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Still confused by LCWRA!! Questions about backdated payments

Adrian_Corn
Adrian_Corn Community member Posts: 6 Listener
edited September 2021 in Universal Credit (UC)
Good Morning, 

I have been reading all the posts on your forum and this seems to be the best place to ask a qustion, if i may.

I am on Universal credit basic single persons allowance, my assement period is 16th of every month to the 15th of every month. (with a payment date of the 22nd of every month)

I completed a "Report Health Change" on the 20/04/2018, and my job coach said that i would receive a form UC50?, this rather long document turned up and i completed it and sent it back along with all my paperwork relating to my aspergers.  I first completed a "provide fit note" on the 09/05/2018 which was valid for 3 months and marked "you are not fit for work". I have provided a fite note every three months without a gap since this date. 

I was told i would have top attend a work suitability assesment for UC to asses which category I should be in.  I never heard anything back.  Every time i went to see my job coach she sent an e-mail chase up message to the processing centre, and never heard back from them either.

Last Thursday  (02/09/2021) i went to my scheduled job centre meeting and my job coach told me that finally a decision had been made, but she could not see on her computer what the decision was.  She also advised that she had received an e-mail response from the processing centre saying that a decision had been made, I did not need to attend a assesment, because thay had sufficient information contained with the form i returned, and it had been passed to another department to calculate "the arrears".

She indicated that because they had done this she assumed that the full LCWRA had been awarded, but because of the period ot time involved 
would need to be checked for any arrears. so my questions would be:

1. Given that they have to check arrears, is my job coach correct in assuming that LCWRA has been awarded ?
2. When will the LCWRA be backdated to ( I am Aware of the three months from first fit note so i assume 09/08/2018 ) ?
3. How long roughly does it take UC to process backdated payments ( i have seen anything from 1 day to 6 weeks ! )
4. My job coach said it it involves a lot of backdated payments ( so in my case three+ years) sometimes the payments are made in installmets, is this Correct ?

Any Help or Advice would be very much appreciated

Best Regards

Adrian 
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Comments

  • Adrian_Scope
    Adrian_Scope Posts: 10,821 Scope online community team
    Good morning @Adrian_Corn

    I'm sorry to read how long you've been waiting, have you made a complaint about the delays?

    If your work coach can't see the decision they really shouldn't have said anything as there is no guarantee.

    To answer your questions:
    1. Even if LCW has been awarded they still need to check for arrears as it would entitle you to a work allowance meaning some people would then find they're owed backdated money. 

    2. It's 3 full assessment period from your first fit note. So the assessment period of 16th April - 15th May 2018 doesn't count as it wasn't a full assessment period. 
    16th May - 15th June, AP 1
    16th June - 15th July, AP 2
    16th July - 15th August, AP 3
    16th August - 15th September, first payment (paid on 22nd September 2018)

    3. Sadly there is no set time frame. The decision letters say 1 week, I've seen people receive it same day and some people still waiting 2-3 months later. Given your circumstances and the delays to date, I would probably keep pushing for answers if I were you.

    4. If they feel paying you a large amount in one go could leave your vulnerable they may initially request to pay it to you in instalments. However, if you request that you want it in one go they are supposed to pay it to you that way. 

    Fingers crossed you hear something soon, please let us know how you get on. :)
    Community Manager
    Scope
  • Adrian_Corn
    Adrian_Corn Community member Posts: 6 Listener
    Good Morning Adrian_Scope

    Many Thanks for the reply, and the explanation's. I think the best bet is to send some journal messages tommorow (Monday), one to my Job Coach asking for clarifications and if she can see the decision yet ( I read that it takes 24 hours from a decision made, to my job coach being able to look at it) also I have read somewhere the best people to send a journal payment enquiry to for backdated monies is the payment option on send message to, as they seem to be quicker to respond, rather than the general message option.

    I will keep you advised.

    Best Regards

    Adrian 
  • MarkM88
    MarkM88 Community member Posts: 3,127 Connected
    Has a pdf decision letter not been uploaded to your journal so you can see what decision they have made? 
  • Adrian_Corn
    Adrian_Corn Community member Posts: 6 Listener
    Hi Mark N88

