ESA, UC & LCRWA

Lexicon5

Good morning

 I found this forum when looking for information re LCWRA so I was hoping someone would be able to advise me.

 On 24/06/21 my contract of employment was terminated due to me being unable to attend work on a regular basis.  I had been off sick (with fit notes) from 26/10/20 with no timeframe of when I would be well enough to return to work. 

 I claimed Universal Credit whilst I was in work as I was only receiving half pay which I received a couple of payments. This stopped for a couple of months due to payments in due of notice and accrued holiday pay. I now have full UC HB & CT.

 I applied for ESA and have been receiving payments back dated to 24/06/21.

 I have Bipolar Type 2 and I am under a psychiatrist. My current sick note takes me until 23/12/21.

 All the information I have found so far is that about 3 months after you claim ESA they will assess you and put you either in the work related Activity group or the Support Group,

 Should I have heard re the assessment by now or do I have to request to be assessed?  I understand that if you are put in the support group then you receive an extra payment and you don’t have to submit fit notes.

 #If they should have contacted me would it be against my interests to request one and just wait for them to contact me? 

poppy12345

For ESA although it says 13 weeks, often it takes longer than this to have the work capability assessment and for a decision to be made. If you are then found to have LVWRA (Support Group for ESA) then you will be backdated any money owed.

If you are placed into the work related activity group (WRAG) or LCW for UC then there's no extra money for this.

Lexicon5

Thanks poppy. 

Do you think I should I just wait to hear from them or give them a little prompt?

poppy12345

The backlogs are huge for work capability assessments and it's not unusual to be waiting several months, possibly longer. If an assessment is needed they will contact you. If you still want to contact them the details are here. https://www.chdauk.co.uk/employment-and-support-allowance-esa

Spoonie_Turtle

One thing you could do is send a message in your journal to double check that you have indeed been referred for a WCA. 

They should have done the referral after the first month of no earnings (technically possibly the first month after claiming, depending on what your half pay was; if it was below 16xNMW/wk they could have referred you but the couple of months you had the extra pay could have complicated things.  I assume you don't claim PIP as you didn't mention it, but if you do then they should have referred you for a WCA at the end of the first month regardless of earnings).

For context/clarity:  DWP do the referral, then CHDA deal with it (sending the form out, doing the assessment, writing the report) before sending it back to the DWP who make the decision.

Nannytone

Im a little confused.
The OP  days they receive 'full" UC.
Then goes on to say they claimed ESA and are receiving paymens (ptrsumably assessment rate) backdated to 24/6/21.
Id be happier if the OP gave figures because the potential for an error is massive

KxMx

Could be New Style ESA + a UC top up.
Any housing costs would be UC, so perhaps OP is just calling it HB. 

Nannytone

The UC was an existing claim with ESA  being claimed in june.
They also say they receive FULL UC, and received backdated ESA.
Minimally, the backdate would be an overpayment, because iy trlates to a period already coveted by UC.

Quite possibly there isnt an issue, but without figures, no one can say

Lexicon5

Thank you for all your replies. Sorry I wasn't clearer.  

I have never claimed any benefits before so not really sure how it all works. 

I have been awarded ESA and I am getting UC as well and an allowance to cover my rent. I should have mentioned that I have the enhanced rate of daily living PIP as well. 

calcotti

The one assessment you have had will apply to both UC and ESA. If UC have the result then ESA will be updated in due course.

poppy12345

calcotti said:

The one assessment you have had will apply to both UC and ESA. If UC have the result then ESA will be updated in due course.

I don't think an assessment has taken place yet according to this here...

Lexicon5 said:

 Should I have heard re the assessment by now or do I have to request to be assessed?

OP, if you haven't yet filled out a work capability assessment form for either ESA or UC (there will only be one) then put a message onto your journal and ask them to refer you, once this is done you will receive the UC50 form within a few days. You will need to fill that in and send evidence to support your claim. You will most likely have either a telephone assessment or a face to face assessment.