LCWRA being abolished - what happens to my bedridden son?

When LCWRA is abolished next year - what happens to my bedridden/housebound son? There is no way he can work as he is severely affected by Long Covid after a pulmonary haemorrhage after covid in 2022.

He's not yet on UC (we're supporting him financially since he is only 19) but as he gets older and if he doesn't recover - which after 3 years, we wonder if he ever will- how is he going to manage?

He gets PIP - lower care rate (he should have got the higher but we couldn't face appealing) and higher mobility so according to new rules will hopefully still get that. Not enough to live on though once we are no longer here to support him.

But do you think Long Covid will be seen as 'life long incapacity?' I doubt it will because he has been awarded PIP for only 3 years and has his reassessment next year. I guess we will wait and see but very anxiety-making.

That does sound like his PIP has not been awarded correctly. Even on the mobility - i thought bed-ridden people did not qualify for enhanced mobility on the basis that they don't make any journeys so don't need help on journeys.

Have you got social work involved for a needs assessment and to see if he qualifies for support there with housing and care?

It is worrying. Our adult son has autism and a learning disability with double enhanced pip and was LCWRA til his UC got stopped due to capital.

He lives at home just now (aged 27) but the level of money he was on was too high as he attends subsidised activities costing very little, has a free bus pass, likes to wear the same clothes, eats very little.

However, similar to you, our son does acquire more skills as he gets older so we cannot rely on him qualifying for benefits life long.

He has 6 hours/week paid, supported employment just now in a cafe where all workers are disabled but it's not outwith the bounds of possibility he could work more hours in any cafe in years to come.
We just don't know how far he can progress.


So - we have altered our will to leave our estate in trust for him. He has 4 siblings but they have agreed that the whole of our estate needs to go to buy him a small flat.

He cannot qualify for cluster housing as he has no night needs. Although he has been offered a tenancy with a care package put in, there's no way he'd manage that.

He would be a prime target for cuckooing. He needs somewhere where he will be left alone and someone will need to come in and keep on top of cooking, cleaning and his financial affairs.

Is there any way you could do similar? If you own your own home? Make your will to assure his financial security?


Your son can still apply for UC. Even if he doesn't get LCWRA, he will get something.

But - if he is bedridden- whilst he's at home he probably isn't costing too much to look after - same as my son?


It's when he leaves home the costs will rise - so social work if you are not a home owner. Solicitor if you are.


And - to finish on something positive - my eldest daughter was hit very badly with long covid. She was housebound for few weeks but absolutely had to keep working as she had bills and rent to pay.

Very fortunately, she is self employed and was able to keep her business going from her flat.

She was then hit with dreadful kidney issues, lots of stones, hospital admissions, pain plus weird food intolerances started appearing. Exhaustion etc. You know all the things, i'm sure.

But she has got much better. She's never got back to normal and still has issues but she can get out again, still works and self supports.

So - hopefully your son will also recover to the point that he can get out and make a living. He is very young.
My daughter's in her 30s. It's taken 4yrs to recover to the point she has now. She's very positive and upbeat and really thinks, one day, she will be 100% better. She does have chronic pain but she plays it down. It is an awful thing but i do hope your son improves to the point he can live a life.

He definitely should be on enhanced care. Something is very wrong there.