    No, I have received nothing as of yet

    Regards

    Adrian
  • MarkM88
    MarkM88 Community member Posts: 3,127 Connected
    Hopefully that might come through soon. Then least you will know what decision has been made. 
  • jovanita32
    jovanita32 Community member Posts: 9 Listener
    I would like to ask  money back or not my application was written last year March 23 unfortunately I did not know that I should send from the doctor my vipis diseases then I contacted my dreams said they said they were waiting for the doctor my health so I sent them 3  March of this year then they sent a paper from June 28 I have an apoytmen 26 I got a decision that they gave as LCWRA wrote mybdo 7 days when I owe something so we return unfortunately 7 days passed we only arrived but I since last year febura still da us fit notes as stim  I will get something in advance or nothing at all
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,333 Disability Gamechanger
    I would like to ask  money back or not my application was written last year March 23 unfortunately I did not know that I should send from the doctor my vipis diseases then I contacted my dreams said they said they were waiting for the doctor my health so I sent them 3  March of this year then they sent a paper from June 28 I have an apoytmen 26 I got a decision that they gave as LCWRA wrote mybdo 7 days when I owe something so we return unfortunately 7 days passed we only arrived but I since last year febura still da us fit notes as stim  I will get something in advance or nothing at all

    HI,

    Providing there isn't already a LCWRA element on your claim. The extra LCWRA element is paid from the 4th month of your claim starting from when you reported the health condition. How much money you're owed will depend on the exact date you reported your health condition and what dates your assessment periods are (or if you don't know then what date are you paid each month?) There must also have been no gaps in your fit notes.
    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.
  • jovanita32
    jovanita32 Community member Posts: 9 Listener
    us we were paid 343.60 5 September divorce I got 26 August but I don't get money back since I reported my health problem or passed the year 2020 March but the brightness I sent my health condition as of 2021 March so the form was written 2020 March
  • jovanita32
    jovanita32 Community member Posts: 9 Listener
    fit notes I also filed febura uc we still wrote that I should wait for covid but I read your comments there it says I felt a point when I filed a medical report it was March 2021 I do not know if I am entitled to a refund
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,333 Disability Gamechanger
    us we were paid 343.60 5 September divorce I got 26 August but I don't get money back since I reported my health problem or passed the year 2020 March but the brightness I sent my health condition as of 2021 March so the form was written 2020 March
    Is your UC a joint claim and if so does your partner already claim the LCWRA element? If they do then there can only be 1 LCWRA element per claim, which means if your partner claims it then you won't receive any extra money.

    I have no idea what you mean by "brightness"

    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.
  • jovanita32
    jovanita32 Community member Posts: 9 Listener
    I don't have a partner I'm single if I understood your question correctly
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,333 Disability Gamechanger
    edited September 2021
    The LCWRA element is paid from the 4th month after you report the health condition. This is because there's 3 full months waiting period.
    Without knowing the exact date you reported the health condition and the date you receive your usual UC payment then i can't tell you exactly when the element is paid from. As advised, it can often take a few weeks for them to calculate what they owe you.
    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.
  • jovanita32
    jovanita32 Community member Posts: 9 Listener
    the form was written on March 23, 2020 but my health condition was sent on March 2, 2021 I had the praise I had on August 26 my repayment came 5 semempers so I do not know whether I am entitled to a refund or not thank you 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,333 Disability Gamechanger
    edited September 2021
    If you reported your health condition in March then the extra money will be paid from either July or August, depending on the exact dates of your usual monthly payments. I'm sorry i can't be anymore exact than this without knowing exact dates. I hope this helps.
    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.
  • jovanita32
    jovanita32 Community member Posts: 9 Listener
    yes thank you for explaining to me how it is so i won't get the money back but fit notes why uc we have wrote April  from march 23 i have a claim that they will return it back so i therefore don't understand the system
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,333 Disability Gamechanger
    The extra money isn't paid for the first 3 full assessment periods, this is called the "waiting period"
    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.
  • Adrian_Corn
    Adrian_Corn Community member Posts: 6 Listener
    Good Morning 

    I have this morning received a PDF in my Journal that states "Following your work capability assesment, we have decided that you have limited capability for work and work related activity...... "

    So is the the Decision that back dates the payment back to 2018 ?

    Best Regards

    Adrian
  • MarkM88
    MarkM88 Community member Posts: 3,127 Connected
    If that’s when you first reported your health condition than yes. 
  • Adrian_Corn
    Adrian_Corn Community member Posts: 6 Listener
    Many Thanks MarkN88, it's only taken three years to get to this stage !!

    Regards

    Adrian
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,333 Disability Gamechanger
    Good Morning 

    I have this morning received a PDF in my Journal that states "Following your work capability assesment, we have decided that you have limited capability for work and work related activity...... "

    So is the the Decision that back dates the payment back to 2018 ?

    Best Regards

    Adrian

    Yes that's the decision letter. Please refer back to Adrian's comment regarding when you should receive backdated from because of the 3 month waiting period.
    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.

Brightness

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