Working capability assessment

[Lesley25]

My son turned 16 and has SLD and a autism, so I have applied for the credits only ESA and universal credit , I assumed -and was told on the phone that the working capability assesment would be triggered through the ESA, it hasn’t been.
I spoke to UC who say I have to obtain a fit note to then trigger the working capability assessment questionnaire from their side.

my son will never work due to his disability, am I likely to get a fit note from hsi GP - is this standard? I have emailed the GP to ask, but am I missing anything?

It will depend on individual circumstances. It depends how long the course DD will begin in September will last. For some, this will be 2 years. For others, it won’t.

If you have everything ready to go as soon as DD turns 16, there is a chance for it be sorted before the course begins in September. The quickest I know of in the last year is 4 weeks and 2 days with a paper based assessment.

in my case, now LCWRA has been established, can I claim UC when my son goes into sixth form in September? And do I need to apply before September and he starts?

I should add, he will be 17 mid September .

@Lesley25 you can apply for UC once DS’s current course has finished. It doesn’t matter when he turns 17 or if you apply once the next course has already started.

@EndlessLight does the end of high school count as a current course ? So, when that ends, July this year and he starts sixth form Sept 2025 that would be ruled as a new course?

Probably, but it depends on the individual’s circumstances.