Another LWCA Phone Call ... please help me prep ... feel so lost ....

[SemolinaPilchard]

Hello MN,

I have an LWCA Phone Appt tomorrow, this will be the 3rd one as my Work Coach confirmed that the previous assessor made a mistake ... so I am feeling anxious, again but always do as I have severe anxiety, depression ... MH issues but also now I have mobility issues ... I don't know what more I can tell them!

I ended up in tears on the last phone call ... what are they actually looking for as the letters they send from follow up do not seem to tally with the actual tone of the conversations previously had.

Any advice very welcome ... basically my Work Coach and Assessor missed the deadline for a tribunal/hearing request as they were on holiday and no one followed up ... so this is a follow up call after the Mandatory Decision.

I do not understand why I did not receive the minimum 15 points as I did my research and I would have clearly had 15 points on the UC50 I filled out ...

Anyway, trying to remain calm and poised and not get too anxious and stressed .... will try not to cry!

Ok, but I am going to have a little cry now ...

Onwards!

And if you need to know ...

LWCA - Limited Work Capability Assessment
UC - Universal Credit
MR - Mandatory Reconsideration
DM - Decision Maker

Thank You MN!

Bumping for you.

What have they said the appointment is for?

I would post here for advice

Thank you for replying @PunishmentRoundupWithJoon and @DragonFly98, so very much appreciated.

Well just re-reading the letter and it is sounds exactly like the first appt I had back in July!

A health assessor from DWP will assess how your disability, illness or health condition affects your capability for work.

I do feel I am going around in circles with them ... there has been a slip up and no one following up I think and so they are just giving me another appt with DWP ...

@DragonFly98 is this a thread on MN or FB ... will definitely check it out!

Thank You!

@DragonFly98

Would you have a link I could follow up on as I am now in panic mode ...

Many thanks,
SemolinaPilchard

It’s a Facebook page just type Universal Credit and Legacy Benefit advice
in the search box .

Thank you! Thank you!

I will most definitely check this out @DragonFly98 !

Had the meeting / assessement and again, still going round and round in circles ... anyway .. onwards!

Am so sorry I hope it’s sorted soon and awarded plus backdated.

Thank you ... did not even realise that there is the possibility of a backdated payment ... oh my ... will update when I know the outcome!

How did you get on?

The agent I spoke to asked me the exact same questions that I have answered before and filled out on a UC50 at length and it was clear had never read any of the other 'interview' notes or looked at the UC50 but they were very understanding so I am hopeful ...

I will know in a few weeks.

Thank you for the follow up!

Fingers crossed for you - it's so frustrating dealing with these issues (and people...)!

Just an update before I burst in to tears again ... the decision has come back as a yes!

I had a lovely message from my Work Coach too, who has been very supportive.

So, onwards and now I hope I can sleep tonight despite the constant pain I have due to my disability.

Knowing the 'sanctions' are no longer in place is such a relief.

They need to get rid of these appalling 'sanctions' as my MH has hit the roof with it all!

I actually have THREE big job applications to do this weekend anyway ... I am feeling positive and hopeful!

Good luck to anyone going through this ... just do not give up.

Thanks MN!

@SemolinaPilchard congratulations 🎉. So glad you got it sorted X it's an absolute pain x i had to go to tribunal for mine x

That's great news - am so pleased for you - must be a huge weight off your mind!

So are you saying that you have been awarded LCWRA but are doing job applications?

@Miley1967 you can still apply for jobs if you want to, it just means that you're not expected to do a certain amount or a certain amount of hours (with mental health problems it often takes the pressure off) and you don't get sanctioned if for some reason you can't do the amount the DWP would normally expect

I have been awarded LCW not the full LCWRA.

I had already started these applications so will finish them as it would be madness to as they are all WFH and Hybrid roles in my field too.

I am still working out what it all means to be honest but will get an update soon from my Work Coach.

Thanks again MN!

Oops typo ... I meant it would be madness 'not' to continue with the applications as they are in my area of work too ...

Onwards!

Oh and to be clear I absolutely want to continue to apply for work ... I am not asking not to work but for UC/DWP to realise that I have limitations now, sadly, due to mobility issues, disability and now MH issues.

That's exactly what this group is for, if they thought you'd be unable to work at all then you would be in the 'limited capability to look for work or work related activity' group
The group you've been placed in is designed to assist you in doing training, updating your cv etc etc without the brutal appointment system of the 'fit for work' group, so essentially it recognises that at the moment you would struggle.

Yes the LCW will benefit you because even though you don't get the extra money which comes with LCWRA, you will still get a work allowance meaning that a certain amount of wages will be disregarded before deductions take place, so you will benefit from this.

Yes I'm aware of this but op was talking early in the thread about backdating etc so I assumed that she was hoping to be awarded LCWRA as there would be no backdated payments with just LCW.