UC wca

[weeamanda96]

Hi there everyone. I had my work capability assessment on the 5th of January. I have POTS/IST that has led me to being housebound as it took years to be diagnosed properly. My phone appointment went okay (I thought) although the woman I spoke to said to expect to hear around 3 weeks from now.

Well, this morning i got a letter dated the 6th through the door that said they didn't have enough information and I would have to wait for face to face assessments to start up at some point.

I provided cardiologist reports, gastroenterologist reports, gp reports, copies of my ecgs and so on. I'm not sure what more I could tell them. Stress makes my inappropriate sinus tachycardia worse, so I'm a right mess. Can I do anything? Had they asked, I could have probably provided more information. I have an appointment tomorrow with my doctor to get a new fit note but i don't know how long I'll need to keep hassling him for them now.

I guess I'm just in limbo until face to face assessments can start?

Any advice or help would be appreciated.

[nukecad]

I assume that this is a first time assessment as you are sending in fit notes?

I'm afraid that you will have to remain on standard rate UC until they can do a F2F, you will not be expected to do any jobsearching.

In practical terms though that's the same as being found to have 'Limited Capability for Work', (LCW), just with the need to still supply fit notes.

You don't get any extra money unless you are found to have 'Limited Capability for Work and Work Related Activity' (LCWRA).

I do have some advice though, for when you do get a F2F:

From your description it sounds as if you have made a common mistake for your WCA that many people make, and have relied principally on telling them about your conditions and sending your medical evidence and reports.

But you have to remember that the assessment is not a medical assessment - it is a Work Capability Assessment.

In other words it is all about whether you can do any work or not, and only about whether you can do any work or not.

Simply giving them a list of your conditions/diagnoses with reports, etc. is not enough.

You need to concentrate on explaining why you can't manage to do any work, and then your medical evidence is used to back up what you are saying.

As I say many people make that mistake first time round and have to reapply (if/when they can), you don't have to reapply and now you have a chance to correct things when you get a F2F and explain just why you are unable to work.

[weeamanda96]

Hi there. Yes, it's a first time assessment.

I did explain why I couldn't work in my forms. Pre-syncope, chronic nausea and dizziness that will not get better, even with rate limiting medication. I get extremely clumsy because of tremors and need to be carried to lay down when I have a 'funny turn," which is often. My cardiologist described me as profoundly disabled, and housebound.

I guess I'm just frustrated at the lack of solid ideas from CHDA other that wait out COVID until we can do face to face assessments. Shame they don't do video calls, although I understand the limitations there also.

I'm very lucky to be able to live with my parents, because to be honest, the standard rate wouldn't cover much.

Can I also ask, in regards for the face to face will I be able to get a home visit? I was on DLA years ago, and they did them.

I assume that this is a first time assessment as you are sending in fit notes?

I'm afraid that you will have to remain on standard rate UC until they can do a F2F, you will not be expected to do any jobsearching.

In practical terms though that's the same as being found to have 'Limited Capability for Work', (LCW), just with the need to still supply fit notes.

You don't get any extra money unless you are found to have 'Limited Capability for Work and Work Related Activity' (LCWRA).

I do have some advice though, for when you do get a F2F:

From your description it sounds as if you have made a common mistake for your WCA that many people make, and have relied principally on telling them about your conditions and sending your medical evidence and reports.

But you have to remember that the assessment is not a medical assessment - it is a Work Capability Assessment.

In other words it is all about whether you can do any work or not, and only about whether you can do any work or not.

Simply giving them a list of your conditions/diagnoses with reports, etc. is not enough.

You need to concentrate on explaining why you can't manage to do any work, and then your medical evidence is used to back up what you are saying.

As I say many people make that mistake first time round and have to reapply (if/when they can), you don't have to reapply and now you have a chance to correct things when you get a F2F and explain just why you are unable to work.

[nukecad]

Telephone assessments for new claims are only considering whether you should be awarded LCWRA or not. They are not assessing for LCW on the telephone.

So it's quite possible that you would have breezed LCW, but didn't quite make LCWRA (this time) on the phone.

Part of why they are not assessing for LCW at the moment is because, as I said above, the only real difference between your UC now and UC if you had been found LCW is that you have to keep providing fit notes for now.
(There are a few other very slight differences, for instance the 'work allowance' in UC but as you are telling them you can't work anyway that shouldn't make any difference).

LCWRA is the award that would give extra money in UC, to be eligible for LCWRA you have to fit just 1 of 16 'descriptors'.
The descriptors are listed in this link, to get awarded LCWRA then when you get your F2F you need to try and convince them that at least one of these 16 descriptors applies to you:
https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/un...lated-activity
(Note that first one is 'mobilising' and not 'walking' - 'mobilising' includes using a wheelchair, even if you don't actually have one).

You can request a Home assessment, but it shouldn't be requested until after they have sent you an appointment at one of their centres.
ie. They send you an appointment letter, your ring them and ask for a home assessment.
They will want to see a letter from your GP or other medical professional supporting that you cannot travel to them.
See this: https://www.chdauk.co.uk/before-your-assessment

PS. You can live independently on LCW rate, I've been doing it for the past 10 years on just ESA LCW and Housing benefit.

PPS. I note that you say there that you used to have DLA.
Why did that stop?
Is there any reason why you have not applied for PIP?