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ESA reassessment due, help with a few questions
- CLINTIAN
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10 years 2 weeks ago #133899 by CLINTIAN
ESA reassessment due, help with a few questions was created by CLINTIAN
HI, first of all thank you all for a great, helpful and friendly place, my husband will be due his ESA review soon so I Am already getting things prepared for that, he suffers mainly on the mental part of the form [OCD, Anxiety, depression] and he was placed in the support group without a face to face [I Did phone to find out under what descriptor/reason for placement into SG [ESA 85A ?] and they told me they would send me a letter explaining but we never did receive it !!!], I have a few questions to ask,
1. How best do I contact the DWP and request/find out why my husband was placed into the support group and could I use this as evidence for the next re assessment ?
2. Tick boxes, My husbands mood etc. Changes a lot from day to day [So one day we can go out etc/he looks after his appearance but other days he withdraws into a silent non co operative way, am I correct in thinking that its best NOT to fill out the ESA form as if its his worst day ? so in this case its best to tick the It Varies boxes more often than no and then explain why, Im trying to find the correct words/sentence to explain that in one week not all days are bad [most are] but some days are ok.
3. About other professionals or carers who know the most about yourhealth conditions, illnesses or disabilities, He hasn’t seen a Psychiatrist/carer etc. For a few years now [In the past he has including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy]. Should I put down a person that he has seen in the past then explain its been a while since he last saw them ?
4. How best is it for me to explain that he has seen most of the Doctors/experts etc. in the past and that his condition is unlikely to get better, I basically look after his needs, medication etc. So further medical help is not planned.
Thank you so much for any help or advice.
1. How best do I contact the DWP and request/find out why my husband was placed into the support group and could I use this as evidence for the next re assessment ?
2. Tick boxes, My husbands mood etc. Changes a lot from day to day [So one day we can go out etc/he looks after his appearance but other days he withdraws into a silent non co operative way, am I correct in thinking that its best NOT to fill out the ESA form as if its his worst day ? so in this case its best to tick the It Varies boxes more often than no and then explain why, Im trying to find the correct words/sentence to explain that in one week not all days are bad [most are] but some days are ok.
3. About other professionals or carers who know the most about yourhealth conditions, illnesses or disabilities, He hasn’t seen a Psychiatrist/carer etc. For a few years now [In the past he has including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy]. Should I put down a person that he has seen in the past then explain its been a while since he last saw them ?
4. How best is it for me to explain that he has seen most of the Doctors/experts etc. in the past and that his condition is unlikely to get better, I basically look after his needs, medication etc. So further medical help is not planned.
Thank you so much for any help or advice.
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10 years 2 weeks ago #133914 by Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Replied by Gordon on topic ESA reassessment due, help with a few questions
CLINTIAN
I would start by phoning the DWP, it is possible that your husband's re-assessment has been deferred and your preparations are early, many claimants have had theirs delayed for up to two years.
1. While you are on the phone you can have another go at getting a copy of your husband's ESA85A, it while either arrive in about 10 days or not at all, if it doesn't then you should make a Subject Access Request (SAR) for the report.
SAR :
www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/request-for-personal-information.rtf
From this page :
www.dwp.gov.uk/privacy-policy/data-protection/
2. By ticking it varies you are saying that your husband is always affected but the degree to which he is affected changes, either from day to day or even from hour to hour.
You need to explain, with a clear indication of the time involved, how he is on his worst days, on average and at his best. You are looking to show that for the majority of the time that he is affected to the extent that he meets the criteria for the SG.
3. You can document the doctors he used to see but if they are not in a position to comment on his current conditions and their affects then it may be better not to refer to them. Have you thought about speaking to his GP to see if they can help or have any ideas how you might obtain more up to date evidence, however, if has been parked by the NHS you may need to use older reports and show that his condition has not improved in the interim.
4. Following on form above, if he did not get copies of his Consultants reports and letters, then you may be able to access these by going through his medical records at his GP practice. See
Requesting your medical records
Charging for medical records
If you have further questions, then please reply to this post and we will do our best to help.
Gordon
I would start by phoning the DWP, it is possible that your husband's re-assessment has been deferred and your preparations are early, many claimants have had theirs delayed for up to two years.
1. While you are on the phone you can have another go at getting a copy of your husband's ESA85A, it while either arrive in about 10 days or not at all, if it doesn't then you should make a Subject Access Request (SAR) for the report.
SAR :
www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/request-for-personal-information.rtf
From this page :
www.dwp.gov.uk/privacy-policy/data-protection/
2. By ticking it varies you are saying that your husband is always affected but the degree to which he is affected changes, either from day to day or even from hour to hour.
You need to explain, with a clear indication of the time involved, how he is on his worst days, on average and at his best. You are looking to show that for the majority of the time that he is affected to the extent that he meets the criteria for the SG.
3. You can document the doctors he used to see but if they are not in a position to comment on his current conditions and their affects then it may be better not to refer to them. Have you thought about speaking to his GP to see if they can help or have any ideas how you might obtain more up to date evidence, however, if has been parked by the NHS you may need to use older reports and show that his condition has not improved in the interim.
4. Following on form above, if he did not get copies of his Consultants reports and letters, then you may be able to access these by going through his medical records at his GP practice. See
Requesting your medical records
Charging for medical records
If you have further questions, then please reply to this post and we will do our best to help.
Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
The following user(s) said Thank You: CLINTIAN
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10 years 2 weeks ago - 10 years 2 weeks ago #133919 by CLINTIAN
Replied by CLINTIAN on topic ESA reassessment due, help with a few questions
Hi Gordon, thank you again, it was awarded for two years so August time is when he should receive his renewal, do i ask DWP for his prognosis now and also for his ESA85A or wait till july time or when the esa renewal arrives, im just in a dilema that what if a backlog is happening and by asking for info now it might rock the boat and prompt them into early action into sending out esa form, also my DLA-PIP is scheduled for october so again would contacting them for info prompt them into sending ESA/PIP forms to my husband early ?
Thank you again..
Thank you again..
Last edit: 10 years 2 weeks ago by slugsta.
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10 years 2 weeks ago #133920 by Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Replied by Gordon on topic ESA reassessment due, help with a few questions
CLINTIAN
Asking the DWP for your husband's re-assessment date and/or the ESA85A will not result in a re-assessment that was not already scheduled, being initiated, the call centre staff do not have any authority in this area and will simply query the ESA computer system for the information.
Gordon
Asking the DWP for your husband's re-assessment date and/or the ESA85A will not result in a re-assessment that was not already scheduled, being initiated, the call centre staff do not have any authority in this area and will simply query the ESA computer system for the information.
Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
The following user(s) said Thank You: CLINTIAN
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10 years 2 weeks ago - 10 years 2 weeks ago #133921 by slugsta
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Replied by slugsta on topic ESA reassessment due, help with a few questions
x post with Gordon 
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Last edit: 10 years 2 weeks ago by slugsta.
The following user(s) said Thank You: CLINTIAN
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10 years 2 weeks ago #133922 by CLINTIAN
Replied by CLINTIAN on topic ESA reassessment due, help with a few questions
Sorry again Gordon, do you have the phone number of which DWP to ring, thank you.
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