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Is LCWRA means tested? Can you claim both Carers Allowance and LCWRA?
tee1993
Member Posts: 6 Listener
I wanted some advice regarding the limited capability for work and work-related activity and carers allowance.
Last year I reported my fit note to Universal credit on the 5th February 2020. I was then assessed five months later around July 2020 via a telephone assessment, this was to assess whether I was capable to look for work.
The assessor wrote to me later saying that they wanted to assess me again but face to face before making a decision, however due to the lockdown this was put on hold.
So I was finally assessed last week and the decision maker sent me a letter on my UC journal with the outcome, it said that I've been awarded the limited capability for work and work-related activity (LCWRA).
Prior to the second assessment I had last week, I applied for carers allowance as I've been taking care of my mother. She receives both components of PIP (one standard and one higher rate). I met all the conditions so I applied about 2 weeks ago and I'm still waiting to hear from them.
However I'm in a bit of a dilemma now as I'm unsure as to how this will affect any future payments that may be awarded.
I have searched online and I found out that I should be eligible for the (LCWRA) £343.60 monthly. I wanted to know if this amount is means tested and whether this amount affects Universal credit.
From what I've read online I'm not entirely sure if my findings are correct.
If you receive both (LCWRA) and the carers element, will I be awarded only the one depending on what's higher?
Replies
What you will now see is the LCWRA element included in the calculation which increases your maximum amount by £343.60. It should be backdated to about May last year.
Claiming carer's Allowance will not increase your overall income because it will be deducted in full from the UC.
You should tell UC that you care for your mother. As a carer you could be entitled to the carer element of UC - you do not have to claim Carer's Allowance to get this.
In your case, as you suggest, you will not get the carer element because UC does not allow the payment of the LCWRA element and the carer element to the same person. You will get the LCWRA element because this is worth more.
To summarise:
You will see the LCWRA element included as an additional amount in the UC calculation (£343.60/month)
You will see a deduction for the CA (minus £292.93/month)
https://www.gov.uk/national-insurance/what-national-insurance-is-for
If you undertake any paid employment you do have to be mindful that you cease to be eligible for CA if your earnings exceed £128/week. There is no such limit on the carer element of UC.
https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/81208/carers-allowance-and-lcwra#latest
(It isn’t helpful posting the same question in two places.)
Sorry new here I wasn't to sure if I posted it in the right place.
The first thing you need to do is report your caring responsibilities to UC. You should have done this already. You should ask them to backdate it to the date your Carer’s Allowance starts from. They may refuse to do this because you didn’t tell them previously in which case you will need to persist.
UC will recalculate your previous monthly entitlements. As explained in any month that you have already got LCWRA you will not get the carer element. If there are months before the LCWRA started those will get the carer element added to them. Based on the dates you have mentioned it seems likely that your LCWRA element will have been backdated to before November 2020, if that is the case you will not get the carer element at all.
The Carer’s Allowance you received will appear as a monthly deduction.
When UC recalculate your entitlement they will overwrite all of the relevant monthly statement so, if you want a record of the previous calculations you need to make copies now.
Once they have completed the recalculations they will compare the results with what they previously paid you. This calculation will show that you have been overpaid UC. The overpayment will then be recovered by deduction from future UC payments.
Scope community team
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