ESA reassessment waiting period

Hi All

I was in the ESA support section, until October 12 when advised I needed a medical assessment.

My support worker telephoned to advise that due to my illnesses, I would need a home assessment, such as they had done previously. They asked for a letter from my doctor to confirm this and a letter was sent straight away.

Instead of receiving a letter to advise when the home assessment would be undertaken, I received a letter stating I had been taken from the support group and placed into the work related group and due to this, my benefits would be £20 less a week!

I immediately wrote back and asked for a reassessment, and provided an array of proof of my illnesses and that I was unable to work.

It is now April 13 and I STILL have not heard back. My support worker telephoned them recently and was told it was 'in a queue'.

Apologies for this long-winded query, however wonder whether there is anything else I can do.....six month is a long time to wait when they were at fault for placing me in the wrong group?!

Thanks

L

It is not unusual for 'reconsiderations' to take up to 6 months, but anything more than that is extreme. You shouldget your support worker to keep chasing DWP. Some people get their MPs involved, that can speed up the process but should not influence the result

Contacting your MP

You could also complain to DWP

Complaining to the DWP

I don't think you will get DWP to admit to putting you in the 'wrong' group, even if they do put you into the Support Group on reconsideration

You do need to be clear that being 'unable to work' puts you into the WRAG only, the Support Group means that you 'have limited capacity for work-related activity'


Qualifying for the Support Group

If you asked for a 'reassessment' then you would need to submit a formal appeal if the reconsideration does not go in your favour. You would have one month from the date of the new decision letter in which to do so.

If you have any further questions, please come back and ask them here when the forum reopens. it does help if you keep everything together in one thread/topic. You will be able to find it easily in furture if you mark it as a 'favourite' now

May I just ask ? If a claimant has been in the SG . the reason for this limlited capability for work activity then is called for a face to face reassesment after filling in a new ESA50 because time was up does it make sense that the person remains in SG if there cannot be a change due to a severe mental illness diagnosis ?

Roidininki wrote: May I just ask ? If a claimant has been in the SG . the reason for this limlited capability for work activity then is called for a face to face reassesment after filling in a new ESA50 because time was up does it make sense that the person remains in SG if there cannot be a change due to a severe mental illness diagnosis ?

Hi R,

I am afraid that each assessment and any reassessment are done on more or less a standalone basis.

In other words, one should not assume that as they may have been placed into The SG on one assessment that they would remain in The SG at any future reassessment.

This is why we advise that any reassessment should be treated as if it was the claimant's first.

bro58

Thankyou . So when the Atos report goes to the Decision Maker is the fact that the claimant was previously put into the SG by one of them not taken into consideration at all ?