nav[aria-label="Primary Navigation"] { padding: 0; & ul { list-style: none; width: 100%; display: flex; flex-direction: row; justify-content: start; align-items: start; gap: 30px; padding: 0; & li { margin: 0; } & ul li { list-style: none; } } }

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

LCWRA and work

bluefox

Hello all,

I’m hoping someone can help me because I’m rather nervous about my current life predicament. So I suffer with depression/anxiety/agoraphobia and non-epileptic attack disorder (seizures). I am currently claiming UC, ESA and PIP. I have recently been told I’m LCWRA so there is no pressure to work or find a job.

However, my employer has kept my job open and I have a meeting on the 8th March to decide if I’m going to be dismissed through ill health capability. Now I’ve worked for the company for 18 years and I don’t really want to lose my job. I could probably agree to work 4 hours a week and dip my toes in the water and see if I can manage it.

Now I’m worried I’ll lose my UC and ESA. When I was fit and well my earnings were 942 a month on 22.5 hour contract.

If I do go back, I will be working 4 hour shifts and earning only £41.32 a month. However the company will use my holidays I have to take to cover my contract base. So likelihood is I’ll earn £932 while I’m on phased hours.

My first concern is I still have a lot of health problems and a possible ADHD/Autism assessment in the future to come. I do want to work to avoid isolation. I don’t feel my depression is recovering staying in the house.

But I’m concerned I’ll lose LCWRA though I don’t think the work contradicts the reasons I’m claiming. The job is retail work stacking shelves or potentially picking items of food etc. Or checkouts depending if I need to be redeployed due to the seizures.

I know I’ll lose the ESA element I think. Can anyone help me and put me at ease? Part of me knows I’m not very well to work but wonder if working will at least give me a good chance of recovery or at least improve my self esteem.

Please help community!

Find more posts tagged with

Comments

bluefox

I thought if work contradicted the PIP claim, I’d also need a medical report for that too.

poppy123456

No. If working contradicts the reasons you're claiming PIP then it could go against when you're next reviewed.

bluefox

If your review is ages away, do you need to inform PIP that you’ve started working?

calcotti

sierrafox said:

If your review is ages away, do you need to inform PIP that you’ve started working?

No.

bluefox

Okay. I’m sorry if I’m asking too many questions.

But on the medical report from ESA, there’s functional ability and there’s LCW/LCWRA information.

What do I need to take into account in terms of what people describe as a ‘contradiction?’

calcotti

There's no specific answer. You are overthinking this (which i realise may be symptomatic of your mental health condition).

bluefox

And that there is pretty much part of my condition, is that I overthink things. I’ve broken down in tears today with a Disability Employment Advisor.

I have trouble with getting out of the house and self care etc on the absolute majority of days. Part of me knows I want to be able to work again but appreciate I need support from GO, psychiatrist, friends & family in order to wash, care etc.

My head is overwhelmed.

calcotti

Sorry, but I don't have anything useful to add.

bluefox

Hello,

Can I ask, does working any job contradict helping you overcome anxiety and depression. Surely a routine will be helpful or is it a contradiction.

poppy123456

sierrafox said:

Hello,

Can I ask, does working any job contradict helping you overcome anxiety and depression. Surely a routine will be helpful or is it a contradiction.

We seem to be going round in circles. The answer is the same, if the work you do contradicts the reasons you were found to LCWRA is could go against you.

I'm sorry but we can't give you a definite yes or no because no one here knows the reason why you were found to have LCWRA or how your conditions affect you exactly.

bluefox

I do apologise.

I have self care issues and suicidal thoughts. I guess returning to work is saying those self care issues have gone.

poppy123456

I'm sorry but i have nothing further to add. I won't commit to answering that question because i don't know exactly how your conditions affect you or what reason you were found to have LCWRA.

If i said returning to work wouldn't cause any issues and it did then it would mean i gave you incorrect advice and i won't do that.

bluefox

I haven’t been diagnosed with it yet but suspected.

Component react.suggestedcontent had an error.

The value must be greater than or equal to 1.

Sign in or register for free

Get more out of your online community by signing in or registering