LCWRA - hitting a brick wall

clarecase

I was originally on esa in the support group but had to go over to universal credit when I was discharged from hospital as I had to move in with my partner meaning that we had to make a joint claim.
i asked on numerous occasions if I was still entitled to esa support group but kept getting told no. 
We started UC on 18th Oct 2018 which meant that my ESA support group ended on the 17th of October 2018. This meant I did not have a break in one claim to the next.
i had already had a medical and was awarded 12 months from July 2018.
i recently found out that I should have been awarded lcwra automatically and because I had a valid entitlement I did not need to wait for the 3 month probation period. 
I have spoken with UC and the job centre + who keep on saying it’s not them and should get back onto either UC or Job Centre. I finally spoke with a person who was able to advice me that this was corr3ct and the JC ha£ actually sent over a completed mpg1 in dec 17 to UC.
I have now been told off UC that they have sent it to the decision maker.
can anybody help me with this as I just seem to be hitting a brick wall.
sorry for the long rant. 
Thanks for reading this

janer1967

Hi and welcome to the community, It seems like you are having a hard time of it. I would suggest that if it is with the decision maker then something is being done about iy.

Have you spoken to the DWP ring the UC helpline or post on your online journal that you would like to discuss this with your case manager.

Sometimes the job centre are not the people to speak to about your claims

Hope this helps and keep us informed

steve51

Hi @janer1967

Good Afternoon & Welcome it’s great to meet you today.

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

Sorry to hear about your current problems with your Benefit’s.

We have got some senior members who will hopefully help you.

 Hi @Adrian_Scope @Chloe_Scope

Can you please help me with this post in regards to “Benefits”

@steve51

clarecase

Good afternoon to you also. Thank you for looking at my post and referring it on to someone who may be able to give me a bit of guidance 

janer1967

Hi @steve51

I am not new and I am a champion myself lol 

I was responding to Clare case post 

steve51

Hi @janer1967

Opps I am so sorry ? ?????

Just having a “Blonde Moment”

Mind you my hair is “Black” so maybe “Not”

@steve51

janer1967

@steve51

No worries my friend happens to us all 

steve51

Hi @janer1967

Many thanks my friend???

@steve51

clarecase

Hi all
Does anyone know if LCWRA is a means tested benefit as in I am claiming UC as a joint claim with my partner. Since making our 1st claim back in 2018 to What we thought was to date my partner has worked throughout periods of this. UC advised me today that our claim was stopped for the periods of January 2019 to September 2019 due to excess income. Yes my partner was earning a reasonable wage and I am not disputing this fact what I want to know is if LCWRA is means tested and if it’s not would’nt I have been entitled to the LCWRA element no matter what my partners earnings were I would still get LCWRA.
all of this is totally stressing me out and the more I get stressed the more I have non epileptic seizures, and suffer more with my hemiplegic migraines which then have a knock on effect with my depression and anxiety.
thanks again for just reading this message and any help is very much appreciated 
clare

chiarieds

Hi @clarecase - & welcome to the community. Altho LCWRA is an element that you can get with UC, UC is a means tested benefit, so your partner's income would be taken into account.

I'm very sorry that all this has caused you stress, which none of us here would wish upon you. Please read through the government's links about UC: https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit/eligibility

Hopefully one of the Scope team may better advise tomorrow.

steve51

Hi @clarecase

Good Morning!!!!!!!

I was just checking in to see how things are going!!!!!!!!

Please let me know if you still need any help/assistance?????

@steve51

Adrian_Scope

Hello @clarecase. Universal Credit and all of the elements within it are means-tested. I'm wondering though, if because they didn't correctly apply your ESA and transition it to UC, whether they correctly gave you and your partner a 'work allowance' (an amount you can earn as a household before deductions for earnings begin). 

Have they sorted out your LCWRA and backdated it to the start of your UC claim now?

clarecase

Hi all,
Firstly I apologise if I have repeatedly said the same thing but it has taken me a few days to write this due to having non epileptic seizures and hempiygic migraines as I have mind blanks.
Thanks for all your replies to my last message.
Here's what's happening so far:
Ì spoke with a really helpful lady from JC+ who actually listened to what I was saying. 
We applied for a joint UC claim in October 2018 and by doing so our previous entitlement stopped. We didnt get a UC payment till the 5th of December 2017 for £500. We asked the question as to why our joint claim onky entitled us to this amount to be told by UC it was because my partner took a zero hour contract job for a few days. I asked the question at this time about my ESA Support Group to be told they would bet back to me. My partner took a fulltime job at the beginning of January which we informed UC about. When we migrated over to UC from JC+ our previous benefits also closed down such to the extent that when UC sent the MPG1 form (extremely late) to JC+ to complete they informed UC that I was not on any benefits.
This was wrong but not wrong in a sense as yes they were correct in saying I was not on ESA but only because JC+ thought that UC were already dealing with this element.
Ì am waiting now on a call from the benefits office between now and Wednesday.  The lady that I spoke with confirmed that this was a mistake on their behalf and I should have been receiving this extra element. Once I get clarification regarding this I will update you all.
Clare