ESA

Hi , i have had a letter from the DWP confirming that they are moving me from IB to ESA , i suffer with Borderline Personality Disorder with attached serious mental health issues , and also Degenerative Disc Disorder which was diagonosed with 10 years ago only getting worse , i have been awarded 5 years ago Dla lower rate mobility and med rate care allowance , but now terrified that i will fail this new assesment of ESA , CAB are dealing with the claim for me but my fear is terrible , i have had 2 hours sleep in 3 days since recieving the letter , any advice on the new ESA and being swapped from IB , thanks

Tim wrote: Hi , i have had a letter from the DWP confirming that they are moving me from IB to ESA , i suffer with Borderline Personality Disorder with attached serious mental health issues , and also Degenerative Disc Disorder which was diagonosed with 10 years ago only getting worse , i have been awarded 5 years ago Dla lower rate mobility and med rate care allowance , but now terrified that i will fail this new assesment of ESA , CAB are dealing with the claim for me but my fear is terrible , i have had 2 hours sleep in 3 days since recieving the letter , any advice on the new ESA and being swapped from IB , thanks

Hi T,

Welcome to Benefits and Work

If you are receiving the support of a trained adviser from CAB, that is a good thing.

It is only normal that you should be worried and apprehensive regarding this change to your benefits.

You are not alone, many of our members have successfully gone through the transfer.

All recipients of IB, IS or SDA are being transferred over to ESA. This has been going on since March 2011, and due to be completed by Spring 2014.

Have a read through this document :

"Being transferred from incapacity benefit to employment and support allowance. A 22 page guide to the transfer process."

At the top of this page :

ESA Claims Guides

As you will see you first receive a letter, then a phone call, (which you don't have to take) then the ESA50 Questionnaire.

Once you have received the ESA50 Questionnaire, it must be filled in and returned to ATOS by the deadline date given.

You/CAB may wish to consider :

Using The PDF Version Of The ESA50 Questionnaire

You could have a look through our ESA Claims Guides under the heading :

"ESA Claims and Appeals - Current forms"

To give you some idea of the qualifying criteria.

On the same page as above :

ESA Claims Guides

See also :

How long do I have to complete the ESA50?

ESA50 too big for the envelope

&

Sending Documents to the DWP or ATOS

It may also help, if you read through our :

IB, IS, SDA, Migration to ESA FAQ’s

And our :

ESA FAQ’s

It may seem a lot to take in, so you might wish to Favourite/Bookmark this page in your internet browser so that you can revisit it easily.

If you have further queries, please pose them by replying to this topic.

bro58

Thanks , it is just the shear terror of it all , my panic attacks are off the scale , waiting for a call from my local mental health team

Tim wrote: Thanks , it is just the shear terror of it all , my panic attacks are off the scale , waiting for a call from my local mental health team

Hi T,

Try not to worry too much, easier said than done, I know !

Please keep us updated.

bro58

Hi Bro , can i ask for a ESA home medical as i cannot sit for more than 20 mins with extreme discomfort due to my spine ???? if i provide medical evidence

Tim wrote: Hi Bro , can i ask for a ESA home medical as i cannot sit for more than 20 mins with extreme discomfort due to my spine ???? if i provide medical evidence

Hi T,

You can request an ESA Home Assessment in The ESA50, or ASAP after sending it back to ATOS.

However, Home Assessments are most difficult to secure, and you would need supporting documentation from your G.P. or other treating HCP to support the fact that you can't travel to an ATOS Assessment Centre. (that's if they require you to attend a F2F, of course)

Even then, ATOS may not comply.

There is further information regarding this on the ATOS website :

www.atoshealthcare.com/claimants

bro58