What Are the Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity?

Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA) plays a crucial role in the UK’s benefits system, designed to support individuals whose health conditions or disabilities significantly affect their ability to work.

Whether through Universal Credit or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), LCWRA ensures financial assistance is provided while removing the pressure of work-related obligations.

In this blog, we’ll break down the essentials of LCWRA, including its descriptors, how it is assessed, and the financial benefits associated with it. This guide also aims to address common questions, such as how long LCWRA lasts, if you can work while on it, and the steps to apply.

What is Work Capability Assessment (WCA)?

The Work Capability Assessment (WCA) is a key process for determining whether a person qualifies for Limited Capability for Work (LCW) or Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA).

The assessment is managed by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and considers both physical and mental health conditions.

1. LCW vs LCWRA:
   • LCW: Individuals with LCW may be asked to participate in work preparation activities to improve their employability.
   • LCWRA: Those in this category are exempt from all work-related activities due to the severity of their condition.
2. Role of Descriptors: The WCA uses specific criteria (descriptors) to evaluate whether someone should be classified as having LCW or LCWRA. These descriptors assess an individual’s physical, cognitive, and mental limitations.

Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity Descriptors (LCWRA Descriptors)

The Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA) descriptors are a set of criteria used by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to assess whether an individual qualifies for LCWRA under Universal Credit or the Support Group under Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).

These descriptors focus on both physical and mental limitations and reflect an individual’s ability to perform basic tasks necessary for daily living or work-related activities.

If at least one of these descriptors applies to you, the DWP will place you in the LCWRA group, which means you will not be required to undertake any work-related activities as part of your benefit claim. Let’s examine these descriptors in greater detail:

Physical Function Descriptors

These descriptors assess how your physical health affects your ability to move, interact with your environment, or complete physical tasks.

1. Mobilising Unaided

• Descriptor: You cannot mobilise more than 50 metres on level ground without stopping due to significant discomfort or exhaustion, or you cannot repeatedly mobilise 50 metres within a reasonable timescale for the same reason.
• Explanation: This applies to individuals with conditions affecting their mobility, such as arthritis, muscular dystrophy, or chronic pain. Even with aids like a walking stick or manual wheelchair, the discomfort or exhaustion may persist.

2. Transferring Between Seated Positions

• Descriptor: You cannot move between one seated position and another located next to it without receiving physical assistance from another person.
• Explanation: This limitation often affects individuals with severe musculoskeletal disorders, spinal injuries, or conditions causing physical weakness or paralysis.

3. Reaching

• Descriptor: You cannot raise either arm as if to put something into the top pocket of a jacket or coat.
• Explanation: This applies to individuals with conditions such as frozen shoulder, severe arthritis, or nerve damage that limits arm mobility.

4. Picking Up and Moving Items

• Descriptor: You cannot pick up and move a 0.5-litre carton of liquid.
• Explanation: This highlights severe physical weakness or problems with grip strength caused by conditions like multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease, or severe arthritis.

5. Manual Dexterity

• Descriptor: You cannot press a button (e.g., on a phone keypad) or turn the pages of a book using either hand.
• Explanation: Conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, advanced arthritis, or nerve damage can severely impair fine motor skills required for tasks like button pressing or page turning.

6. Chewing or Swallowing Food and Drink

• Descriptor: You cannot chew or swallow food or drink without:
  • Severe discomfort,
  • Regular prompting from someone else, or
  • Physical assistance.
• Explanation: This may apply to individuals with conditions like dysphagia, stroke-related impairments, or severe disorders of mood or behaviour affecting eating.

7. Conveying Food or Drink to the Mouth

• Descriptor: You cannot convey food or drink to your mouth without:
  • Physical assistance,
  • Repeatedly stopping due to breathlessness or discomfort, or
  • Regular prompting from someone else.
• Explanation: Conditions such as severe tremors, paralysis, or cognitive impairments can hinder this basic task.

Sensory and Cognitive Function Descriptors

These descriptors focus on how sensory impairments, mental health conditions, or cognitive limitations affect an individual’s ability to communicate, process information, or engage with others.

8. Making Yourself Understood

• Descriptor: You cannot convey a simple message, such as the presence of a hazard, unaided by another person.
• Explanation: This applies to individuals with severe speech impairments, cognitive issues, or physical conditions that prevent effective communication.

9. Understanding Communication

• Descriptor: You cannot understand a simple message due to sensory impairment, such as the location of a fire escape.
• Explanation: This may apply to individuals who are blind, deaf, or have significant cognitive impairments.

