Should my benefit be backdated?

thatsmyname

Hi, i wonder if anyone can help although i doubt it as dwp apparently dont even know! I feel like ive been punched in the head repeatedly for 4 days trying to get answers or figure it out and as i can see from every single thread or blog or page that everyone else feels the same.my uc claim began on 5-12-2019.i provided my first fitnote on 12-12-2019. Have provided fitnotes continuous since that date.was supposed to have my wca in jan 2020.i attended by taxi with 2 relatives who travelled to meet me to support me as i suffer with agoraphobia anxiety depression and panic attacks and social phobia.on arrival i was sent home as assessor was suddenly taken ill.i had a major panic attack due to this and was hit by a mobility scooter during the process due to me walking backwards into the ladies path due to panic! Sorry that was slightly off subject....but its taken a full year to give me another date for wca.its was exactly a year to the day of my cancelled wca.so on the 4 feb 2020 i get my decision on uc journal saying i continue to have LWCRA so i wont recieve anymore money but dont need to give fitnotes anymore.but ive actually been given more money this month for lcwra so should that amount be backdated to when i first started giving fitnotes bar the 14 weeks assessment period? I rang uc as im just getting ignored on my journal and first the lady said no they never backdate it...then i said id been advised online that it should be and her answer then changed to it should be backdated to when i first claimed! Obviously i cannot trust any of this advice please can anyone help me ?

thatsmyname

Thank you for putting my post in the right place Ross scope i knew id do it wrong!

woodbine

Love to help but I can't read large blocks of text, easy for most of us if you could split it into paragraphs? welcome to scope @thatsmyname

thatsmyname

Short version sorry im a ranter.
Original wca date cancelled when i arrived at the assessment  on jan 2019.
Have been providing fitnotes since 12 dec 2019.
Only just had wca in jan 2020
Decision made on feb 4 2020 to be lcwra. Statement available for 5 feb has my new amount added.
Should this be backdated and if so how far?
Im not good at doing paragraphs because if i stall to think i just forget what im writing im so sorry...was that better or just as confusing 

jojo7777

how long have u been providing fit notes for

thatsmyname

12th dec 2019 i provided my first fitnote.thankyou for replying

thatsmyname

Sorry i think i should have tagged you in that im new to this lol jojo7777 12 dec 2019 was my reply.thankyou

jojo7777

have u been getting them to this date?

jojo7777

so from the 12/12/2019 till now

thatsmyname

Yes jojo7777 from 12 dec 2019 to now. but i now dont have to provide more due to lcwra award other day but yes they have been supplied every month up until now.

calcotti

The LCWRA element is payable for the fourth complete assessment period after you first reported your health condition supported by a Fit Note. Depending on your assessment period dates this will be from your payment in April or May 2020.

thatsmyname

Thankyou calcotti i thought it should be that but i cant get straight answers from dwp.im just getting ignored on my uc journal and ive rung helpline twice today and they said it doesnt get backdated then said it does ...then they said not sure.
I've also been in touch with my local advice centre dial wakefield and they said it wont be either so im stumped! I do hope it is backdatable as ive been living on £286 a month all this time up until pip was also awarded and i do still really struggle.

mikehughescq

Every monthly payment of UC is a new award decision. You need to challenge every monthly decision going back to the relevant start date.  

thatsmyname

Mikehughescq thankyou.how would i do this? I normally had face to face help with anything like this in the past so i draw a blank when it comes to stuff like this.as you know they make everything pretty much im

thatsmyname

Impossible sorry knocked post reply prematurely 

Adrian_Scope

Hi @thatsmyname
Congratulations on your LCWRA and sorry it has taken so long for you to be placed into the correct group, it must have been very frustrating.

I would suggest putting a note in your journal thanking them for uploading your award letter and asking again about the backdate. Explain you've been handing in fit notes since December 2019 and that it's your understanding there is a 3 assessment wait period but you believe your LCWRA should be backdated to just after the 'relevant wait period'.
If they refuse your first step would be to ask for it to be sent to a decision maker. 

Can I ask, were you claiming anything before you claimed UC? The wording on the letter makes it seem as though they already thought you were receiving LCWRA.

thatsmyname

Thanks Adrian_Scope.i have mentioned it twice yesterday on phone to uc helpline but lady tried to say they dont backdate.then said they do.ive been asking on my journal since the award went on but now im not even getting replies on there at all.rang uc a second time yesterday and lady said she would put a note on email to my advisor to contact me.what bugged me more was that i thought id recieved a reply as i got text saying read a message on journal but there wasn't one when i logged in.uc helpline couldnt understand why i recieved a text. I agree it is worded as if they presumed i was already on lcwra.but when ive asked people are saying that means nothing and its a template letter they use which surely isnt fair! Should be specific to the claimant 

mikehughescq

thatsmyname said:

Mikehughescq thankyou.how would i do this? I normally had face to face help with anything like this in the past so i draw a blank when it comes to stuff like this.as you know they make everything pretty much im

Via your journal. Lost the dates of every payment decision and ask them to review each one. At minimum they’ll then go seek the help of a supervisor.

thatsmyname

Mikehughescq thankyou for replying.im now just getting ignored on my journal.lady i spoke to on uc helpline said shes emailed the actual jobcentre for me and shes also meant to have done a note on there saying why i feel i should get backdated so who knows....i dont think im going to get the backdate but its wrong i should. 

thatsmyname

I just recieved another text saying read a message in your journal.logged in thinking great finally an answer! No such luck! Second message this week saying fitnote expiry! I spoke to uc yesterday they assured me they dont need them now for lcwra so why keep asking for one.ive clicked service issues and requested that they stop asking for fitnotes as im in lcwra now.and also to reply to my query..which if they read them one was a question about fitnotes and wether i need them now! And the other about backdating.ive told them its making me anxious and confused but doubt they care.

thatsmyname

Adrian_Scope no i was forced to work after been on esa and i kept having panic attacks at work from day one! Then the security guard at this workplace made sexual comments to me and other female workers..groped another so everytime i had to go through security my feet would freeze so i couldnt walk i was that scared.i lost my job instead of him as they did not escalate our complaints they just covered it up.i couldnt continue the job just re enforced my beliefs that im in danger if i leave my home or interact with humans and my mental health just gets worse everyday because there is no proper therapy available in my area allegedly.
So was on esa...forced to get job
Lost job obviously
Then made claim but was told esa didnt exist anymore and had to go on uc 

Adrian_Scope

It sounds like your Case Manager hasn't actioned the decision on your claim properly yet @thatsmyname, otherwise the fit note requests would be turned off. Unfortunately with the change to having telephony staff instead of being able to speak to your Case Manager directly it appears that some claimants are finding it more difficult to get issues resolved. 
When you're putting notes on your journal which option are you selecting?

thatsmyname

Adrian_Scope im using the message for my work coach option.but ive just messaged again on there using the service issues option

Adrian_Scope

Now you're in LCWRA you won't have a work coach and this isn't something a work coach can look at. 
You need to put it under 'payments' or 'services issues'. Let us know how you get on.

thatsmyname

Thankyou Adrian_Scope ill just have to wait and see i guess dont think they will be in a hurry to backdate it but we will see...i have used service issues section to give them a telling off and to at least reply to me 

mikehughescq

Always a good idea to screen shot your UC journal as a record of what you put on there and when. Once you've put your stuff on there it's reasonable to give it an assessment period to be actioned (a month) and then after that lodge a formal complaint. A letter before action can be remarkably effective too.