Hi, my name is ijustneedhelp! Can anyone give me info on claiming what I'm entitled to?

ijustneedhelp

iv recently been placed on lcw after waitng for over 12months and have been in and out of hospital for over 18months due to a growth in my bowel which they only found not long ago, i have also lost alot of weight due to getting sick every other month, i have been having to pay for everything eg: getting to hospital appointments on standard money which is about 250 a month, i cant use public transport and dont even leave my house anymore as its taking a toll on my mental health and have been told that i still have to prepare for work and im entitled to no help at all wich is now making me struggle financially sorry for the long message but is there anyone with any info that could help me as i only want what i feel like im entitled too as they have gave me lcw but not lcwra wich i think is really unfair. im really struggling at the minute 

poppy123456

Hi,

You can challenge this decision by requesting the Mandatory Reconsideration (MR) if you think you qualify for LCWRA. First you need to look at the descriptors and see if you meet any of those, you can see them here. https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/universal-credit-uc/uc-faq/limited-capability-for-work-related-activity

Please be aware that decisions for MR can take anywhere between 2-12 weeks.

For the MR what you need to do is tell them which one you think applies to you and your reasons why. You can do this on your journal.

You can also get some expert advice from an agency near you. See link. https://advicelocal.uk/

You may also be expected to attend work focused interviews but this will depend on exactly what your claimant commiments are. I'd advise you to speak to your work coach and tell them about your conditions, if you haven't already.

There's also help with travel costs when attending hospital appointment. See link. https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/help-with-health-costs/healthcare-travel-costs-scheme-htcs/

SueHeath

Morning @ijustneedhelp welcome to this great group.
I am sorry to hear about your struggles but you have one of the best/informative person with Poppy so have a look at the advice given.
If you get the chance have a look around the site, there are lots of good threads/chats to read or join in if you wish to.
Just a thought, have you had a look to see if you can get PIP.

Alex_Alumni

Hello the @ijustneedhelp and welcome to the community, thanks for reaching out this morning. I'm sorry to hear that you've been struggling lately, it sounds as though there's been a lot going on. 

You're not alone in the way you're feeling, so please don't apologise for the long post. I hope you'll find the advice our members have offered supportive and welcoming.

We'd like to offer you some additional support if we can, so keep an eye out for an email from community@scope.org.uk a little later today.

Let us know if you feel we can do anything to help further

Alex

Jo_2022

Hi @ijustneedhelp!  A warm welcome to you on the community.

It sounds like you are having a difficult time at the moment.

I know some Hospitals have transport services for appointments, and someone can book a minibus in advance for their appointment, at a discounted rate or free of charge. Perhaps you could ask your local Hospital about this service? Can you ask anyone for a lift to the Hospital?

I think you have the option of requesting your Work Coach at The Job Centre, to relax your work commitments, as you are receiving LCW. If you write a letter to them, then they should not be able to pressurize you into a work commitment you are unhappy with.          

I acknowledge struggling financially when you have a long term health condition is stressful. Best wishes       

Sue_Alumni

Hi @ijustneedhelp
I'm so sorry to hear of your struggles and poppy has given you lots of helpful advice. As @SueHeath says are you receiving PIP at the moment ?  Did this stop at any time because you had to spend some time in hospital ?