LWCRA Backdated payment

Bani5

I reported to UC as Im not feeling well to look for work on 13/5/21, which I then obtained sick note from doctor on the same day and submitted on my journal. My assessment period is from the 23rd to the 22nd and get paid UC every 29th. I have submitted sick notes until the end of December 2021. I received a Health Assessment form by post in September 2021. I managed to fill in with all the supporting medical evidence. I submitted form mid October 2021 and after that I received letter mid November 2021 for Health Assessment by telephone in December 2021. I attended my telephone appointment in December and on 23/12/21, I was awarded LCWRA, however I got confused that they will pay me LCWRA next Assessment month (29/1/22), but they did not. I wrote to the case manager by journal, they said you will receive LCWRA payment in 3rd Assessment period (23/3/22 to 22/4/22) which I received 1st LCWRA payment on 29/4/22. However I should be entitled for backdated money, hence I wrote to the case manager that I would like a LCWRA backdated payment request and the case manager explain what reasons do I need LCWRA backdated. I then replied back that my 1st sick note was on 13/5/21, which I sent to the case manager which then was forwarded to the decision makers back in end of March 2022. I then recently chased case manager for an update, they said that the decision makers are reviewing the decision and once decision made I will be notified via my journal. Now its 31/5/22 and I'm still lost and confused when I'm going to receive my backdated payment and how much backdated payment? I should receive backdated payment from 23/5/21 to 22/3/22. I even tried phoning UC but they give the same answer, no body knows when I will get a decision. Please help and advise me what should I do next??

calcotti

If you first reported your health condition with a Fit Note on 13/05/2021 that is in your May to June AP. You are not paid for June-July, July-Aug or Aug- Sept. You should be paid LCWRA for the Sept-Oct AP (due from the payment on 29th October).

Bani5

When I reported my sick note on 13/5/21, that falls in April to May 21 AP,  however its May-June, June-July and July-August I don't get paid for  however my LCWRA should start August-September which my 1st payment due 29/9/21. 

calcotti

Bani5 said:

When I reported my sick note on 13/5/21, that falls in April to May 21 AP,  however its May-June, June-July and July-August I don't get paid for  however my LCWRA should start August-September which my 1st payment due 29/9/21. 

Quite right, I muddled the date. Apologies.

Bani5

Ok. Buy still its a long waiting game to receive the backdated money. I'm getting same reply from UC call handlers and case manager via journal that its still under review. How long is this under review? 

poppy123456

Unless you're claiming UC with a partner that already claims the LCWRA element for theirself then you should have received any money that's owed by now. You should also be receiving the extra money each month.

Bani5

Again I tell you I was awarded on 23/12/21 and waited 3 months for 1st LCWRA payment which was paid in April 2022 and after, but still waiting for backpayment and Im a single claimant.

poppy123456

We're not saying we don't believe you. Put a message onto your journal under the payment section and tell them the waiting period starts from when you provide evidence of your health condition. Tell them the date you sent your fit note and what date the LCWRA payment should be paid from. They very often get this wrong, which in my opinion is disgusting that they don't know their own rules.

calcotti

poppy123456 said:

We're not saying we don't believe you. Put a message onto your journal under the payment section and tell them the waiting period starts from when you provide evidence of your health condition. Tell them the date you sent your fit note and what date the LCWRA payment should be paid from. 

It sounds as if OP has already done that but is waiting for a response.

poppy123456

calcotti said:

poppy123456 said:

We're not saying we don't believe you. Put a message onto your journal under the payment section and tell them the waiting period starts from when you provide evidence of your health condition. Tell them the date you sent your fit note and what date the LCWRA payment should be paid from. 

It sounds as if OP has already done that but is waiting for a response.

Ah, sorry i missed that part. Thanks Calcotti.

Bani5

poppy123456 said:

We're not saying we don't believe you. Put a message onto your journal under the payment section and tell them the waiting period starts from when you provide evidence of your health condition. Tell them the date you sent your fit note and what date the LCWRA payment should be paid from. They very often get this wrong, which in my opinion is disgusting that they don't know their own rules.

I have already done this. And If I'm due for backdated payment, will this be paid at £343.63 rate or will it be this years rate?

poppy123456

Before the increase it will be at the old rate of £343.63.

Bani5

Thanks. Its a long waiting game before I receive my backdated payment. Thanks for all your help.

poppy123456

If you don’t get any reply from the message then I’d advise you to request the Mandatory Reconsideration.

Bani5

How does the backdating payment process works? Any idea? Why does it take a long time to work out 6/7 months worth of backdated payments?

calcotti

Bani5 said:

How does the backdating payment process works? Any idea? Why does it take a long time to work out 6/7 months worth of backdated payments?

It shouldn’t take as long as it seems to be for you.
However it isn’t as simple as saying we owe you x months of the LCWRA element (although that may be the result).
What they have to do is recalculate your entitlement for all of the months that your are now treated as having LCWRA. This would involve applying a Work Allowance so for claimants who didn’t have a WA already but did have earnings the earnings deductions would have to be recalculated. Some claimants might have been getting a carer element which would have to be removed if the LCWRA is added. 
Once they have recalculated each period they then need to compare it with what was already paid.
The difference will be the amount of arrears owed.
Incidentally, when the new calculations are done new statements will be posted on your journal. These will overwrite the old statements, if you want a record you should make copies now,

Bani5

Thank you. Should I push and contact case manager and UC call handlers regularly? They (UC) are very slow in calculating, making a decision and issuing my backdated payment. Obviously its took a long long time to wait, it should of being done in few weeks, but over 2 months, it's a very long time. 

poppy123456

I think there’s very little point ringing UC because they are just call centre staff and they will only pass on messages. 

If you don’t get any joy with the message you put on your journal then request the Mandatory Reconsideration (MR) 

Bani5

I phoned UC up today, again same old answer. Nobody knows how much long I have to wait for my backdated payment, only advice given was I should check my journal daily which I always do. What's few weeks of waiting? It turns out months of waiting.

Bani5

Biblioklept said:

When this happened to me I asked under every option on journal how I could make a official complaint and they miraculously found time that day to calculate and pay backdated amount. It could be a coincidence but they never did reply about how to make a complaint. Nothing to lose by trying it and I think you can't ask for a MR until you have a decision made you're asking them to reconsider so not sure what else  you can do.

Hi, what do you mean by "asked under every option on journal how I could make a official complaint"?

bg844

https://makeacomplaint.dwp.gov.uk/

That’s the link if you don’t feel like you are getting anywhere.