Couple questions regarding ESA

Luckers · 20 July 2017 at 8:41PM

Hi all

New to forum so my first post.

I have a couple questions regarding ESA. I was placed in the support group in May 2015 and have not heard anything since I was wondering how long does the award last? Unlike PIP there is no end date on my award letter. It's been just over 2 years since I was placed in the group so was wondering if anyone knew how long these awards last?

My other question is regarding holiday abroad. I'm due to go abroad for the first time in about a decade in October it's only for 7 days. I have seen alot of conflicting information on the internet. I've found out that I'm allowed to be abroad for up to 4 weeks but I've seen so many conflicting stories about if DWP need to be told? I haven't rung them in years and the idea of doing so is very terrifying. I would like to hear peoples stories on these 2 questions

Hope to hear back from some of you soon

TELLIT01 · 20 July 2017 at 9:00PM

Support Group is supposed to be reviewed at least every 3 years but, if somebody has a chronic condition which is not going to improve, it's not beyond the bounds of possibility that a review requiring a new ESA50 and possible face to face will never be done.
You don't need to inform DWP if you are only going to be away for 7 days.

poppy12345 · 20 July 2017 at 9:09PM

TELLIT01 wrote: »

Support Group is supposed to be reviewed at least every 3 years but, if somebody has a chronic condition which is not going to improve, it's not beyond the bounds of possibility that a review requiring a new ESA50 and possible face to face will never be done.
.

Sorry but i disagree here. At the moment the max amount of time is 3 years before review but it can be a lot sooner than that. Sometimes it's 1 or 2 years before review. They haven't anounced the criteria yet regarding those that will never be reviewed.

bspm · 20 July 2017 at 11:15PM

Without asking my husband to get the paperwork out I cannot be certain of the month but I was awarded ESA SG in March? 2014.

Haven't been contacted yet and will not contact them regarding this, my award stated to be looked at again in 12 months, so, I should have been contacted in 2015.

Maybe they have forgotten about me?!?!

:T

Luckers · 21 July 2017 at 1:39AM

Bspm

Interesting. I haven't heard a thing since early 2015. If you don't mind me asking, have you been abroad in that time? If so did you inform DWP?

poppy12345 · 21 July 2017 at 8:01AM

I know at 1 point the reviews were on hold because of a back log. I went 4 years instead of 3 but then they contacted me last year. I do know they're starting to catch up with people. No need to contact them for 1 weeks holiday either.

bspm · 21 July 2017 at 8:02AM

Josh261995 wrote: »

Bspm

Interesting. I haven't heard a thing since early 2015. If you don't mind me asking, have you been abroad in that time? If so did you inform DWP?

Hi Josh

Yes I have been abroad many times from 2014, the first time I went I informed the DWP but because of the response from the call handler at the time (another thread on here somewhere) who said there was no need for me to notify them unless it was over a certain period of time I was away for I haven't told them since.

Will get husband to find paperwork out today as I am intrigued now at how long it has been since I was awarded ESA.

TELLIT01 · 21 July 2017 at 8:08AM

poppy12345 wrote: »

Sorry but i disagree here. At the moment the max amount of time is 3 years before review but it can be a lot sooner than that. Sometimes it's 1 or 2 years before review. They haven't anounced the criteria yet regarding those that will never be reviewed.

I'm simply speaking from experience of when I worked on the benefit. I didn't say that reviews are only after 3 years, in fact I actually said it's supposed to be a max of 3 years. When I worked on ESA we had numerous chronic illness claims which had never had a review involving the customer. It's possible that they had been reviewed 'behind the scenes' and the decision made that there was no point in calling the customer in. Comments from others in this thread would tend to support that view.

bspm · 21 July 2017 at 9:34AM

Found it, seems I had my ESA assessment 01/11/2014 and not surprisingly was awarded 0 points.

MR requested 18/11/14, telephone call from Decision maker 12/12/14 who, after speaking to me and discussing my disabilities awarded me 15 points and placed me in the Support Group.

Letter ends with WCA 12 months please.....so I should have been contacted by December 2015.

I do believe they have forgotten about me for the moment!! or, like TELLIT01 said maybe I have been dealt with behind the scenes. Either way all good here.

Yay!!!

:T:T:T

TELLIT01 · 21 July 2017 at 2:37PM

You are certainly under no obligation to contact DWP to chase up reassessment. The recommended date for that reassessment will/should be on their system. If they have done a reassessment then common courtesy would suggest that a letter go out to the claimant to advise them, but this is unfortunately not the case.

jessex1990 · 21 July 2017 at 5:29PM

I would leave it. The DWP will contact you when they want to reassess - mine was 2 years and all they did was move me to the WRAG group rather than off ESA altogether. You will not be affected by the recent benefit cut to esa premiums (only applies to new claims).

You are entitled to leave the UK for 28 days on ESA without informing the DWP about it. I checked by asking at my local jobcentre just this week

Couple questions regarding ESA

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