UC application caused our CTC to stop! — Scope | Disability forum
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UC application caused our CTC to stop!

hellsbells42
hellsbells42 Community member Posts: 52 Connected
edited November 2018 in Universal Credit (UC)
Hi everyone, I am wondering if anyone can help me plz. I have a series of health conditions and I have just recently given up my job (only did 4 hours anyway) due to my health. Someone told me to claim UC which we aren't eligible for as my husband works full time. However I went into the job centre the other day and had an interview and she said no you can't claim it but you can claim LCWRA. I have to get a sick note from my doctor, take it in, then they will go from there. Can anyone tell me what happens next. Will they send me a UC50 form and ask me in for an interview or will they possibly say I qualify if I fill in the form? The awful thing is though as soon as I applied for this, our CTC have stopped!! What happens then if I can't get this??

Comments

  • hellsbells42
    hellsbells42 Community member Posts: 52 Connected
    P.S I get PIP cos of my health.
  • steve51
    steve51 Community member Posts: 7,153 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @ hellsbells42

    Good Morning & Welcome ? 

    I also had to take early retirement from my job a few years ago now.

    We have got a “Benefit Calculator” here on our site.

    You will be able to find out what is available for you Benefit wise.

    Please please let me know if I can help you further????
  • hellsbells42
    hellsbells42 Community member Posts: 52 Connected
    thanks steve, I am eligible for very little as my husband works full time. I have been told that I can probably get this LCWRA element, but just have to wait for 3 months for the outcome!
  • steve51
    steve51 Community member Posts: 7,153 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @hellsbells42

    Yes I’m in the same boat ?‍♀️ (Ship)

    My wife also works full time & I get penalised (Benefit Wise)

    “Never Mind”

  • hellsbells42
    hellsbells42 Community member Posts: 52 Connected
    sometimes I feel it isn't always the best to work as you get penalised for things :(

  • steve51
    steve51 Community member Posts: 7,153 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @hellsbells42

    “Yes” as they say the more you do the less you get.
  • lizzieloz30
    lizzieloz30 Community member Posts: 57 Courageous
    I'm currently in the process of waiting to hear if I have to go for a f2f on sick under UC. Filled in my UC50 form last month & they told me they have written off to my doctors and are waiting to hear back. 

    A word of caution, I've been submitting sick notes since Feb this year & only in October of this year did they send out the UC50 because I kicked up a fuss. 
  • steve51
    steve51 Community member Posts: 7,153 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @lizzieloz30

    Yea sounds about right.

    You seem to have everything in place.

    Please please let me know if I can help you.

  • hellsbells42
    hellsbells42 Community member Posts: 52 Connected
    OMG @lizzieloz30, that is disgustng!!!!!
  • lizzieloz30
    lizzieloz30 Community member Posts: 57 Courageous
    @hellsbells42 I know.
    I was fuming when I rang up in October. At this point I had been fobbed off so many times by them, different excuses on every single occasion. I refused to get off the phone until it was sorted. 
  • hellsbells42
    hellsbells42 Community member Posts: 52 Connected
    They are just unbelievable. Would they not accept the printed version of the form as I know you can get it from the internet. Do they have to send you their copy so to speak?
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,333 Disability Gamechanger
    Most people have face to face assessment for LCWRA under UC, like ESA used to be. It's rare to have a paper based assessment. It's also very rare for them to contact anyone for any evidence, so make sure you send evidence to support your claim when you return the UC50 form. You won't be able to send the printed version online, a work coach needs to refer a claimant and then you're sent the form.

    CTC is now part of UC. Your husband working doesn't mean you won't receive any UC payments, it will depend on his monthly earnings. The UC assessment period is monthly, unlike tax credits was the previous years earnings. As you live with a partner then you claim as a couple. What you could receive each month will depend on your husbands earnings, some working people are better off on UC than they were on the old legacy benefits. The only problem is, is that if your husband receives 2 wages within that assessment period then your UC will be reduced to zero for that month. The following month will make up for what you didn't receive the previous month because there would have been no earnings within the assessment period. Using a benefits calculator may help and give you some idea what you could possibly receive but with the assessment periods for UC the amounts could change so it's just a guide.

