Transferred from IB to ESA Support Group without medical and for 2 years

“Just want to say what a great job B&W does as I followed everything they advised within the site. Great job moderators.”

ESA Support Group after Healthcare Professional suspends medical assessment
“I would like to thank this site for the help and guidance”

Placed in ESA Support Group
“Just wanted to say a "huge thank you" to all moderators and members on the site, for all the help and support.”

ESA Support Group without medical
“Just want to say a big thank you to this site and everyone here.”

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What is the employment and support allowance support group?

The ESA support group is for claimants who the DWP consider to have such severe health problems that there is no current prospect of their being able to undertake work or work-related activities.

What are the main differences between the support group and the work-related activity group?

The main differences between the support group and the work-related activity group are that:

• ESA support group members do not have to attend work-focused interviews or undertake work-related activities, such as training or condition management programmes;
• ESA support group member get more money because the support component is paid at a higher rate than the work-related activity component;
• if the government introduce a proposed one year limit on claiming contributory ESA, this will not apply to members of the support group.

How do you qualify for the employment and support allowance support group?

Around a third of claimants who qualify do so because one of a number of  support group descriptors apply to them.  Many of these descriptors are the highest scoring ones from the limited capability for work assessment.  Other claimants qualify because they are exempt or because they are covered by the exceptional circumstances rules, such as there being a danger to themselves or to other people if they were not placed in the support group.

What proportion of ESA claimants get put into the support group?

Around 9% of claimants who complete the assessment phase of ESA are placed in the support group, compared to around 23% who are placed in the work-related activity group.  The other 68% are found capable of work.

More support group feedback from our members

Placed in ESA Support Group and DLA high rate mobility and low rate care awarded for another 2 years on renewal
“Just want to say thanks very much for all the advice from this forum, and the ESA and DLA guides.”

ESA appeal success, moved from WRAG to Support Group
“although I had my local welfare rights team support me. The guides on here and the advice from others here was far more useful.”

Placed in Support Group for ESA
“The information on this site and advice from forum moderators and members has been invaluable.”

ESA decision revised, moved from WRAG to Support Group
“Just a quick thank you to benefits and work for their sound advice.”

Moved from ESA WRAG to Support Group for 2 years
“transferred to esa from ib without a medical, using the wonderful guides”

Placed in ESA Support Group with no medical assessment
“Thanks to the great information on this wonderful site i was automatically placed in support group and no medical”

Migrated from IS to ESA Support Group without medical assessment
“Thank you all at benefits and work for the excellent guides”

Placed in ESA Support Group and not called for medical assessment
“just wanted to say thank you to this site & the online guides”

From IB to ESA Support Group for 3 years
“I cannot thank your website enough, I studied your information guides and know that this would not have happened without your help”

Transferred from IB to ESA Support Group
“Thanks Benefits and Work”

Placed in ESA Support Group for 2 years
“Thank you to benefits and work for helping me word the form in the correct way”

After 3 years of “hard struggle” placed in ESA Support Group
“a big thank you to you all for your help and advice”

Migrated from IB to ESA Support Group
“Thanks to the wonderful guides and also the information provided by the Members and Mods/staff on the forum.”

ESA support group after 2 years
“Thank you to everyone on this site for all your help, support and your advice.”

Placed in ESA Support Group in 11 working days
“I would have been lost without your great guides.”

Moved from WRAG to support group until 2015 after lodging appeal on IB to ESA transfer.
“May I take this oppertunity of thanking Steve,bro 58, and Gordon for their help.”

IB to ESA Support Group without medical assessment
“Thank you, thank you”

Placed in ESA Support Group after 10 minutes at appeal
“sooooo tired but sooooooo happy”

IB to ESA: 0 points to Support Group with 5 minute appeal
“Many thanks to Steve, Holly and everyone else for the guides and all the excellent advice here which were a massive help in preparing all the paperwork for the appeal. This resulted in the hearing being only 5 minutes, with a similar wait for the decision notice to be prepared.”

Support group award
“I have just been awarded ESA in the Support Group and found the information and advice you provided invaluable . . . I also had my medical recorded in case I needed to appeal and this was no problem.”

Read more forum feedback

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