LWCA for non verbal SN teen

[AInightingale]

My son is 19 and in receipt of PIP. He is autistic and non verbal, went to a special school and is now at college (FE) about to start an inclusive learning course which will last two years. I do not have a UC claim atm, though I claimed it previously. I have learned that he could claim LCWA in his own right though it sounds a total nightmare to be honest, but if he is entitled to it, I would encourage him to do so. He would not speak to an assessor (obviously) but could deal with the claim online. How does he go about making a LCWA claim? We are in N Ireland.

I think your best bet is to do a calculation online, the website Turn2Us is good.

I think he would then need to apply for Universal Credit online.

He would need to put down his health conditions (ASD) and also that he is non verbal. You could become his appointee, and act on his behalf.

I did this with PIP when my daughter claimed. She couldn't get passed the first few questions of the assessment.

They sent out someone from the job centre with the paperwork. We had to show ID.

Thanks, those calculators won't let you do calculations for students though!

OP I cannot recommend strongly enough that you consider becoming his appointee.

How do I do that @Bacardiwithice ? Is it a legal process with solicitor?

if You are not already, follow Caleb’s Cause on social media - his mum Alma has been going through the same and the community of parents on there have a lot of info specifically for our context in NI which is totally different from the rest of the UK.

DS is 27 and has been on UC with LCWRA since he left school at 19. He's autistic though not non verbal, but I don't remember him having to say much at all during the application. I don't remember the details of the process for applying, I took him to the GP for a fit note and then they did a paper based assessment and I sent in specialist reports for that, he was never assessed in person. He did have to go to the Jobcentre once for the initial application but he has never had to go back there. We are in England so the specifics will be different.

I'm his appointee and he gets PIP and went to special school so had lots of evidence. I deal with the online UC account, but it doesn't ask him to do any tasks, I just check the payments every month. For us it's been a straight forward process with not much ongoing admin.

https://www.gov.uk/become-appointee-for-someone-claiming-benefits

When you apply for universal credit, a question is asked about whether you have a condition that makes it hard to work. Answer yes. Then you have to get fit notes from the GP and submit them.

You'll be sent a WCA50 questionnaire. It's a bit like the PIP questionnaire. Then that gets assessed and there will be an assessment appointment. Your DS will be put into one of 3 groups. Fit for work (full conditionality), Limited Capability for work (doesn't have to seek work, but has to take part in work preparation activities and doesn't get extra money), or Limited Capability for Work and Work Related Activity (doesn't have to do anything and gets just over £200 on top of basic UC payment).

Once he's in receipt of UC, he'll qualify for free prescriptions, etc., and should qualify for free meals at college.

Does he have an HC2 Certificate for prescriptions/dental now? If not, it's best to apply.

You would need to apply for UC first as his appointee in his name

You provide his identification documents

You provide his "fit notes from doctor"

After so many weeks, he should be places in the LWCRA group

He may not be eligible yet if he is still a FT student.
You could ask at the student welfare for advice

UC & LWCRA also pay his National Insurance contributions towards his state pension & other benefits in his name

https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit

This is what confuses me - he will be a full time student for two years (well it's about 30 hrs a week but it's defined as FT) but the allowance seems to be payable to these individuals too, though it's an out of work benefit. Getting free meals at college would be helpful too.

Are you not already appointee? Did you not go through that process when DS transitioned to PIP?

UC isn’t just an out of work benefit. Some are in work and claim.

The rules for students can be complex. DS will be eligible for UC, though. Normally students aren’t eligible to claim UC but there are some exceptions. Being a disabled student can be one of them. Sometimes this requires you to establish LCW/LCWRA before the start of the course. However, that won’t apply to DS because from the September following the young person’s 19th birthday you don’t need to establish LCW/LCWRA before the start of the course.

Have a look at this page from Contact and their leaflet here.

I would not rely on the college knowing the rules around disabled students and UC.

Yes, you may be right. I was thinking appointee in a legal way, such as POA for an infirm person, but I am authorised to handle his PIP even though he's an adult.

It sounds like you are already DS’s appointee.

It isn’t the same as LPA or becoming a Controller (the NI version of being a deputy in England).

In that case put the claim in for UC, that changes to LWCRA

The DWP will soon tell you if he is eligible

UC doesn’t change to LCWRA.

It is still UC just with the addition of the LCWRA element.