Universal Credit and backdating

rachey7285

I was wondering if anyone could help me clarify something please

i got poorly around February time, I am claiming UC and as I am a kinship foster carer (my niece) under 5 I didn’t have to go to a lot of the job centre interviews (looking forward work) 
I did not realise I had to hand in sick notes and most of my work focused interviews were via phone calls once every 6 months or so
 so September just gone my work coach asked why I hadn’t been handing in sick notes and I was being hospitalised etc anyways I handed in a sick note on the 26th September BUT he had back dated it to the 1st March. I no you have to do a 3 month assessment period before you receive anything extra on your universal credit .. I got awarded (through my journal yesterday) lwrca but my question is .. will it be back dated from 1st March (sick note note) or from June (3 months after the 1st March) or 3 months after the date I handed it into the jobcentre (26th September) 

many thanks 

also - would it be classed as the new style ESA? And isit £336 a month


many thanks 

poppy123456

HI and welcome.

This is a very good question and despite my knowledge on the benefit system i'm unsure of the answer to that question. As it may state on your journal the date it was handed in, it may not count from 1st March.

I'm going to tag a member of our admin team who will hopefully advise you further tomorrow morning.

@Adrian_Scope any help here please would be very much appreciated. Thank you advance

Adrian_Scope

Hi @rachey7285 and a warm welcome to the community.

Do you mind if I ask a few questions to help me answer your query? When you became unfit for work back in February, did you report this via your online account at the time? 
Do you have any evidence they knew you were unfit for work?

(Thanks for the tag @poppy123456!)

rachey7285

Hey, I have screenshot this for you

rachey7285

Hi,

Please bare with me! 

Ok, so I got awarded lwrca yesterday which is great, my first sick note was handed in on 26th September but doctor back dated it to the 1st March, I no you have to wait 3 months assessment period and it goes in on the 4th month - there saying I have been awarded from the 26th September which makes me think what was the point of handing in a back dated sick note if there not going to read/consider it which means I won’t get my first payment till 21st feb and no backdated payment. 

I have since spoken to UC and my case manager and also her team leader can’t understand why it wasn’t backdated to the original date of the sick note so I am currently awaiting a response as she has emailed the secession maker asking for clarification.. what’s your thoughts on This? 

In the meantime I have asked if I have been awarded it for my current illness or as a whole - when I started claiming UC last year I declared I had mental health illnesses but apparently I put it doesn’t affect me looking for work, I don’t no why I put this as at the time I was being put on higher medication and was going through a bad patch of mental health I no myself and I no I go through stages of thinking ‘ I don’t need help or medication just get a grip ‘ and I constantly argue with myself and think I’ve been though worse and you can do this and then I come crashing down to reality .. 

which is I DO need help cbt counselling panic attacks meds calming meds and antidepressants 

My question is though for this half is .. do you think it would be possible to speak to my doctor and ask them to write a letter to say that me saying no back year when I first went onto UC was a mistake and in there opinion I should have been receiving sick notes and claimed as not fit for work. 

Many thanks x

Adrian_Scope

Hi @rachey7285. 

Unfortunately I don't believe a doctor letter would help in this regard. Universal Credit and the decision makers can only base their decisions off of legislation. As your condition wasn't reported until 19th September (when you updated to say your condition affects your ability to work), that is the earliest it can be backdated to.

There doesn't seem to be a lot of consistency for how the rules are applied, but it's our understanding from the guidance that the wait period begins when you make them aware you're unfit for work and provide evidence of this, not the date on the fit note.

poppy123456

I have to agree with @Adrian_Scope here a letter from your GP isn't going to help you.

Your waiting period will start from when you reported that health condition in September, whether there's any backdated money owed will depend when your assessment period is because there's a full 3 month waiting period. LCWRA element is then paid on the 4th assessment period because UC is paid in arrears.