Universal Credit application and housing benefit

Annie2347

Hello,

I would be grateful for advice about Universal Credit application.

I’m about to complete a universal credit application on behalf of my son.

If you’ve seen my other threads he can’t work due to physical and mental health diseases.

My son receives income support, housing benefit (we are joint private tenants) and carers allowance for caring for me.

He will need to go through the work capability assessment as he’s not fit for work.

I have read his income support and housing benefit will stop 2 weeks after his application, and that it can take months to go through the work capability process. 

My worry is how is he supposed to pay rent for 3 or more months?

 Once a decision is made, is the housing element and universal credit element backdated to the first date of application?  

I would be grateful if someone could explain the universal credit application process and when the housing element of universal credit would be paid. 

Thank you 

Rubyroobs

Universal credit includes a rent element so he will receive that from his first UC payment. It is only the LCW/ LCWRA element that takes months to be awarded. So his first UC payment should include a standard element, a rent element and a carers element. So if he has a two week run on of housing benefit he will just need to cover another three weeks until he gets his first Uc payment. he should be offered an advance which he can take to tide him over if he wishes and then this is paid back gradually.

poppy12345

I don't know if this was mentioned in your other thread but his carers allowance will be deducted in full from any UC entitlement. Once a decision is made on his WCA if he's found to have LCWRA then the carers element will stop and LCWRA element will replace that. This is because the same person can't receive both elements at the same time. 

Carers allowance will continue as a normal. 

Annie2347

Thank you so much for your help.

can I confirm I’ve understood what you’ve said please? 

He will receive the standard, rent and carers element about 5 weeks after his application and then the LCW/LCWRA element 3 months or more after? 

Then if awarded the LCW/LCWRA element his carers allowance will be stopped.

I’ve been so anxious and not sleeping thinking that the rent element would be paid once the work capability assessment decision was made, and that he would be without rent for months. 

I phoned citizens advice today and they don’t know the standard and rent element is paid early. They advised me it might be easier just to apply as a carer so he’s not without rent for months. 

Thank you so much. 

poppy12345

Annie2347 said:

can I confirm I’ve understood what you’ve said please? 

He will receive the standard, rent and carers element about 5 weeks after his application and then the LCW/LCWRA element 3 months or more after? 

First payment is just under 5 weeks after the claim is submitted. There's no extra money if the decision is LCW. It's only if the decision is LCWRA. It's paid from the 4th month after the first fit note was provided. Sometimes it takes longer than this for a decision to made, if that happens then money will be owed. 

Annie2347 said:

Then if awarded the LCW/LCWRA element his carers allowance will be stopped.

Carers allowance doesn't stop, that's a separate benefit, which will continue. Carers element of UC will stop if he's found to have LCWRA. If found to have LCW then there's no extra money and carers element will continue. 

Annie2347 said:

I’ve been so anxious and not sleeping thinking that the rent element would be paid once the work capability assessment decision was made, and that he would be without rent for months. 

I phoned citizens advice today and they don’t know the standard and rent element is paid early. They advised me it might be easier just to apply as a carer so he’s not without rent for months. 

That's quite poor advice you've had there from Citizens advice. Standard allowance, carers element and housing element will be included in his claim from the start. All of these elements will be included in his statement, which is produced at the end of his assessment period. (each month) 

Not sure why they advised to just report being a carer and not report his health conditions. Rent will be included anyway. 

Annie2347

Thank you so much Poppy12345. That takes a huge weight off me. I’m really grateful for your help. 

Annie2347

Citizens advice said that so he could keep receiving rent not to go down the WCA route. 

Spoonie_Turtle

Annie2347 said:

Citizens advice said that so he could keep receiving rent not to go down the WCA route. 

Utterly bonkers, whomever told you that needs to be retrained asap! 

That's quite troubling, in all seriousness - had you not had anywhere else to turn, he could well have missed out on the LCWRA element for however long (months/years) based on that incorrect advice.

Annie2347

Yes spoonie_Turtle that’s why I’m so thankful for all of you helping me. 

Thank you 

Robbie64

I've posted this before but in case you don't realise it... why doesn't your son claim UC as a carer first and then submit a fit note? Perhaps I'm not picking up something but you're overthinking you son's claim to UC by holding back on claiming.

A serious quiestion: is your son too ill to claim UC as a carer? Is he currently claiming Income Support as a way of getting benefits? I'm not prying, just trying to help.

Whether he is claiming as a carer or as being to ill to work, he may have to go to the JobCentre to complete his claim.

Annie2347

Thank you for your advice. I read your comment on another post and I was thinking of applying on his behalf down the carer route as I thought that the housing benefit element would be paid after the WCA assessment. 

I’ve now learned that the housing element will be paid about 5 weeks after initial claim. 

My son is physically and mentally incapable of going to the job centre, work or do any work related activities. 

My thinking is if we did go down the carer route, when I die the carer element won’t apply anymore, and he’d have to go through the WCA application himself, and he couldn’t cope doing that himself. 

Looking at the descriptors he does qualify for LCWRA. 

He receives income support as he has been caring for me for years. 

I’ve wanted to apply for PIP on his behalf for years but I’ve not been well enough. My son hasn’t been well for years. The universal credit migration has forced this application.

Id be grateful for your thoughts.