10. Learning Tasks

• Descriptor: You cannot learn how to complete a simple task, such as setting an alarm clock, due to cognitive impairment or mental disorder.
• Explanation: This descriptor typically applies to individuals with learning disabilities, traumatic brain injuries, or conditions such as dementia.

11. Awareness of Hazards

• Descriptor: Reduced awareness of everyday hazards leads to significant risks of injury to self or others.
• Explanation: This applies to individuals with severe mental health conditions, cognitive impairments, or sensory issues that prevent them from recognising risks like fire or moving vehicles.

12. Coping with Change

• Descriptor: You cannot cope with any change to the extent that day-to-day life becomes unmanageable.
• Explanation: People with severe anxiety, autism spectrum disorders, or PTSD may struggle significantly with even minor changes to their routine or environment.

13. Initiating and Completing Personal Actions

• Descriptor: You cannot, due to impaired mental function, reliably initiate or complete at least two sequential personal actions.
• Explanation: Individuals with conditions like depression, schizophrenia, or severe ADHD may find it challenging to plan or carry out simple tasks such as cooking a meal.

14. Coping with Social Engagement

• Descriptor: Engagement in social contact is always precluded due to significant distress or difficulty relating to others.
• Explanation: Severe social anxiety, autism spectrum disorder, or psychosis might result in an inability to engage in social interactions.

15. Appropriateness of Behaviour

• Descriptor: Daily episodes of uncontrollable aggressive or disinhibited behaviour that would be unreasonable in any workplace.
• Explanation: This descriptor often applies to individuals with conditions such as bipolar disorder, severe personality disorders, or advanced dementia.

How Long Does Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity Last?

The duration of Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA) depends on several factors, such as the nature of your health condition, the findings of the Work Capability Assessment (WCA), and decisions made by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Key Factors That Affect the Duration of LCWRA

1. Standard Review Periods:
   • Typically, the DWP assigns a review date when they place you in the LCWRA group. These reviews are usually conducted every 1 to 3 years to reassess whether your health condition has improved, worsened, or remained the same.
   • Some individuals with fluctuating conditions, such as multiple sclerosis or mental health disorders, may be reassessed more frequently, while others may have longer gaps between reviews.
2. Permanent LCWRA Status:
   • If you have a severe, long-term, or progressive condition that is unlikely to improve, the DWP may decide that reassessment is not required. This is known as “ongoing LCWRA status.” Conditions such as advanced cancer, degenerative neurological disorders, or severe mental illnesses might fall into this category.
   • Permanent LCWRA status is rare and is usually granted when the evidence clearly shows that the individual’s ability to work will not change in the future.
3. Changes in Circumstances: If your health condition improves or worsens significantly, you must notify the DWP. They may decide to conduct an early reassessment to determine whether you still meet the LCWRA criteria.
4. Appeals and Reconsiderations:
   • If your LCWRA status is removed or changed after a review, you have the right to request a mandatory reconsideration or appeal. During this time, you may continue to receive support until a final decision is made.

In conclusion, the duration of LCWRA can vary from person to person, depending on their specific circumstances and the DWP’s assessment findings.

Can You Work While on Limited Capability for Work?

The ability to work while on Limited Capability for Work (LCW) or Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA) depends on the group you are placed in and the nature of the work you intend to do.

Working While on LCW

• Work Preparation Activities:
  • If you are in the LCW group, you may be required to participate in work preparation activities, such as attending training sessions, preparing a CV, or improving your skills.
  • These activities aim to help you transition back into work once your condition improves.
• Permitted Work: You may work part-time or take on “light duties” if they align with your health limitations. The work must not interfere with your ability to manage your condition or contradict your claimant commitment.

Working While on LCWRA

• No Work-Related Obligations: If you are in the LCWRA group, you are exempt from any work-related activities, meaning there is no obligation to search for work or attend training.
• Voluntary Work or Employment: While there are no restrictions on voluntary work, any paid work should be discussed with the DWP to ensure it does not affect your benefits. For example, working too many hours or earning above the earnings threshold might disqualify you from Universal Credit.

Example of Permitted Work:

• You might take on a part-time job working 10 hours a week in a role that allows you to work at your own pace, such as light administrative duties or remote customer service.

Important Note:

Before starting any kind of work while on LCW or LCWRA, you must inform the DWP to ensure your work activities comply with the rules. Failure to report work activities could lead to penalties or the loss of benefits.

Do You Get Extra Money for Limited Capability for Work?

