First claim for benefits

KxMx

So the standard waiting period of three full assessment periods for LCWRA element applies. 

A few questions to estimate your payment date:

What date did you report the health condition? 

What date did you submit the first Fit Note?

Were there any gaps in handing in Fit Notes up until your LCWRA decision?
As advised it's the date they are given to UC that counts, not the start date written on them.

When were you notified of the LCWRA decision? 

With a payment date of 3rd, I'm calculating your Assessment Period as 27th - 26th.

Onebrokelady

KxMx said:

So the standard waiting period of three full assessment periods for LCWRA element applies. 

A few questions to estimate your payment date:

What date did you report the health condition? 

What date did you submit the first Fit Note?

Were there any gaps in handing in Fit Notes up until your LCWRA decision?
As advised it's the date they are given to UC that counts, not the start date written on them.

When were you notified of the LCWRA decision? 

With a payment date of 3rd, I'm calculating your Assessment Period as 27th - 26th.

The health condition was reported when I first put in the claim but I can’t remember the date but this is my third statement, I had to fill out a health questionnaire which I did a few weeks after I put in my claim. They UC have had sick certs since the day I started the claim and ESA have had all my sick certs dating back to 4/4/25 they do however keep sending me letter saying they haven’t got them. I posted them all to them over a week ago and got another letter today saying that they need one for the 27/4/25 to the 5/5/25 and I had until the 5th of May to send it to them…… it’s now August so too late anyway  but they’ve been sent in the post. I was told of the LCWRA decision on the 19th of AUGUST just checked my diary on here 😀I also had to send a SSP1 form to say I was no longer receiving sick pay 

KxMx

I can't advise specifically on a waiting period without the information requested. 


Once LCWRA is in payment this will increase your UC award by £423.27 before deductions.

However:

As you've claimed New Style ESA, they will pay you £281.10 a fortnight.
This is treated as unearned income by UC and a further deduction of £609.05 (the monthly equivalent of a weekly benefit) from your UC award will be made.

Using your statement details, your UC entitlement with LCWRA would rise to £1090.56, with ESA awarded the deductions rising to £1320.90.

So there would be no entitlement to UC, even if your savings went below £6000, your pension +new style esa outstrips any entitlement to UC. 

Onebrokelady

KxMx said:

I can't advise specifically on a waiting period without the information requested. 


Once LCWRA is in payment this will increase your UC award by £423.27 before deductions.

However:

As you've claimed New Style ESA, they will pay you £281.10 a fortnight.
This is treated as unearned income by UC and a further deduction of £609.05 (the monthly equivalent of a weekly benefit) from your UC award will be made.

Using your statement details, your UC entitlement with LCWRA would rise to £1090.56, with ESA awarded the deductions rising to £1320.90.

So there would be no entitlement to UC, even if your savings went below £6000, your pension +new style esa outstrips any entitlement to UC. 

I know if I get ESA I won’t get UC but my query was why are they telling me I’m not entitled to UC for the last three months when the benefits calculators all say I should be getting £300 a month. Will I even get ESA 🤷‍♀️

KxMx

Subject to you earning sufficient NI Contributions through working in the last few years, yes you will get ESA, it is not a means tested benefit and your LCWRA under UC should entitle you to NS ESA Support Group @ £281.10 a fortnight.

You are either still in the waiting period for LCWRA element to start being paid, or UC haven't processed the decision fully yet and started paying you from the first applicable AP.

From the information you gave the benefits calculators, they are assuming you are past the LCWRA waiting period and including it in their calculation. 

LCWRA has a waiting period of three full assessment periods. No money is paid or subsequently owed for that period. 

Onebrokelady

KxMx said:

Subject to you earning sufficient NI Contributions through working in the last few years, yes you will get ESA, it is not a means tested benefit and your LCWRA under UC should entitle you to NS ESA Support Group @ £281.10 a fortnight.

You are either still in the waiting period for LCWRA element to start being paid, or UC haven't processed the decision fully yet and started paying you from the first applicable AP.

From the information you gave the benefits calculators, they are assuming you are past the LCWRA waiting period and including it in their calculation. 

LCWRA has a waiting period of three full assessment periods. No money is paid or subsequently owed for that period. 

I’ve definitely paid enough NI contributions, I’ve worked for the last 33 years 🙂 apart from being off sick for the last 6 months. Thanks for your help I will wait and see what happens 🙂

poppy12345

Terminal illness for benefits purposes means 12 months or less life expectancy. It doesn’t sound like this applies to you so you will need to go through a work capability assessment and provide fit notes to start this process off. Once a decision is made if found to have LCWRA you will then receive extra money from the 4th month after you provided your first fit note. This may mean at the moment your UC being reduced to zero could be correct. 

For New style ESA although it’s not means tested pensions of more than £85/week will reduce your ESA entitlement by 50p/week for every £1 over £85. This means with your pension amount the ESA will be reduced. Don’t have the brain power right now to calculate how much the reduction would be. You must make sure you tell them about your pension. 

Onebrokelady

poppy12345 said:

Terminal illness for benefits purposes means 12 months or less life expectancy. It doesn’t sound like this applies to you so you will need to go through a work capability assessment and provide fit notes to start this process off. Once a decision is made if found to have LCWRA you will then receive extra money from the 4th month after you provided your first fit note. This may mean at the moment your UC being reduced to zero could be correct. 

For New style ESA although it’s not means tested pensions of more than £85/week will reduce your ESA entitlement by 50p/week for every £1 over £85. This means with your pension amount the ESA will be reduced. Don’t have the brain power right now to calculate how much the reduction would be. You must make sure you tell them about your pension. 

That’s the thing with the illness I’ve got I could only have a year to live but they can’t tell. I’ve provided fit notes and filled out a work capability assessment. ESA know about my pension I’m sure it was a question on the claim form