Universal Credit Health Element - How will I be paid?

Universal Credit health element is paid monthly as part of your Universal Credit payment.

It's important to regularly check your Universal Credit online journal to make sure your claimant commitments haven't changed and to see if you need to take any action.

The health element is not protected from deductions.

Find out more about Universal Credit claimant commitments.

The first health element payment

You will usually have to wait three full assessment periods from the date you first report a sick note before your LCWRA payment is added to your UC claim for the first time.

In some cases, it can be added right away, such as if:

• you are terminally ill , or
• you are receiving treatment for cancer such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy, or
• you were already getting Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) in the support group.

Work and health elements

If you have already been assessed as having LCWRA as part of your UC claim, you can work while still being treated as having limited capability for work. If you are doing a lot of work, this might mean the DWP will want to do another Work Capability Assessment to check whether your condition has changed.

If you haven’t had a Work Capability Assessment yet and are earning more than £846.56 per month, you won’t be able to have a Work Capability Assessment unless you are also getting one of the below:

• Personal Independence Payment
• Adult Disability Payment
• Disability Living Allowance
• Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance
• Attendance Allowance or
• Pension Age Disability Payment