    The 3 month waiting period for UC LCWRA is also just a guide. Many people wait much longer than this, if you do wait longer and you're successfully given LCWRA then you'll be backdated any money owed.

    It will be worth looking at the descriptors for LCWRA to see which, if any apply to you. Remember it's about the work you can do, rather than what you can't do.

    Good luck to those waiting.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • Pippa_Alumni
    Pippa_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,793 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @hellsbells42, and a warm welcome to the community!

    Thanks for sharing this with us, and I hope the above guidance from Poppy is helpful.
  • Eadiesmummy1
    Eadiesmummy1 Community member Posts: 90 Courageous
    Hello @hellsbells42, i have just been to my first face to face assessment for lcwra. I submitted first fit note 30th august, recieved uc50 around the 20th september assessment was November 7th- now its just a waiting game. The lwcra element is yours so isnt affected by your partners earnings. Your child tax credits will be paid in one monthly lump sum with your other universal credit payments- as will your personal allowance. There is a 3 month waiting period usually but as you are already getting pip this may be enough just for a paper based assessment, so you may not have to attend an assessment. Hope this helps, thanks, laura x 
  • hellsbells42
    hellsbells42 Community member Posts: 52 Connected
    Thanks @poppy123456 , @Pippa_Scope , @Eadiesmummy1 for your informative replies. It's great to ask people like you cos you get much info than from the muppets on the phone! lol
    I didn't realise people waited longer than 3 months @poppy123456 , I thought 3 months was the max the DWP are allowed to take, obviously not!! :(
    Yes @Eadiesmummy1 , I am hoping that cos I get PIP, they MIGHT let me have LCWRA without have a f2f. One can only hope!
    I don't know if we'll get much UC as my husbands earnings fluctuate each month but I am at least hoping for 'my element' bit so to speak. x
  • hellsbells42
    hellsbells42 Community member Posts: 52 Connected
    forgot to ask @poppy123456 , if we get UC, would our payments vary each month like my husbands earnings do cos obviously it's the DWP so they can see his earnings.
  • Eadiesmummy1
    Eadiesmummy1 Community member Posts: 90 Courageous
    @hellsbells42 you are most welcome, you could always use a benefit calculator to give you an insight to the amount you might recieve. Also as you may have little income until your first universal credit payment you could apply for an advance payment- you would need to pay this back over a 12 month period (if you havent done this already) it supports you through as you may have to wait up to 6 weeks for your first payment of UC. due to fluctuations in your partners earnings you may recieve less or more UC each month. It is pretty rare to not have a face to face but i have heard it happen a few times especially with benefit transfers etc, it is good that the work coach recognised your entitlement to lcwra straight away though as i was never even informed i could with my health issues. There is plenty of support on here though so if you have any questions they will more than likely be answered. i wish you all the luck in the world. have a lovely day x 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,333 Disability Gamechanger
    Your PIP claim doesn't automatically give you LCWRA. It's very rare to have a paper based assessment and most people have face to face assessments.

    The 3 month waiting period applies to everyone. It doesn't mean you have to wait at least 3 months for an assessment. It means that even if you have a decision before the 3 months and you're given LCWRA you won't be paid any extra money until the 4th month of your claim, from the time you submitted your fit note. Some people have their assessment before that time and lots wait longer than this, it depends on backlog in your area.

    Some information in the links below.



    Your UC payments will vary each month as i mentioned above. It will depend when your assessment period is and when your partner is paid. Using a benefits calculator will help but like i said payments will vary.

    Whether your work commitments will change before a decision is made is entirely down to your work coach. Some will give less hours, very few agree to turn them off completely. The fit notes doesn't automatically turn off your work commitments.

    For LCWRA you need to satisfy at least one of the descriptors for LCWRA.

    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • hellsbells42
    hellsbells42 Community member Posts: 52 Connected
    Thanks again both of you. I think im just gonna go with the flow as obviously the wait time varies from area to area. Funny you should mention about ‘turning off’ @poppy123456 as the lady coach I saw went through and did just that. She said thats all she could do as it then goes upstairs to the other department who deal with LCWRA. Yes I definitely satisfy at least 3 of the descriptors, but its whether they think that too!!

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