Well the results arrived

Well submitted my ESA50 form on the 21st March and came back from the doctors this morning to find a brown envelope, opened and started to read that I had been awarded ESA then got to the part where it says that I have been placed in WRAG, must be a record 14 days with weekends and a bank holiday in between.

Looks like they never even considered the letter from my GP explaining I have multiple problems which due to there nature are unlikely to improve as most are either progressive or only manageable and the copy of a letter from a consultant.

I intend to appeal as I been reading about the WRAG and mandatory work stuff so downloaded the GL24, as I only have 3 weeks due to the letter being sent on the 3rd. Going to ask my doctor if he thinks being forced into work will have an effect on my health.

I called some of the places listed on the site for help but there is no Scope near me, they did recommended a service but have to pay and that's 35 miles away and no welfare rights groups local so all I have is CAB and well the person I spoke to this morning didn't seem to have much idea of what I was on about. Oh I may have to have a medical and F2F as well and got no one to take with me.

Any suggestions, I read on here it is better to go straight to appeal rather than ask for reconsideration I presume that is done by the GL24?

Other thing is I intend to send a copy of the GP and consultants letters with the GL24 and also if I get another letter from the doctor just wondered if there was anything else I should do?

I have tried reading the guides but things are a bit stressful for me at the moment so having trouble taking everything in.

Grateful for any advice

Thanks for the reply Gordon, put my mind at rest a bit think I should just stick to this site in future as some of the other sites I looked at seem to write random things that turn out not to be the case.

I made the mistake of thinking, based on a couple of other sites that being placed in WRAG meant I would have to go to the f2F, be trained then put on the work programme and stuck on the first job that came up without the firm paying me.

Thanks again for the info and links

Hi Basil,

I'd just like to reiterate Gordon's congratulations.

Sometimes it is enough to redraw the reviewing/reconsidering DM's attention to evidence that you may have already provided, citing which of The SG Descriptors that you feel you qualify under :

SG (LCWRA) Descriptors

ESA Reg 35 for entry to The SG (LCWRA)

The automatic reconsideration will be carried out by a different more senior DM than the one who has made the WRAG decision.

Obviously, if you can obtain any further more compelling evidence this should help.

Remember, to stand the best chance of having the WRAG award changed in your favour at the reconsideration stage, you should provide any evidence as soon as you can.

You should not delay in submitting your GL24 though to the extent where you will miss the one month deadline.

If you are awaiting further evidence you can state this in the GL24, and inform them that you will forward any fresh evidence as soon as you have access to it.

bro58

Thanks for the info, just wondering if I got it in me now to appeal or just accept the WRAG decision as I am stressed enough without having to go through all this again just weeks after the ESA forms.

Just a couple of questions:

1. You mention forwarded to the work programme, I take it this will happen if I stay in WRAG if I don't appeal regardless of being declared unfit for work?

2. If I put in an appeal, it goes to a different decision maker first for reconsideration I presume they actually read it or is it just all done with what the computer software spits out like the first time?

Thanks

Fawlty