that works, children etc. it is hard to advise without knowing the details. There is also a benefits calculator on the gov website you can use to see if you may be eligible.

@poppy123456 can you maybe advise 

tara2019

Thanks x

poppy123456

HI,

I believe from previous threads that you are already claiming UC,  If so then once you finish work then you need to report the changes on your journal. I'm assuming you're claiming SSP from your employer, is that correct?

Your monthly UC payments will depend on earnings during your assessment period. If you have no earnings then your UC payments will be increased but how much you're entitled to will totally depend on your circumstances.

tara2019

i i have been paid full wage for 26 weeks which runs out sun this week i been told by my employer im going onto retention,my gmb union are going to ask for redundancy on ill health cause i cant do my job or anyother job agin due to my disabilitys, i dont have a morgage, and dont have kids under 18, work are not going to pay me from next week, i claimed uc but never got payment due to my part time wage too high, so what now do i do cant live on nothing thanks

poppy123456

As advised, what you're entitled to will depend on your circumstances. As your UC payments depend on what earnings you receive during your assessment period then if you receive another wage this will affect how much UC you're entitled to.

Once your employer stops paying you, if there's no more earnings during your UC assessment period then if you're claiming as a single person over the age of 25 then you'll be entitled to £317.82  standard allowance per month. If you're claiming with a partner and you're both over 25 then standard allowance is £489.89 per month.

You say you have no mortgage, does this mean you're mortgage free or are you renting your home? If you're renting then it will depend on whether you're renting from social housing or privately renting. If privately renting and it's either just yourself or yourself and a partner, you'll be entitled to the 1 bedroom rate of local housing allowance. Check here to see what you're entitled to. https://lha-direct.voa.gov.uk/

A benefits calculator may help you know what you maybe entitled to. It's very difficult to advise because i don't know all of your circumstances. A visit to an advice agency is also a good idea, if you can't use the benefits calculator. https://www.entitledto.co.uk/

If you're sending in fit notes from your GP then you'll need to wait for the work capability assessment process to take place. Once a decision is made on this then if you're awarded LCWRA then you'll receive an extra £336 per month.

Council tax reduction needs to be claimed from your local council, if you're not already claiming this.

tara2019

Who do I send fit notes to as well as my employer and how do I get lcwra 

poppy123456

You will need to send them to DWP for your UC claim. Once this is done you will eventually be referred for a work capability assessment. You'll then be sent work capability forms to fill in and return with all your evidence. A face to face assessment is most likely (similar to PIP but different criteria, if you claim this) once a decision's made then it will either be LCW, LCWRA or fit for work.

Claiming LCWRA will totally depend on how your conditions affect your ability to do any type of work. https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/universal-credit-uc/uc-faq/3904-limited-capability-for-work-related-activity

Face to face advice would be very helpful with the limited capability for work process.

tara2019

Thanks for all advice just wish I was able body and mind to continue working I just feel like I've been pushed into a corner from all sides x

tara2019

Just a update had emergency mri results and I've slipped 2 more discs in spine n crushing both sciatic nerves so can not walk at all gone into retention with work had a meeting with dwp advisor got a uc and pip advisor this weds my depression is so severe now as well as everything else going on I'm about a month off tribunal for pip these couple of years have been so hard when will things get better

Chloe_Alumni

Really sorry to hear this @tara2019! It sounds like you're in a lot of pain and have a lot going on at the moment. Just wanted to check in.

tara2019

Thanks I am in lots of pain my head mental state is not good its worsen so much since corrna virus I've to fill in lcwra forms this week and now in panic I requested all my medical evidence to go with forms but doctors are now shut I had telephone from msk specialist who under these circumstances is putting everything and mri scan in a letter just this and medical evidence from last year just hope this is enough 

poppy123456

All you can do under these circumstances is send what you have.

tara2019

Thanks poppy ino it also says dont send sick notes but my doctor has put as much info on my last sick note before doctors shut down I was also wanting help filling these forms but theres no help now so I'm just going to use citizen advice off internet 

poppy123456

Sick/fit notes are not classed as evidence for the work capability assessments.