Self Employment and LCWRA

We want to hear from you: please tell us about your experience of the online community.

izzyril123

Hi! I’m new here but I need some help! 

So I’m autistic and I get severe anxiety and extremely overwhelmed in social situations so I get LCWRA on universal credit. 

I decided to start my own online small business this year which is great for me as I don’t need to interact with anyone face to face but i will soon have to register myself as a sole trader.
Which means I will then be classed as self employed.

Will I lose the LCWRA element (£354) from universal credit if I’m self employed or will I still receive it considering my condition hasn’t changed? 

If I lose that money I’ll have no choice but to shut down my business as I’m currently gaining no profit as I’m putting all sales back into more stock growing my business.

Please help me i can’t stop stressing about this! And I’m sorry if this is all worded badly I’m terrible with writing things! Thank you  

calcotti

You can continue to receive the LCWRA element included in the calculation of your maximum UC. (If they work contradicts the reason you have been found to have LCWRA then that could prompt a reassessment.)

You do need to report all business income and your expenditure to UC on the last day of every assessment period (on a cash basis) and your earnings will be taken into account (although some will be ignored due to the Work Allowance).

Because you have LCWRA you are excluded from the Minimum Income Floor ( which can otherwise treat self employed as earning more than they actually are).