LCWRA and going abroad

Hi There,

I am in the LCWRA group. One of the many health reasons I am in it is that I get severe seasonal affective disorder on top of my regular year round depression, to the point where I have regular suicidal thoughts in autumn and winter. A few years ago when I wasn't on any benefits I spent 6 weeks in Australia in winter to escape, but I know that when you are on UC you cant go abroad for over a month unless its for medical reasons. This is hypothetical at the moment, but say if I wanted to go again and stay with my friend there for longer than a month, would making the argument (which is true!) that I am going for medical reasons, aka my mental health, likely be accepted by the DWP, or would the likely refuse it? Also, would merely asking to go potentially risk them saying I now need to be reassessed for LCWRA?

It would be good to hear from anyone with experience on this

hiya,

yrs ago one could do what you were suggesting, once it was cleared from the secretary of state, In fact there was a a programme on living overseas in Europe like the ones on the tv now on channel 4 and a man with SAD, and ME, who successfully moved to Portugal as he could demonstrate it was better for his health. Subsequently all such movements have ceased. It was only to Europe tho and not elsewhere, stuff to do with EU/UK compatibility rules.
I too had a letter from the SoC, however it is no longer usable and has not been for years. In other words it was not worth the paper it was written on, and moreover I am not sure how that now would stand for the man who had successfully used this route. No longer are there any routes for such movement and even if there is it again will only be re Europe and not OZ etc. The reduction in time movement abroad has been tightened over and over again and no doubt it will be again tightened shortly.

Is this 4 weeks total for that year? Or 4 weeks consecutive? I have family living abroad and my mum is ill right now.

Hi,

Is this 4 weeks total for that year? Or 4 weeks consecutive, as in 28 days consecutive?