Placed in ESA Support Group: Is this good or bad?

Hi, I got a form ESA3 10/12 this morning with a message attached to it saying that "As you have been placed in the ESA Support Group following conversion from Incapacity Benefit, you may qualify for Income Related ESA. To claim this complete and return the enclosed ESA3 form..."

I'm not sure if ESA Support Group is a good or a bad thing as it all seems so complicated and I'm new to the forum (first post!) so just finding my way around (slowly!)

Thanks for reading this

Hi B and welcome to the forum. This FAQ will help you find your way around

Welcome to Benefits and Work

There are two groups of ESA. The Support Group is for those who are most sick/disabled and are unlikely to be able to seek work, or carry out 'work related activites' in the near future. It attracts the highest level of payment* and there is no obligation to attend interviews with a JobCentre advisor (although this can be done on a voluntary basis). Reassessment can occur in anything from 3 months to 3 years time, you can get an idea of when to accept this by phoning DWP and asking for the 'prognosis' or writing in to request a copy of the ESA85 (if you had a face-to-face assessment) or ESA85a (if you were assessed on paper only). Unlike the other group (WRAG) time in the Support Group is not limited for those on Contributary ESA.

* You will not get any less money than you did on IB

What will I be paid?

If you are entitled to Income-Related ESA, you are automatically passported to other benefits such as free prescriptions.

Incidentally, it looks as if you username is your real name. Many people prefer to use an alias on a public forum such as this. If you wish to change your username, you can do so by following the advice in this FAQ

My full name is showing, how can I stop it?

If you have any further questions, please come back and ask them on this thread/topic. You will find it easily in future if you mark it as a 'favourite' now

Hi, Mrs Hurtyback, thanks so much for your reply, things make a bit more sense now

I've done the name change thing too, thanks for the info.

B

You are welcome