The financial support provided depends on whether you are classified under LCW or LCWRA.

Limited Capability for Work (LCW):

• If you are assessed as having LCW, you do not receive an extra monthly payment under Universal Credit. However, you may still be entitled to the standard Universal Credit allowance and additional benefits depending on your circumstances (e.g., housing allowance, childcare support).

Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA):

• If you are placed in the LCWRA group, you will receive an additional monthly payment under Universal Credit.
  • As of 2023, the extra LCWRA payment was £390.06 per month, though this amount is subject to annual updates.
  • This payment is intended to provide financial support to individuals who cannot work due to severe health conditions or disabilities.

Backdated Payments:

• If there is a delay in confirming your LCWRA status, you may be eligible for back payments. These payments cover the period from when you first applied to the date your LCWRA status was approved.

Example: 

If you applied for Universal Credit in January but only received an LCWRA decision in April, you could be entitled to backdated payments for the months of January, February, and March.

How to Apply for Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity?

Applying for LCW or LCWRA involves multiple steps. Here’s a detailed guide:

Step 1: Make a Universal Credit or ESA Claim

• Begin by submitting an online or phone application for Universal Credit or ESA. Ensure you indicate that you have a health condition that affects your ability to work.

Step 2: Submit the UC50 Form

• After starting your claim, you will receive a UC50 form, which must be completed and returned within the deadline specified by the DWP.
• Provide detailed information about your health condition, including how it affects your daily life and ability to work.

Step 3: Provide Medical Evidence

• Include supporting evidence from healthcare professionals, such as:
  • GP letters or hospital reports
  • Diagnosis documents
  • Occupational therapist reports

Step 4: Attend a Work Capability Assessment (WCA)

• The DWP will schedule a Work Capability Assessment to evaluate your eligibility for LCW or LCWRA.
  • This may take place in person, via phone, or via video call.
  • The assessment will include questions about your health, abilities, and limitations.

Step 5: Await the Decision

• After the WCA, the DWP will send a letter notifying you of their decision. If approved, you will be placed in either the LCW or LCWRA group.

Step 6: Appeal if Necessary

• If you disagree with the decision, you can request a mandatory reconsideration. If this is unsuccessful, you can appeal to an independent tribunal.

What Happens After the Assessment?

Once your Work Capability Assessment is complete, the DWP will review the evidence and notify you of the outcome.

Possible Outcomes:

1. Fit for Work: You are deemed capable of working and will not receive additional benefits for LCW or LCWRA.
2. Limited Capability for Work (LCW): You are placed in the LCW group, meaning you may have to participate in work preparation activities but do not receive extra financial support.
3. Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA): You are placed in the LCWRA group, exempt from work-related obligations, and receive an additional monthly payment.

Reassessments and Reviews: The DWP will set a review date (usually every 1-3 years) to reassess your eligibility. For some severe conditions, they may decide reassessments are unnecessary.

Appeals: If you disagree with the outcome, you can request a mandatory reconsideration or appeal to a tribunal. During this process, you may continue to receive benefits until a final decision is made.

Conclusion

Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA) provides vital support for individuals in the UK who are unable to work due to severe health conditions or disabilities.

Whether it’s financial assistance through additional Universal Credit payments, relief from work-related obligations, or reassurance through long-term support, LCWRA ensures that claimants can focus on their well-being without the pressure of employment.

Understanding the application process, descriptors, and financial benefits can make navigating this system easier. If you’re unsure about your eligibility or have received a decision you disagree with, consider seeking professional advice or appealing the decision to ensure you receive the support you’re entitled to.

FAQ

What is the difference between LCW and LCWRA?

LCW requires claimants to participate in work preparation activities and does not provide additional financial support. LCWRA exempts claimants from all work-related obligations and includes an extra monthly payment.

How long does LCWRA last?

LCWRA status typically lasts 1 to 3 years, but it may be permanent for individuals with severe or progressive conditions. The DWP reviews each case based on medical evidence.

Can you work while on LCWRA?

Yes, you can work or volunteer while on LCWRA, but there are limits on the type of work you can do. Inform the DWP about any work to ensure it doesn’t affect your benefits.

Do you get back pay for LCWRA?

Yes, you can receive back payments for LCWRA from the date of your claim if there was a delay in the decision process.

How do I apply for LCWRA?

You must start by claiming Universal Credit or ESA, complete the UC50 form, provide medical evidence, and attend a Work Capability Assessment (WCA). The DWP will then determine your eligibility.