Hi, my name is Rach91! Over three long months after my assessment I've been awarded LCWRA

Rach91

Hi my name is Rachel over just three long months of waiting after my ESA assessment Iv been awarded LCWRA! Does this mean I will have the normal ESA rate of 74.80 or does that qualify me to be in higher rate bracket could someone please explain to me as it does all get quiet confusing 🤕
Thanks 

L_Volunteer

Hi @Rach91

Welcome to Scope's forum. It is great to see you have joined us. I am really glad to hear that after your three long months of waiting, you have been awarded LCWRA. Unfortunately, ESA is not an area of my expertise which means I can only hope someone with more knowledge in this area is able to respond to you soon. However, in the meantime, I just wanted to greet you and to let you know that we hear and see you 

Rach91

Hi there 
thank you for your quick response and being so welcoming ☺️ And after a long time of stress as you may know yourself it is not easy the system but so happy they decided to award me, No worries I’m sure someone else would be able to help me with this! Also have a P.I.P assessment in two weeks time wish me luck 👏 

L_Volunteer

Hey @Rach91

You are welcome. It is the very least we could do. Oh no, systems are always frustrating! I certainly hear you that they aren't easy but I am really glad to hear it has now been awarded. How are you currently feeling about the PIP assessment? I am wishing you the best of luck with your PIP assessment 

poppy123456

Hi,

Support Group/LCWRA means the extra money is paid from the 14th week after you started your ESA claim. Total weekly money will be £114.10 per week.

L_Volunteer

Hey @Rach91

I can see @poppy123456 has responded to your question. Could you please confirm if you feel your question has been answered? Please just let us know if you need anything to be further clarified or have any follow-up questions. We are here for you 

Ross_Alumni

Hello and welcome to the community @Rach91, nice to see you join us. 

Thanks for posting your question, and I hope you have found the replies above helpful, I bet those three months felt more like 12 months but it's good that you finally received the decision.

This is a very supportive and welcoming community so please feel free to have a browse and get involved wherever you'd like. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.

Rach91

Hi Poppy thank you so much for clearing that up that is so helpful it has been such a stress🤕 and waiting worrying constantly and they make you feel like your doing something wrong when you should be entitled if you have an illness which is a disability  

Rach91

Hi Ross 
Thank you for being so welcoming ☺️ Yeah it feels like Iv been waiting years and constantly chasing them up has added to my stress levels. Also I am so anxious about my PIP assessment and will be worrying about until it’s over! You all have been so helpful so happy I have joined scope forum ☺️ sending my love to you all 

calcotti

Other important point to note is that because you are now in the Support Group your ESA award will continue indefinitely until such time as DWP decide to reassess you or  you report a change. (Had you not been put in Support group the ESA would end after 12 months.)

L_Volunteer

Hi @Rach12

I think you have raised a really valuable point. You are indeed entitled if you are eligible! Don't let anyone make you feel otherwise. You know yourself best. It is understandable that you are feeling worried about your PIP assessment, not least with the uncertainty. We will be more than happy to talk it through with you though if you would like to discuss it further. Please feel free to let us know how you get on with it all 

calcotti

L_Volunteer said:

You are indeed entitled if you are eligible! 

Being eligible and being entitled mean different things so being eligible does not mean you are entitled. Being eligible means you are allowed to apply (not excluded due to nationality, not meeting the past presence test etc). Being entitled means meeting the payment threshold following assessment.

L_Volunteer

Indeed @calcotti. You have raised a really important point. However, there are also eligibility criteria (for instance, disability). Then your application gets prioritised if you can tick the box to say for example that you are applying under protected characteristics 

Rach91

Calcotti Hi there and thank you for that useful information I would not of known that it is all new information to me as not claimed before does it get payed monthly or every two weeks does anyone know? 

L_Volunteer

Hi @Rach91

Great question! And it is completely okay to have questions. Unfortunately, this is not an area of my expertise. This means I can only hope someone with more knowledge in this area can respond to you soon 

Rach91

Thank you I have an invisible disability called Chronic Fatigue Syndrome also known as M.E and I can judged some of the time because I don’t look sick and it’s hard to explain to as it’s so fluctuating, I will let you know how my PIP assessment and for anyone who has any useful tips would be most helpful 

L_Volunteer

Oh, we hear you @Rach91. Unfortunately, 'invisible' disabilities are some of the least understood and yet some of the most stigmatised. You might find our discussion sections 'chronic pain and pain management' and 'rare, invisible, and undiagnosed conditions' particularly useful. I have linked both of these below as they may mean that you are able to connect with others with similar experiences - due to having fibromyalgia, I am one of those! 

• Chronic pain and pain management - https://forum.scope.org.uk/categories/chronicpain
• Rare, invisible, and undiagnosed conditions - https://forum.scope.org.uk/categories/undiagnosed_rare_conditions

I hope you find these helpful! However, if you want to talk things through further or have any questions, please don't hesitate to let us know 

Rach91

@L_Volunteer you suffer with Fibromyalgia so sorry to hear that can I ask what support you get? Thank you for attaching those links anything to help relieve chronic pain ☺️

calcotti

Rach91 said:..does it get payed monthly or every two weeks does anyone know? 

ESA is paid fortnightly. If your PIP claim is successful the PIP will be paid every four weeks.

Have you used a benefits calculator to see if you would be entitled to any Universal Credit in addition to the ESA?
Benefits calculators - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

poppy123456

Rach91 said:

Calcotti Hi there and thank you for that useful information I would not of known that it is all new information to me as not claimed before does it get payed monthly or every two weeks does anyone know? 

Your ESA payments will continue as normal on the same day as you've always been paid but the amount will increase to £114.10 per week (from week 14) as advised.

Rach91

@calcotti I have currently been working 15 hours a week manage so been getting UC payments, but I am leaving my job tomorrow as I am not able I to cope I’m hoping this will not affect my ESA Payments as I know I will have to declare this straight away