Hello everyone

I am after a bit of help with universal credit.

I have been out of work for a while due to mental health issues (depression and social anxiety). I am 46 and It has been a bit of a bolt out of the blue for me because I have been in work since I was 16 and had never suffered with these kind of issues before.

I have been claiming universal credit for 18 months now and was placed in the LCWRA group.

I feel I have now come out the other side and have been actively looking for work. I have now been offered a job but it would mean relocating to another area. I am happy with this and find the move exciting.

However, my query is this. While I am happy that I am able to go back to work what would happen if the symptoms returned? If I found after a couple of months I couldn't cope and was forced to leave the job what would be the situation with universal credit? Would I, in effect, be starting a new claim in a new area and need a new assessment if applying for LCWRA again. Or would I just automatically go back on to my current benefits?

If I understand it right, once I start work you don't automatically stop UC, you just don't receive anything while you are above a certain threshold. So, if after a couple of months I had to leave my job so never received any money for the subsequent qualifying period, do I just start receiving UC again?

Obviously hoping none of this will apply but just trying to think ahead.

Thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks

Hi Stan Drew and welcome to CAG!

For UC - It will run for 6 months from your initial claim if they are unable to pay anything for you (Earnings reduce UC to £0 per month for you)

If they pay you any amount of money in that 6 month period the timer restarts.

You dont have to do anything apart from telling them you have started work and you have left work - Report a change of circumstances but you may need to have a further assessment if your claim ceases to be.

Well done on getting the job too

Hi Stan Drew and welcome to CAG!

 

You dont have to do anything apart from telling them you have started work and you have left work - Report a change of circumstances but you may need to have a further assessment if your claim ceases to be.

 

Well done on getting the job too

Yes well done. The only thing to add, is that you need to register your change of address and change of housing costs with UC. If you have an Online UC account, go to report a change of circumstances, change your address and report any new housing.

If the new housing is a private rental, you will need to get the housing cost verified at the nearest Job Centre once you have registered the change with Universal Credit.

LCWRA can be be maintained for the 18 months and it might continue for longer if not reviewed by UC. When UC get around to reviewing, if you are working and are then fit for work, UC will remove the LCWRA. At a future date, if you fall sick again and lose a job because of it, then a new assessment will be required.

Edif - Please be aware that if there are two NIL monthly statements in a row, because your earnings are more than any UC element amounts, that UC can close the UC claim. This is even when you have LCWRA on the claim. You can reclaim within 6 months if circumstances change and UC will include previous entitlement. If a UC claim is closed more than 6 months, then a brand new claim would be needed. If you are still within the original 18 month LCWRA review period, if you raise this, they might reinstate, if your health is back to where it was. If they don't renistate LCWRA, then a new Work Capability Assessment would be required.

Misread the post. With LCWRA there is a prognosis review period. LCWRA will be awarded for a relevant period of time, when it will be subject to review.

Thanks for taking the time to reply guys.

Much appreciated