migration to UC from CTC advice please

gunner0788

Hi i work full time (£26k a year) and my partner doesnt work due to learning difficulties. we dont claim ESA becuase i earn to much to claim it. we are in the process of migrating over and we have been told my wife needs a fit note from her doctor. is this right? i did explain that we arnt entitled to any extra UC due to my wages. but they said the still need it. so i will book an appointment for her next week but i see it as a complete waste of time. why get a docs note for a claim we cant claim lol. my wife is a stay home mum also so im happy for her to not work anyway even if she could because my income supports us both. so what does this all mean? she has to look for work no matter what unless she gets a docs note? im soooo confused lol.

Spoonie_Turtle

Have your tried a benefits calculation?  If your wife were awarded LCWRA (equivalent of the Support Group for ESA) that would increase your maximum UC award and even more increase the threshold at which your earnings would reach nil entitlement.

https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/
https://www.entitledto.co.uk/

Maybe do one where you say about your wife having a condition affecting her ability to work, and one where you don't, just to see what difference LCWRA would make.

Does she claim PIP by the way?  If so, you might be entitled to claim the carer element too.

marcia_

 Use a benefit calculator to see what if any universal credit you might get https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/?_gl=1*1lkczwl*_ga*MjAxMDI2NDI0MS4xNjk4MjM2NjEw*_ga_E1WBSX9YR8*MTY5ODUxMjE3NS4yLjAuMTY5ODUxMjE3NS4wLjAuMA..&_ga=2.91535066.1332219238.1698512176-2010264241.1698236610

 if your partner has limited capacity for work ie the fit note, it might increase the UC you are entitled to 

Newcad

The system is different with UC than with old style benefits.

If your wife is assessed as having 'Limited Capability for Work or Work Related Activity' (LCWRA) then there is extra money payable on your UC claim.

There is also a 'Work Allowance' added - that's an amount of money that you can earn before they start taking the 55p in the pound off your UC for your wages.

She would not have to look for work with LCWRA.

There is also a lower 'Limited Capability for Work' (LCW). That does not pay any extra money but does still give a (lower) Work Allowance. So still an amount of money that you can earn before it affects your UC.

With LCW you are not expected to apply for jobs, but they may want you (your partner) to look what may be available that you (she) might be able to do, and to have an appointment with a 'work coach' every 3 months - more/many of those are being done online now rather than having to go to the jobcentre.

(I am LCW myself, I was asked if I wanted online appointments. I said I was happy to go down to the jobcenter for them - I haven't had an appointment made since March).

So you can see how your partner having either LCWRA, or LCW can increase the amount of UC that you get paid each month.

The process for getting either LCW or LCWRA added to UC starts with sending in Doctors Fit-Notes which is why you are being advised to do that. Your partner will then have a 'Work Capability Assessment' to assess if she qualifies for either LCWRA or LCW.

Spoonie_Turtle

Newcad said:

There is also a lower 'Limited Capability for Work' (LCW). That does not pay any extra but does give a (lower) Work Allowance.

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So you can see how your partner having either LCWRA, or LCW can increase the amount of UC that you get paid each month.

Just to note the OP mentioned his wife being a stay at home mum, so they'll already have a work allowance.

Newcad

Thanks for pointing that out, I was just trying to cover the "why fit notes" question without getting it too detailed as these simple questions always seem to.

gunner0788

thanks for all the replies. did the calculation and theres no entitlement to anything other than the child element. so it works out the same. i just dont see why she will have look for work just to get the child element. id understand if we were claiming more than the child element but we're not. i dont qualify for carers allowance either due to my income.

Spoonie_Turtle

gunner0788 said:

thanks for all the replies. did the calculation and theres no entitlement to anything other than the child element. so it works out the same. i just dont see why she will have look for work just to get the child element. id understand if we were claiming more than the child element but we're not. i dont qualify for carers allowance either due to my income.

Then that's entitlement to UC - the entire award is made up of the different elements, then deductions are made for wages and any other income.

Was that calculation including LCWRA?

She would have to look for work if she didn't have a fit note because it's a condition of entitlement to UC.  How old is/are your child/ren?

gunner0788

children are 10 and 14. it didnt ask about LCWRA. it asked if she had an illness/disability affecting her to look for work and asked if she claimed PIP/DLA which she does. shes on enhanced PIP for daily living and standard mobility.

Spoonie_Turtle

gunner0788 said:

children are 10 and 14. it didnt ask about LCWRA. it asked if she had an illness/disability affecting her to look for work and asked if she claimed PIP/DLA which she does. shes on enhanced PIP for daily living and standard mobility.

Okay, that would have been the bit for LCWRA just without the acronym

The age of your children means she would be expected to look for work up to 30hrs per week.  So a fit note would certainly be needed.

poppy12345

As your partner claims daily living PIP if no one claims either carers allowance or carers element of UC for looking after her then you can report being her carer, if you care for her for at least 35 hours/week. Your UC will then include the carers element, which will increase your maximum UC entitlement by £185.86/month.

The only downside to being found to have LCWRA in this situation would be if your UC includes any transitional protection.(TP) The extra money paid from the 4th month of your claim would be eaten by the TP because this erodes over time, which means if you become entitled to other elements, or other elements increase the TP will decrease. Unfortunately she will still need to go through the work capability assessment process.