FIT NOTE

DENNO0105
DENNO0105 Online Community Member Posts: 3 Listener
in Universal Credit (UC)

my husband and i have been receiving ESA as a couple and recently received a Universal Credit Migration Letter stating we have to claim separately of which we did yesterday.

While receiving Esa i never had to provide a fit note, but my husband did for a certain length of time until they no longer requested one.

I have provided my illness details and my husband also added on his application that he is my carer, yet i have now got to provide a fit note from the date i started my UC claim plus seven days.

I will contact my GP regarding this matter, but do i now have to do that every seven days. I suffer a degenerative disease and cannot work because of this

Comments

  • Lauren29
    Lauren29 Online Community Member Posts: 148 Empowering

    Can you confirm that you have claimed Universal Credit as a couple and not claimed separately? It sounds as if your husband was the lead claimant on ESA and that he was in the support group. If so the LCWRA element should be included for him on the UC. You can't have two LCWRA elements on the claim and although you can submit fit notes and have an assessment being found to have LCWRA won't increase your UC payment. He also can't have LCWRA and the Carer's Element. Is he in receipt of the daily living component of PIP ? If he is you could consider claiming the Carer Element. If you want to have a work capability assessment you will need to continue to hand in fit notes. You don't have to ask for GP for a fit note every seven days you can ask for one that covers a month or 3 months and then submit another fit note when that one runs out. You may find it helpful to contact the Help to Claim Service run by Citizens Advice who can explain the options open to you. The link is below:

    Contact us about a Universal Credit application - Citizens Advice

  • DENNO0105
    DENNO0105 Online Community Member Posts: 3 Listener

    thank you for your reply.

    With regard to ESA, yes my husbsnd was the main claimant and recently we both received a UC Migration letter stating we both have to clain separately then add my claim number they provide to make it a joint claim.

    My husband has not had to provide a fit note for a long time while on ESA and i was never asked to provide one.
    As my husband received carers allowance for caring for me our ESA amount was reduced so we expect the same with UC.

    I just do not understand why i have to provide a fit note for myself when it clearly states on his side of the clain that he is my carer and on my claim i stated i received pip standard on both part of pip.

    Obviously if he is caring for me 35+ hours, i am unfit for work


    thank you for your advice

  • Kimi87
    Kimi87 Online Community Member Posts: 6,937 Championing

    UC works differently than legacy benefits, because the ESA claim was in his name eligibility for LCWRA only carries over to UC for him.

    I'm afraid your PIP award doesn't count for anything under UC, it's not included as valid for removing someone from work commitments.

    You are not the first couple in this situation seeking advice here on Scope.

    As Lauren advised the maximum number of LCWRA elements payable is one in a couples claim.

    Although you can still go through the WCA process and be given LCWRA status removing you from work commitments, you cannot be paid an additional LCWRA element.

    The other option as she said is you claiming Carers Element.

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