Universal Credit and LCWRA.

[Littlefighter82]

So I have recently attended a tribunal hearing because the jobcentre want me to find an additional 20 hours work.I am physically unable to do this.

Does anyone have any solutions that might help?

[ftorres18]

Hi! Can you provide more details to your question so I can give you more precise advice?👍🤔

[Littlefighter82 in reply to ftorres18]

I had a Workplace Assessment back in January 2022 and waited 6 months for decision to come back that I was capable of working. I'm not disputing that as I work 14 hours a week.

This has all resulted in me attending a tribunal hearing earlier this week for them to stick by their decision. I am at a loss of what to do.

I cannot afford to come off UC, much as I want to.

[ftorres18 in reply to Littlefighter82]

I completely understand how this situation might be causing you stress and frustration, especially as you’ve already been working 14 hours a week and are physically unable to increase your hours. Let’s go step by step to explore possible solutions tailored to your circumstances.1. Understanding your current situation:

The Jobcentre’s requirement for you to work an additional 20 hours can be difficult to meet when you’re already facing physical limitations. Based on what you’ve shared:

You already work 14 hours per week, showing your willingness to meet your obligations.

You had a workplace assessment in January 2022, which deemed you capable of working. However, assessments from more than a year ago may not reflect your current health and physical capacity.

It’s important that your medical limitations are accurately recognised and that you explore all available options to address this.

2. Steps to address your situation:

a. Review your Universal Credit classification

Universal Credit provides specific classifications for individuals with health conditions or disabilities:

1. Limited Capability for Work (LCW): Applies if you can perform light work-related activities.

2. Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA): Applies if your health prevents you from working or engaging in any work-related activities.

What you should do:

If your classification doesn’t reflect your current circumstances, you can request a Mandatory Reconsideration or a new Work Capability Assessment (WCA). Provide clear and detailed medical evidence to support your request.

b. Provide updated medical evidence

A workplace assessment from over a year ago may not reflect your current situation. To strengthen your case, you can provide:

Reports from your GP explaining your physical limitations and why you cannot increase your working hours.

Specialist letters from any ongoing medical or physiotherapy treatment.

Fit notes issued by your GP to confirm your inability to take on additional hours.

3. Support available to you

a. Seek help from organisations

Citizens Advice: They can help you understand your rights, prepare documentation, and represent you during appeals or meetings with the Jobcentre.

Welfare Rights: They specialise in offering advice and support for situations like yours.

b. Request reasonable adjustments

Under the Equality Act 2010, you are entitled to reasonable adjustments in your work requirements. This may include:

A reduction in the additional hours you are required to work.

Flexible working arrangements that accommodate your physical condition.

Full exemption from work-related activities if you are classified under LCWRA.

What you should do: Speak with your Work Coach at the Jobcentre, clearly explain your limitations, and formally request a review of your case.

4. Alternative solutions to retain Universal Credit

I understand that coming off Universal Credit is not an option for you. Here are ways to navigate this situation without losing your benefits:

1. Request a new medical assessment: If your limitations were not properly considered in 2022, ask for a new assessment that reflects your current health.

2. Appeal the tribunal’s decision: If the tribunal ruled against you, explore whether you can submit additional evidence and request a review of the decision.

3. Explore additional financial support: You may be eligible for other benefits, such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP), which could ease the financial pressure of working more hours.

5. Practical tips for managing this situation

Keep detailed records: Document all interactions with the Jobcentre, including your tribunal hearing and any communications regarding your case.

Seek professional advice: Organisations like Citizens Advice or Welfare Rights can provide invaluable guidance and ensure that you follow the correct processes.

Take your time to decide: Although this situation might feel overwhelming, avoid making rushed decisions about leaving Universal Credit. Explore all your options first.

6. Conclusion:

Your situation is challenging, but there are steps you can take to address it effectively. Based on what you’ve shared:

1. Request a new assessment or reconsideration if your physical limitations haven’t been fully recognised.

2. Provide updated medical evidence to support your case.

3. Seek assistance from organisations like Citizens Advice or Welfare Rights to guide you through the process.

4. Request reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010 to ensure your circumstances are fully considered.

Remember, the final decision will come from a specialist or relevant authority. If you have further questions or need additional support, please don’t hesitate to ask in the group. There’s always someone here willing to help. I hope you find a solution that suits your needs and circumstances soon! 👍🙏💪

[Lillylilac in reply to ftorres18]

Hi Just wanted to say thank you.

That was very informative and kind to write all that.

Big gentle hugs.

