Not all bad news

My Husband was transferred from IB to ESA in February this year. He was put in the WRAG.

After much consideration we decided to appeal to the support group as he has descriptors that fit in the support group with his ability to move around and his balance issues.

At the time of sending the appeal in we had a letter from our local JC asking hub to attend an WRAG interview. The time was 9-30am in the morning.

I sent in a recorded delivery letter stating the time was to early (I had read on here of someone doing that and why) and we wanted a later time explaining briefly why. The JC rung us the day after.

hub interviewer rung us the next day: She was lovely. They suspend interviews when you are appealing anyway. She asked me all about my Hub's medical conditions and she sighed. She says they get so many through there that should be in he support group and not WRAG. They know they won't find work for them as it's impossible with their health problems and she said she also accepted Hub should be in the support group.

Anyway to cut it short she had noticed his file and if by any chance he didn't get moved to support when the WRAG interview came back up she would send us an appointment and do the interview over the phone as she doesn't want Hub dragging down their.

I just wanted to report this to let you know telling the JC about timing is positive and that they are alot more understanding their than 1 thinks they will be. At least in our case. It is worth people contacting them who are placed in WRAG if time is wrong for whatever reasons.

You may get more support from the JC than expected.

The woman told us she is absolutely fed-up as the majority of them are at having to interview people clearly not well enough to work in any capacity

Thank you for sharing this. It is good to hear of DWP/JCP staff acting with humanity and compassion.

However, I do need to reply to your comment
" They suspend interviews when you are appealing anyway"

I would like to point out, for the benefit of other members, that - whilst this might be the practice of one particular JCP - people appealing against a WRAG decision are actually required to undertake WFIs, although these can sometimes be held over the phone.



Do I have to attend WFIs

Just to say we are appealing also and have attended 2 WFI's but the next one is in three months by which time we may well have had the tribunal

Friend of mine has appealed, Wrag want support group, but still has a date for work interview,

Probability is that you need to speak to the JC about it. My Hubs wouldn't have been suspended without us writing in to advise on the interview timing and stating he was appealing. I am not saying all to do suspend the interviews however they don't get an opportunity too if you don't tell them you are appealing etc. etc.

The most important thing I have found over the years is NEVER EVER imho send anything in to the JC or any welfare benefits department which isn't recorded delivery