Hi, I'm lucky888! If I'm placed in LCWRA group, will I get arrears to beginning of UC claim?

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lucky888

I have been on UC since the pandemic 16 months, I have extreme OCD and anxiety. I have been referred by the job centre to a work coach due to my illness, at the begging. 

A new job centre staff had taken over and he asked me “has anyone at the job centre asked me to sign so I don’t have to look for work, and have I been asked to get a fit note from gp. 

I said no, he explained that they have notes that I am too sick to work, however they should have instructed me to sign off work and get a fit note.  He will help me backdate from the start of my illness. When I was too ill to work. I have counselling sessions referred by the gp and prescribed antidepressants. 

My question is, will it be possible to backdate to the beginning?
 since the job centre did not do their job properly. They a knowledges I was too ill to work when they transferred me to a work coach.  They even told me I am too sick too work. But did not ask me to sign off. Did not ask me to get fit note. I have never claimed benefits before so I didn’t know. 

Also, they gave me the option to find work if I feel up to it, I am fed up being at home and want to give it a try looking for work and see if I can manage without any anxiety attacks. 

If I do find work, will I still be entitled to what I should have got at the very start (backdate) up until the day I find a job? 

Thanking you all, in advance 

poppy123456

HI,

It's not any work coaches decision to tell you that you're not fit for work but they can turn off work search requirements at their own discretion. For this you need to go through the work capability assessment process first, which usually requires either a telephone or face to face assessment done by the Health Assessment Advisory Service. Details here. It says ESA but the process is the same for UC. https://www.chdauk.co.uk/employment-and-support-allowance-esa Before they can assess you once you've been referred for the work capability assessment you will be sent a form to fill in and return with all your evidence.

What you should have done was report your health condition onto your journal and then provid fit notes from your GP and continue to provide them without gaps until a decision's been made on your claim. If you are then awarded LCWRA then the extra payments are backdated to the 4th full assessment period from when you reported the health condition, providing you sent fit notes with no gaps.

If you are eventually awarded LCWRA whether you will receive any backdated money will depend on what's decided by a decision maker. Hope this helps, in the meantime please make sure you have now reported a change of circumstances (your health condition) on your journal.