From ICA to Support Group without medical.

Since submitting my completed ESA50 at the beginning of October, I have been trying to put on a brave face for the sake of my family. In reality I have been dreading the inevitable phone-call or letter, as I knew there was no way that I was fit for any type of work. And I had no confidence whatsoever in the integrity of any forthcoming medical.

Some years ago I was medically retired from the best part of 25 years in two British police forces and also our armed forces. I have been in receipt of incapacity benefit till now. Where my significant in increasing mobility issues end my mental health problems take their toll.

Today, having received no phone-calls, a dreaded brown envelope from the DWP fell through the letter-box. I reluctantly opened it to find that I had been placed in the support group, without any medical, and without providing any independent medical certificates. I could not meet the cost of obtaining the latter. I was alone when I received the letter, and I unashamedly cried like a baby. This is the state that our government is prepared to allow their once proud servants to come to.

Without your help I doubt if I would have been able to have met the challenges of facing the process now confronting us all. My wife and I had downloaded all the applicable notes and aids from your website and followed all your advice.

I do not have enough words to thank you all for your help, and for all the advice from other members submitted on this forum. I do not know how long it will be before another ESA50 arrives, but Christmas this year will be a lot brighter, and a lot happier, thanks to you. God bless.

DougR wrote:

Since submitting my completed ESA50 at the beginning of October, I have been trying to put on a brave face for the sake of my family. In reality I have been dreading the inevitable phone-call or letter, as I knew there was no way that I was fit for any type of work. And I had no confidence whatsoever in the integrity of any forthcoming medical.

Some years ago I was medically retired from the best part of 25 years in two British police forces and also our armed forces. I have been in receipt of incapacity benefit till now. Where my significant in increasing mobility issues end my mental health problems take their toll.

Today, having received no phone-calls, a dreaded brown envelope from the DWP fell through the letter-box. I reluctantly opened it to find that I had been placed in the support group, without any medical, and without providing any independent medical certificates. I could not meet the cost of obtaining the latter. I was alone when I received the letter, and I unashamedly cried like a baby. This is the state that our government is prepared to allow their once proud servants to come to.

Without your help I doubt if I would have been able to have met the challenges of facing the process now confronting us all. My wife and I had downloaded all the applicable notes and aids from your website and followed all your advice.

I do not have enough words to thank you all for your help, and for all the advice from other members submitted on this forum. I do not know how long it will be before another ESA50 arrives, but Christmas this year will be a lot brighter, and a lot happier, thanks to you. God bless.

Hi DR,

I am really pleased to hear of your good news !!!

Thank you very much for your kind comments regarding our community, and thanks for letting us know.

If you wish to know the expected length of your SG Award before you are reassessed, you can request copy of the ESA85A medical report, which should contain the prognosis, which is the recommended time before you are reassessed. You can request this over the phone, by ringing the Benefits Office phone number on your SG award letter, we recommend that you should back this up in writing.

If you do ring up, you may wish to stipulate that you wish to know the prognosis, as sometimes they simply state, "In the longer term" in the ESA85A.

The longest prognosis that we are aware of is 3 years, hopefully it will be the same in your case, see :

ESA Forms

ESA medical – what forms to ask for?

Here's wishing you a worry free Xmas period.

bro58