Lilly x

[Cotswolds25121 in reply to ftorres18]

I wrote quite a long response to your brilliant reply to little fighter and I don’t know what I did but have lost my post🤦‍♀️I have done this quite a lot recently. So I only wanted to say thanks for all your informative support and for the likes of me too 💕

[Wobblygirl in reply to Cotswolds25121]

Wxx

[Cotswolds25121 in reply to Wobblygirl]

💕

[Wobblygirl in reply to ftorres18]

Gosh you're so good in your responses!!!Really admire your care and aim to clarify difficult scenarios for folk on here...

You are a star!

And so kind to type with such helpfulness...

Everyone can read your info and feel the details may apply to them now or beyond...

Excellent support!

[Hazel_Angelstar Administrator FMA UK Staff]

Please contact our benefits team for advice.

I have just migrated from working tax credits to universal credit and need to provide fit notes to say I can only work limited hours (16. 5). I have also had to complete a uc50 form and possibly will have an assessment

[Littlefighter82 in reply to Hazel_Angelstar]

How do I contact them?

[Dizzytwo in reply to Littlefighter82]

You can find them herehealthunlocked.com/fibromya...

[Littlefighter82 in reply to Dizzytwo]

Thank you

[Redbull]

Morning little fighter if you don’t mind me asking can I ask are you claiming sickness benefit 🤔

[Littlefighter82 in reply to Redbull]

I work 14 hours and claim UC to top my wages up. I get higher rate PIP for both daily living and mobility.

[Lillylilac]

Hi Littlefighter82I so hope you get it sorted. You are doing the best you can and more than enough.

Gentle hugs

Lilly x

[Scooterz2]

seems to be their thing now. In order to be paid benefits DWP want people working minimum 20 hours a week. Or they do have the powers to withdraw the benefit.

[Cotswolds25121]

Hello Littlefighter82, 😊I can tell by your username that you are a sincere and special kind of person. I don’t have any advice sadly, only support as I am heading towards your unjust situation in the very near future. I am about to embark on a long journey I suspect with finding out about universal credit and other support I maybe eligible for 😔next year. I cannot cope with work and the time has come for me to put my health first. I should have been retired almost 4 years ago until the rules were changed and expected to work another 6 years 😔a huge huge gap. The government do not understand how it affects people who have chronic health conditions and were expecting to retire after working hard all their lives and playing by the rules😡yes it makes us extremely angry!! Not a Waspi lady as with everything else just miss out! I’m hoping the Waspi women get what they are owed for sure but I wish early 60s women were also included because I was born 1961 and no different to ladies born in the late 50s. I appreciate of course there has to be a cut off point but March 1961 is a year and 3 months difference so we are in the same boat, no notice did we get either! I do apologise, I do tend to go off on a tangent which is what I’ve done now. As I lose focus so I am sorry. I not only dread each working day as a carer, but two things, people I really care about and am supporting in my work role are a lot of the time the way I am nowadays health wise, more capable than me physically. Younger clients are coming through with extreme challenging behaviour and we get paid a pittance for doing a job that 17 years ago I absolutely loved but cannot cope with anymore. I really hope you receive some good support and advice because god knows don’t many of us all need it right now xx

[Littlefighter82 in reply to Cotswolds25121]

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to me, I really appreciate it. I understand how hard it must be for you, as I had to give up a much loved job in a care home following spinal surgery.I now work for a charity supporting those with sight loss. A job where I can utilise my care qualifications and skills etc.

I'm only 42 and it looks like that I will have a large number of years ahead of me before I can retire.

[Cotswolds25121 in reply to Littlefighter82]

Good evening Littlefighter82🤗I want to thank you for your message of support. Sounds all to familiar 🤦‍♀️I’m sad to say.‘I’m 64 in March and with working as I do and yourself, you know all to well how a lot of the time I feel my body and mind hurt so much that I feel about 80! Sorry to anyone who is 80, I don’t mean it in a derogatory way, it’s great to live until a grand age, my dear Mum made it to 94 bless her but when you’re only in your 60s and have chronic pain it’s as we all know not great. I’m so pleased that you have found a job still helping and supporting others it’s a really lovely thing when a job involves being there for others, it can be really rewarding so as you are in particular a youngster 😀I hope you are able to continue for many years to come. Have a pain free weekend 🤞🤗

[Al10 in reply to Cotswolds25121]

Such a tough situation, for so many women. And I think Government do know about the effects of working later but don't care. It saves money paying benefits rather than pensions and better still, many people won't even qualify for or get such benefits. They know how stress destroys our health which is good for Pharma companies and also makes the argument for bringing in private healthcare on account NHS care can no longer be afforded. These people are not stupid, despite appearances.

