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Puzzled about WRAG status after legislation passed

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12 years 2 months ago #79233 by mermaid
I have just been reawarded ESA WRAG for the 3rd time, although I am waiting for a call back for them to tell me the next reassessment date. I am assuming a year as they gave me that last time, and the report just arrived says 'a return to work is unlikely in the longer term'.

A couple of questions on this situation....
1. Assuming that the legislation goes through, what will be the status of people who lose their payment if Contributions Related ESA? I believe that NI contribution is paid still, but would one be eligible for support if you wanted it? I am thinking that desperation for £ may mean that I give low level self employment a try maybe, selling things that I make currently as a hobby. I was offered help last year for this when on Pathways, but was not well enough. If I am still registered as WRAG but receiving no payment, would they still offer this kind of support as part of the advisor help already on offer? (I don't want to ring them up to ask at the moment due to 2.
2. I am trying to put in for a reconsideration/revision for the Support Group with the aid of some evidence that suggests that Work Related Activity and Work could cause my condition to worsen. Isn't the logic of ESA WRAG that it is supposed to be a temporary benefit?(or that is what has been said by Govt I believe). How can that be argued if someone is on it longterm, and continuing medical assessments agree that a person cannot be fit enough to return to work, (and even stated so on my latest document 'in the long term')?. I just looked up the DWP site and you are expected to talk with your advisor about your job goals.....How is this logical if they have just agreed in the latest report that I am likely to be off work for another year? (on top of 18 mths so far.

Apologies for 2nd question which I guess is at the nub of the whole issue of WRAG and its weaknesses.

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  • bro58
12 years 2 months ago - 12 years 6 days ago #79236 by bro58
mermaid wrote:

I have just been reawarded ESA WRAG for the 3rd time, although I am waiting for a call back for them to tell me the next reassessment date. I am assuming a year as they gave me that last time, and the report just arrived says 'a return to work is unlikely in the longer term'.

A couple of questions on this situation....
1. Assuming that the legislation goes through, what will be the status of people who lose their payment if Contributions Related ESA? I believe that NI contribution is paid still, but would one be eligible for support if you wanted it? I am thinking that desperation for £ may mean that I give low level self employment a try maybe, selling things that I make currently as a hobby. I was offered help last year for this when on Pathways, but was not well enough. If I am still registered as WRAG but receiving no payment, would they still offer this kind of support as part of the advisor help already on offer? (I don't want to ring them up to ask at the moment due to 2.
2. I am trying to put in for a reconsideration/revision for the Support Group with the aid of some evidence that suggests that Work Related Activity and Work could cause my condition to worsen. Isn't the logic of ESA WRAG that it is supposed to be a temporary benefit?(or that is what has been said by Govt I believe). How can that be argued if someone is on it longterm, and continuing medical assessments agree that a person cannot be fit enough to return to work, (and even stated so on my latest document 'in the long term')?. I just looked up the DWP site and you are expected to talk with your advisor about your job goals.....How is this logical if they have just agreed in the latest report that I am likely to be off work for another year? (on top of 18 mths so far.

Apologies for 2nd question which I guess is at the nub of the whole issue of WRAG and its weaknesses.


Hi MM,

Please see these threads :

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/forum?func=vie...id=10&id=78417#78417

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/forum?func=vie...id=10&id=78936#78936

Yes you could still claim ESA for the purpose of receiving NI Credits, however you would still have to go through the same WCA process, as if you were still receiving payment.

You should still be able to receive the support that you speak of.

With regards to your prognosis of "In the longer term", and being placed into the WRAG of ESA, you may wish to consider the following : How does the prognosis of "in the longer term" as described in the WCA Handbook at 3.10.1.2 of page 114 :

3.10.1.2
Advice that a return to work is unlikely In the Longer Term
Where at assessment you find a substantial degree of functional impairment resulting from a serious medical problem which is chronic or will inevitably deteriorate further, even with optimal treatment, you should select "in the longer term". For example it may be appropriate to apply “in the longer term” to someone with a progressive neurological condition.

"In the longer term" seems to be the longest prognosis.

See The WCA Handbook, from page 112 3.10 onwards, from here :

ESA Guides

sit with the criteria of WFI's WRA, etc, as in, preparing the claimant for suitable work at sometime in the future?, see :

Work Focussed Interviews, (WFI’s)

bro58
Last edit: 12 years 6 days ago by bro58.

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12 years 2 months ago #79252 by mermaid
Thank you very much Bro for the links - that is very helpful, especially to know what it states in the WCA Handbook on the subject of prognosis.

At least I can see a useful hook on which to hang my reconsideration now. For someone to be on ESA WRAG for minimum 3.5 years and apparently preparing to go to work seems to make no sense at all. I will be one year off retirement pension once the next 2 years is up too.

Also the DWP did ring me back and confirmed what it written there as I have been told that my next assessment date is 'nominally in 2 years time'.

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  • bro58
12 years 2 months ago #79273 by bro58
mermaid wrote:

Thank you very much Bro for the links - that is very helpful, especially to know what it states in the WCA Handbook on the subject of prognosis.

At least I can see a useful hook on which to hang my reconsideration now. For someone to be on ESA WRAG for minimum 3.5 years and apparently preparing to go to work seems to make no sense at all. I will be one year off retirement pension once the next 2 years is up too.

Also the DWP did ring me back and confirmed what it written there as I have been told that my next assessment date is 'nominally in 2 years time'.


Yes MM,

You could argue that someone given a prognosis of 2 years, would be a suitable candidate for SG status .

bro58

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