ESA Renewal WORRIED

Hi

Just joined and I am looking for a little help as I am feeling a little lost, I am currently on ESA in the support group, due to mental health problems, social phobia and acrophobia, I Also was awarded PIP last year standard mobility, and enhanced daily living component, I have just had ESA50 form in the post for renewal of ESA and feeling quite worried, I find it very hard with coping with change and tend to self-harm when I get really low, IT feels like I'm fighting a constant battle with the DWP Just like many of you. Any advice would be much appreciated.. Thanks

Steven wrote: Hi

Just joined and I am looking for a little help as I am feeling a little lost, I am currently on ESA in the support group, due to mental health problems, social phobia and acrophobia, I Also was awarded PIP last year standard mobility, and enhanced daily living component, I have just had ESA50 form in the post for renewal of ESA and feeling quite worried, I find it very hard with coping with change and tend to self-harm when I get really low, IT feels like I'm fighting a constant battle with the DWP Just like many of you. Any advice would be much appreciated.. Thanks

Hi S,

Welcome to Benefits and Work

ESA reassessments for current ESA recipients restarted in December 2015 after they had been deferred since January 2014 due to the back log, so a lot of members have been receiving ESA50's for reassessment since December 2015.

Have a read through the following then come back to us if you have any further queries :

Theoretically ESA is awarded indefinitely, (open ended)

However, in reality, each ESA awarded comes with a recommended period (The Prognosis) before it is reassessed.

See : How often will I be reviewed

From our : ESA FAQ’s

The ESA decision notice letter that you receive after a decision, does not include the prognosis.

Normally, the longest period between re-assessments is 3 years !

So, it would be normal to have to go through regular periodic re-assessments.

Just to make you aware that : The Centre for Health and Disability Assessments (CHDA) (aka HAAS) (Maximus) who took over the ESA WCA Contract from ATOS on 02/03/15 now carry out ESA Assessments/Re-Assessments.

There have not been any changes to ESA Legislation since January 2013, however you should always use our most current Guides.

There have been some changes to The ESA50 itself.

Now that you have The ESA50, you may want to consider :

Using The PDF Version Of The ESA50 Questionnaire

Whilst referring to the guides on this page, 2nd & 3rd links down :

ESA Claims Guides

See also :

How long do I have to complete the ESA50?

ESA50 too big for the envelope

&

Sending Documents to the DWP or Maximus. (aka CHDA, aka HAAS.)

You should treat this re-assessment as if it was your first assessment and not assume that The Assessor will have access to any of your previous evidence. They may not even know that you are currently in The SG, so you should make it clear that you are.

It is therefore important that you reiterate how and why you still qualify for The SG, in that the limitations that you suffer as a result of your medical conditions have not changed nor diminished to such an extent that you no longer qualify for The SG.

Nor have you learned to deal with or adapt to your limitations since your last assessment.

If you are aware how and why you were placed into The SG last time, you could cite that also.

If you want to obtain fresh evidence such as a letter of support from your G.P., obtain it yourself and post it with the ESA50.

Do not rely on Maximus/DWP contacting your G.P. , even if you request that they do so.

They seldom do and are not legally obliged to do so.

You should Bookmark/Favourite this page in your Internet Browser now. That way you can return to this topic easily to pose any further queries that you may have by replying to the topic.

See : This Topic also !

Thanks in anticipation of your future co-operation in keeping all your ESA related queries to this topic !

bro58

ii just joined hhere to and iin same boat as tyou. nnot had my dla for life done yyet to pip, going thrrough renewal fforms for esa aand been in real mental state aand depression iis bad so i understtand what yyou feel.
i do allso understand tthat people like uus feel we are in constant battlle, wish they wwould leavve us wwho hhave mental issuess as well as physicall dissabilities alone

ive read as much as can of bro58 reply tthough iits sso much to go thrrough and i find iit all hard to.
all wwe can do is ttry and i kknow its mmore than hard,,
but try and sttay strongg,, mmind you ive been in mess last week since ggot form,, answer all questtions amd yyes treat it like your first ever fform eeven though we sshould nnot have to go through tthe truamas every timme aand even tthough yyes,, it makes us worsee and more depressed//down,, bbut all we can do iis tell the truth aamd how bad it is for uus aand if yyou have familly or friends hoping tthey will be there tto help,, sadley for mme i have no familly /friends but lleast have a dr annd the drs surgeryy are a comffort as are the crisis lines when iits been getting to much.
same as yyou,, no change i donnt deal with at all,, hugs sso i do understand .
hope we both wwin again aand pray tthat all goes wwell for us ,, just wish they wwould lleave people llike us iin peace especiially us that are nnot going rto get well ever again as iit iis to much for us .
,
sorry im sobbbing and sad tthat dwp llikes tto see us ssuffer aamd sorry for mess typinng, so harrd for me aand just started mmy own questtion aand am iin pain from typinng,, please fforgive me .
wwarm hug and lluck sent

I feel your pain... Hope it all works out for you.. All the best..