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ESA Support Group for 2+ years - Now WCA request
- The-Optimist
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9 years 5 months ago #159162 by The-Optimist
ESA Support Group for 2+ years - Now WCA request was created by The-Optimist
Hello All,
Back in late 2013, I applied for ESA. I sent in sick notes until around around February of 2014 when a decision was made to place me in the support group with SDP without a face-to-face assessment. At the time I applied I answered the questions so fully, the space on the form wasn't enough for me to get across the severity of my depressive disorder and benzodiazapine dependence. Hence I tapped out the answers in Word, reduced the font size, printed them and sellotaped them into the form. I sent off a substantial amount of evidence; A&E visits, my GP's crisis report and report on my mental health for (at the time) my workplace, psychiatrist reports, psychotherapist reports; everything I could think of.
Now they have sent me a 'capability for work questionnaire' ESA50 form to complete. Naturally, with all the cuts going on, I am super-anxious. I have amassed more medical evidence in the time since the original decision and also successfully got PIP with assessment at 18 points for the Daily living component.
Should I be worried? I'm terrified of having ESA taken away from me. I'm a full member here and have the guides so I'm going to start reading them immediately,
Scared,
Anthony
Back in late 2013, I applied for ESA. I sent in sick notes until around around February of 2014 when a decision was made to place me in the support group with SDP without a face-to-face assessment. At the time I applied I answered the questions so fully, the space on the form wasn't enough for me to get across the severity of my depressive disorder and benzodiazapine dependence. Hence I tapped out the answers in Word, reduced the font size, printed them and sellotaped them into the form. I sent off a substantial amount of evidence; A&E visits, my GP's crisis report and report on my mental health for (at the time) my workplace, psychiatrist reports, psychotherapist reports; everything I could think of.
Now they have sent me a 'capability for work questionnaire' ESA50 form to complete. Naturally, with all the cuts going on, I am super-anxious. I have amassed more medical evidence in the time since the original decision and also successfully got PIP with assessment at 18 points for the Daily living component.
Should I be worried? I'm terrified of having ESA taken away from me. I'm a full member here and have the guides so I'm going to start reading them immediately,
Scared,
Anthony
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- Gordon
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9 years 5 months ago #159196 by Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Replied by Gordon on topic ESA Support Group for 2+ years - Now WCA request
Anthony
The ESA activities have not been updated since you were last assessed although there have been some changes to the DWP guidance, so there's no reason to assume that you will not receive the same award.
However, you do still need to complete this new form in detail and provide all of the evidence you have available to support your claim.
Rather than constraining yourself to the space available on the form, which I think has been reduced on the current form, just add your answers as A4 pages attached to the rear of the form. If you do then make sure that each page has your full name and National Insurance Number on each page and that they are numbered so that it easy to see if a page is missing.
Alternatively there is a downloadable version of the form although I do think that the space available is much better than the printed form. See
Using The PDF Version Of The ESA50 Questionnaire
Gordon
The ESA activities have not been updated since you were last assessed although there have been some changes to the DWP guidance, so there's no reason to assume that you will not receive the same award.
However, you do still need to complete this new form in detail and provide all of the evidence you have available to support your claim.
Rather than constraining yourself to the space available on the form, which I think has been reduced on the current form, just add your answers as A4 pages attached to the rear of the form. If you do then make sure that each page has your full name and National Insurance Number on each page and that they are numbered so that it easy to see if a page is missing.
Alternatively there is a downloadable version of the form although I do think that the space available is much better than the printed form. See
Using The PDF Version Of The ESA50 Questionnaire
Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
The following user(s) said Thank You: The-Optimist
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- The-Optimist
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9 years 5 months ago #159197 by The-Optimist
Replied by The-Optimist on topic ESA Support Group for 2+ years - Now WCA request
Thanks Gordon,
That goes a way to ameliorating my worries. Since I document and archive everything with the DWP, I still have all my original answers for both ESA and PIP in Word documents that I can refer to. I built myself an excellent case all those years ago. I feel more confident now that I can do the same again,
Thank you,
Anthony
That goes a way to ameliorating my worries. Since I document and archive everything with the DWP, I still have all my original answers for both ESA and PIP in Word documents that I can refer to. I built myself an excellent case all those years ago. I feel more confident now that I can do the same again,
Thank you,
Anthony
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