To be annoyed that they didn’t ask about my other health conditions - Work Capability Assessment

SpoonieMama95

I had a work capability assessment with DWP today. There is 3 main conditions I suffer from - joint condition, mental health condition and stomach condition. 

At first the man said we were going to discuss each other but when we got to the end of the first one, he said the assessment was complete. When I questioned him about the other conditions he said he had enough information and that the DWP should be able to see how debilitating one condition is so shouldn’t need to know about the others.

I’m now worried that because he didn’t ask about my other conditions about getting out and about etc, that it is going to affect the outcome?

We spoke about how I manage the housework (family do it), how I cook (ready meals), how I care for my child (had to move near family for daily support and a dog walker and daycare for the dog) and how I get out and about (rarely leave the house and if I do it’s always with someone and a blue badge).

Has anyone got any experience with this and if the outcome is a negative one should I pursue another assessment for my other 2 conditions that they didn’t include?

calcotti

You just need to wait for the decision. They don’t need to talk about all of your problems. They have the information already provided. For LCWRA they only need to decide if you meet any qualifying condition so there may have been no need to continue.

poppy123456

It’s perfectly normal for them to concentrate on just one condition rather than all of them. They had enough of information from your first condition so there was no need to ask any more questions.
During all my past work capability assessments they’ve only ever concentrated on one of my conditions. I’ve never had a negative decision.

Once the decision is made if you’re not happy you can request the Mandatory Reconsideration but you won’t have another assessment. 

SpoonieMama95

I’m worried though that I won’t meet some of the criteria because they didn’t discuss say for example my mental health which affects me from going out and stuff like that, because we haven’t spoke about it, they might not award any points for that?

poppy123456

LCWRA is not about scoring points. You just need to meet one of the descriptors for LCWRA. https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/universal-credit-uc/uc-faq/limited-capability-for-work-related-activity

Points scoring is for LCW.

SpoonieMama95

Oh thank you so much, I didn’t realise that! I’m on UC x

SpoonieMama95

Also if I get it, I only provided one fit note in April or May I think and nothing since because I moved and moved doctors etc, will that affect me getting any extra money?

poppy123456

You are supposed to send fit notes without any gaps until a decision is made on your WCA. If you’re found to have LCWRA and there’s gaps in your fit notes then it can affect when the extra money is paid from.

SpoonieMama95

Oh I wasn’t aware of that! So I’ll still receive money if found appropriate but it might be a bit of a delay?

poppy123456

If found to have LCWRA there is always a full 3 month assessment period waiting time. The extra money is then paid from the 4 month after you reported your health condition. It’s not paid at all during the waiting period. 

You should have had reminders on your journal that a fit note was needed once your first one ran out.

SpoonieMama95

To be honest I’ve had so much going on I didn’t regularly check my journal… will I still be able to get it because of the gap? I’m panicking now!

poppy123456

SpoonieMama95 said:

will I still be able to get it because of the gap? I’m panicking now!

Yes, as previously advised but there could be a delay of when it's paid from. It will be down to a decision maker to make that decision.