Last September, after 8 years being in the ESA Support Group and after a WCA (where the results were recorded for tests that were not actually performed) the DWP decided to supersede my ESA.
I have naturally appealed.
I submitted my appeal over three months ago and recently telephoned the Tribunal Service to ask when my appeal was likely to be listed for a hearing.
To my absolute horror, I was told that the waiting time just to get on the hearings list was currently 52 weeks!!! I consider this as scandalous.
I refuse to sign up to UC, as the DWP so helpfully suggested, as a matter of principle (apart from the fact I'd lose money) as I believe that the DWP are being incredibly underhanded by superseding ESA on the flimsiest of pretexts in an attempt to get genuinely disable people onto UC by making them have to wait so long for an appeal that they make a new application out of sheer desperation.
Has the government cut FtT budgets and increased the number of potential appeals to such an extent that it takes over a year to even get close to getting justice?
I have written to my MP (for all the good that that will probably do) and will shortly be writing to the Justice Minister.
Is there anyone else out there in Work and Benefits land who are suffering unconscionable delays getting their appeals heard? Please let me know or if your have any thoughts on the matter.