I think this situation illustrates nicely some of the societal reasons people, mostly women, get Fibro. We are put into impossible situations and can't get out. We do our best to make the best, look after everyone, etc, and we are the losers. Our bodies warn and warn for us to take action and we just wont, often because we feel we can't. How to manage on no income etc? Who else will do the care etc we are giving up on?

Women are stoic creatures, despite how they are painted as weak or hysterical, anxious. Most tend to keep going until they can't. I suggest they shouldn't wait that long, as a lot of damage is done in this time that can't easily be undone.

I believe we were designed in such a way that we should listen to our Gut, to our spidy senses and to our bodies. Society teaches us to do the opposite and then blames people for getting sick etc.

[Cotswolds25121 in reply to Al10]

Al10👏👏thank you very much for responding to my post, I really couldn’t have put it any better than you have. You summed it all up perfectly and I’m in total agreement with you 🤗

[Cb1963 in reply to Cotswolds25121]

Sorry you've been caught up in the universal coffin situation, it's a bit of a catch 22 situation, obviously you've done your bit towards staying in work, but I'm sure you've got plenty of health issues that affect you, and i believe that the change of working hours has changed, the change will cause you a more awkward situation, I've said this time and time again regarding how the system is making people work to the grave, the government are trying to get disabled people or those with long term health conditions into work.This is all part and parcel of reducing the benefit bill(apparently) is there a solution I don't really know, the government and the big organisations are like the parasite and the host, they pay " minimum " wage and people will always be stuck in this system , eventually you'll get older and the pressure of trying to work will have a telling problem and you'll be unable to work, it's the future that is very fragile,maybe you'll have to go on benefits for the rest if your life , that's a big hurdle to face, and extremely difficult to succeed,it's a minefield and extremely difficult to say to the DWP you're unfit for work, this is like leading the horse to water but won't drink it,I wish you well on your difficult journey!

[Cotswolds25121 in reply to Cb1963]

Hi Cb1963 and thank you for your reply. Yes, it’s a living nitemare isn’t it🤦‍♀️I saw the two main ones that are being changed apparently are back pain and fibromyalgia. I think maybe the other one is mental health and I maybe wrong but I get the impression they are aiming the last one mostly towards young people. With all and everyone of these conditions it is difficult to get through day even if you aren’t working let alone if you are. I do find working helps me with my mental health although when I’m having anxiety or panic attacks it’s so hard to get out of bed, as with bad back pain and fibro flare up, I recently had almost 3 weeks off work as I was in so much pain and then got a severe chest infection requiring dr to send me to hospital. How do the government expect people to manage to carry on when if for example like me I’m a carer moving and handling people 🤦‍♀️😢 I just always want the working week to end and it makes me feel like I’m wishing my life away! What a waste ☹️ I am 64 next March and know I cannot go on like this.🤷‍♀️didn’t want my life to end like this xx

[Cb1963 in reply to Cotswolds25121]

You have my upmost respect, being a carer is an extremely psychically demanding job, I know all about this, my father had dementia and parkinsons, and I struggled to get him up off the floor when he had fall's etc, I'm worn out myself, my health problems are mounting up on a weekly basis , I've done myself in various jobs, and had a bad " experience " with alcohol, caused through ptsd, I struggle to get out of bed, and my sleep pattern is terrible with the various pains. It's no fun getting older and you've got mp's thrashing out order's on how to survive on a pittance of " handout ",they don't live in the real world and have a very comfortable life, until any mp struggles on universal coffin things will never change, the stick is out beating individuals up who receive benefits and painting them with wholesome lives is stomach churning, yes maybe the younger ones who intend to play the system is something that needs addressing and they can't live a life on benefits, but I've got numerous health problems, and that causes me hour's of depressing moments, well I'm trying to avoid the undertakers 🤣 as everyone else has had their pound of flesh from me, it's a dam hard going, and hopefully I won't be pushing up daisy's any time soon 🫣😬

[Smilesalot in reply to Cotswolds25121]

I'm sending you heartfelt hugs and love 🤗.I'm sorry ur in this situation. I hope you get the advice you need to get proper support and stop working. 🤔🤗🙂😍

[Cotswolds25121 in reply to Smilesalot]

Smilesalot😀such a great post name😀and I hope you do.A lovely thoughtful message and I really do appreciate you taking the time, thank you 🤗🤗🤗never fails me on this site how we all get such great unselfish love and kindness xxxx

[Smilesalot in reply to Cotswolds25121]

You're more than welcome hun🤗😃.It's shared freely by all on here. There are wonderful people on here. Any time you need support and love this forum provides it.

You take care hun hugs😊🍀