Scary ESA

ankspon

Morning all,i am currently filling in the ESA form,even though i gave all my info over the phone,i have also received a letter saying i am entitled to a sum of money from ESA.Do i have to still send the form in even if i have already been given the go ahead to receive ESA.If i have to go to a medical has anyone been and what does it involve,what do they ask you to do.This is all new to me after working for years and i find it all scary.Thanks.

Garlicbread

Good morning! Welcome to the world of ESA.

There is a set process for claiming ESA which involves and initial claim over the phone then an assessment phase. At first the benefits peeps will accept your sick not from the doc as proof you are sick - then they will usually pay you at a basic rate. (The only exception to this is if you are terminally ill or have a specific severe illness/disability (I'm not sure what the criteria is for this) they pay you at the full rate a lot faster).

So the fun begins when you receive your ESA50 which is your opportunity to tell them in more detail about how your illness/disability affects you. Take your time over this as it's quite lengthy and what you tell them in the form is very important. Once they receive the form they will make a decision about whether or not you need a medical with ATOS (A company that the department has contracted to do benefits medicals). The medical will be done by a doctor or nurse and they'll ask specific questions from a computer and write down your answers. They may do some tests that are relevant to your condition. After this all the info from the doc, ESA50 and medical evidence will be sent to a decision maker who will decide if you should remain on ESA and if so the group you should be placed in i.e. work related activity group (WRAC) or the support group. Most people are place in the WRAC as I understand it. If in the WRAC you'll get support to help you get back to work. If in the support group you are treated as not ready or capable for work. When the decision is made your benefit will either stop, or go up depending on the decision.

It is a long process and can be confusing along the way but there's some good advice on these boards and plenty of info out there on the net if you get stuck.

Hope this helps.

ankspon

Thanks garlicbread,very helpful,i have ankylosing spondylitis,a condition that affects my spine,my mobility and my joints and eyesight.If anyone with a similar problem who has been to a medical would like to share there experience i would be grateful to hear from them.

ankspon

I have just lost my job due to my illness,how can they try and get me back to work if i could not do my old job?????????

spikeysoul

Because you may not have been able to do your old job - you may be able to comply with 'work related activity'.

Here is an explaination of the test to see wether you would be in the support group or not. Very few people are getting into the support group.

spikeysoul

sorry had a dozy moment the test is here

http://www.benefitsnow.co.uk/esa/workrelated.asp

wildthing46

I have been on ESA for 11 wks now and have only just had my medical assessment. I had another op. on my leg 4 wks ago and they sent me for a back to work interview a wk post op.......lol.........I went and it nearly crippled me getting in there. the same when i went for my medical I was in agony and my knee hot and inflammed by the time I got in there....the nurse who examined me was appalled they called me in so early after my op....

I am awaiting my outcome now don't know how long it is going to take......

I have a question for the gurus on here......if one gets put into the WRAC group after 13 wk basic phase and money goes up does that get taken back off me when i receive my housing benefit or is it really given to us cos it's pretty hard surviivng on 64 quid.......are we really physically better off or is it given in one hand and then when our housing benefit is calculated it is taken back off us because we are getting more benefits (ie the amount we are supposed to live on figure they use in the calculation )?

So anyway, will bookmark and keep u posted.....but the interview was not as bad as I thought it was going to be, but still upsetting and undignifying....u feel like ur begging.....especially as I have never been sick before or off work.
But don't worry about it, you have to do it and nothing like that is very nice....:oembarrassing more than anything u'l be fine.......

NASA_2

Wildthing, if you get put into the WRAG then your Housing Benefit threshold goes up, so it brought in with one hand and taken with the other.

ESA has been quite successful in helping people off benefits to date.

wildthing46

thanks, so ESA, it helps rather than make you worse off....thats nice to know.....cos getting around when ur like this costs so much more....and to do things cost so much more.......even ur wkly shop.....

I am not used to benefits and have never been on them.....always been a hard worker.....never lost my job before.....or been sick like this....

but heh the only way is up it has to get better....:j......

spikeysoul

Have you applied for DLA? It sounds like you might qualify - it can be used for how much extra everything seems to cost with a disability - I believe you need to have had the imparement for at least 3 months and to expect it to continue for at least another 6 - and it doesn't count as income so it won't effect HB CTB or ESA.

Good Luck (and find help with the form - it's hard work)

cit_k

NASA wrote: »

Wildthing, if you get put into the WRAG then your Housing Benefit threshold goes up, so it brought in with one hand and taken with the other.

ESA has been quite successful in helping people off benefits to date.

Do you have a link to the stats/proof of this?

By getting people of benefits, do you mean - into work, or just of benefits completely?

I know the official dwp produced ESA impact assessment does state

a significant proportion of claimants is expected to leave the benefit system entirely, some into work

But as you can see, that only says *some* go into work, the rest will just be leaving the benefits system, but not into work...... most likely those so sick of the whole nightmare they give up the claim process and go live in a cardboard box or something.
(read more quotes from impact assessment)