GP fit note vs WCA

Mark8699
Mark8699 Online Community Member Posts: 79 Listener
edited July 2022 in Universal Credit (UC)
Hello,

I have another worrying question. My GP’s fit note always says does not need to be assessed before the end of the fit note but they keep on issuing me fit notes for my current place of work. 

But I have been awarded the LCWRA via a work capability assessment for ESA. 

So I’m confused. Who decides the LCWRA. Who decides if you’re fit for work. The GP or the DWP

because when a fit note says you don’t need to be reasssessed. That usually means the condition won’t affect them after the note runs out. Which is non sense to me and I’m not sure why my doctor has ticked that box

Comments

  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,000 Championing
    edited July 2022
    DWP decide whether you qualify for LCW or LCWRA. That is a benefits decision.

    For an employer you would need a Fit Note from your GP.
    Mark8699 said:
    My GP’s fit note always says does not need to be assessed before the end of the fit note 

    because when a fit note says you don’t need to be reasssessed. That usually means the condition won’t affect them after the note runs out. 
    Before and after are different.
  • Mark8699
    Mark8699 Online Community Member Posts: 79 Listener
    Okay so the fit notes and doctors opinion are irrelevant?
  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,000 Championing
    edited July 2022
    Mark8699 said:
    Okay so the fit notes and doctors opinion are irrelevant?
    For DWP you need the Fit Note in order to be able to be referred for a Work Capability Assessment. Once the WCA has been done and a decision made no more Fit Notes are needed by DWP and your decision letter tells you this.

    As advised you will still need a Fit Note if you still need something for your employer.
  • Mark8699
    Mark8699 Online Community Member Posts: 79 Listener
    I am confused why my doctor thinks my condition would end after the fit note? Yet I would get an award from the DWP for one year. 


  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,000 Championing
    edited July 2022
    Mark8699 said:
    I am confused why my doctor thinks my condition would end after the fit note? Yet I would get an award from the DWP for one year. 
    Your doctor hasn’t said that. They have not said your condition will end. That may mean they are willing to give you another Fit Note if you need one without reassessing you because they don’t expect you to improve.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,456 Championing
    The fit note questions is irrelevant for your ESA claim because you’re in the Support Group.

  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,000 Championing
    poppy123456 said:
    The fit note questions is irrelevant for your ESA claim because you’re in the Support Group.
    But OP referred to a place of work so may need to keep supplying a Fit Note for his employer.
  • Mark8699
    Mark8699 Online Community Member Posts: 79 Listener
    This box tells you whether your employee's health condition is expected to affect them after their current fit note expires: I will not need to assess your fitness for work again at the end of this period – your employee's health condition is not expected to affect their fitness for work once the fit note has expired.
  • Mark8699
    Mark8699 Online Community Member Posts: 79 Listener
    I am also confused, as for ESA before the WCA I had to send fit notes. 

    Mine is contributed based or new style ESA. 
  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,000 Championing
    edited July 2022
    Mark8699 said:
    I am also confused, as for ESA before the WCA I had to send fit notes. 

    Mine is contributed based or new style ESA. 
    As already advised you have to provide Fit Notes until the WCA is carried out and a decision made. Unless you provide Fit Notes you will not be referred for the WCA. Once the WCA is decided you no longer have to provide a Fit Note. I have already explained that.
    calcotti said:
    For DWP you need the Fit Note in order to be able to be referred for a Work Capability Assessment. Once the WCA has been done and a decision made no more Fit Notes are needed by DWP and your decision letter tells you this.
    The type of ESA makes no difference. The same would also apply for UC.
  • Mark8699
    Mark8699 Online Community Member Posts: 79 Listener
    Okay. 

    Does my doctor need to know that I was awarded LCWRA? Will they be aware?

    What if the doctor thinks I’m fit for work but the DWP doesn’t. That’s confusing!
  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,000 Championing
    edited July 2022
    Mark8699 said:
    Does my doctor need to know that I was awarded LCWRA? Will they be aware?

    What if the doctor thinks I’m fit for work but the DWP doesn’t. That’s confusing!
    They don’t need to know. Once the DWP have decided you have LCWRA it doesn’t matter what the GP does. You are overthinking everything again.

    Whether or not your GP will know about LCWRA will depend on how you completed the ESA50 form. There is a question in which you can give consent for DWP to inform your GP but you don't have to give consent.
  • Mark8699
    Mark8699 Online Community Member Posts: 79 Listener
    But if I get better with the help of the GP eventually. That would be a change of circumstances that could take me out of the support group. Is that right?
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,456 Championing
    Mark8699 said:
    Okay. 

    Does my doctor need to know that I was awarded LCWRA? Will they be aware?

    What if the doctor thinks I’m fit for work but the DWP doesn’t. That’s confusing!
    Sometimes DWP contact them to tell them that fit notes are no longer needed. If they haven’t then you don’t need to tell your GP, you just don’t need to ask for anymore fit notes for DWP. 
    It doesn’t matter what you GP thinks. You’ve been placed into the Support Group by a decision maker from DWP. 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,456 Championing
    Mark8699 said:
    But if I get better with the help of the GP eventually. That would be a change of circumstances that could take me out of the support group. Is that right?
    But at the moment you don’t have a change of circumstances to report so all of this is irrelevant again.
    We are going round in circles again and you’re continuing to over think everything.
  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,000 Championing
    edited July 2022
    Mark8699 said:
    But if I get better with the help of the GP eventually. That would be a change of circumstances that could take me out of the support group. Is that right?
    If you get better sufficiently to no longer meet the qualifying criteria then yes you may come out of the Support Group in the future. It is not something to think about at the moment.

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