Esa

metalgal

I have this on another thread but its specific to NI.

I having been claiming CB ESA since 28th Feb. Im now in my 25th week and have heard nothing about a medical assessment. I did fill in the medical questionnaire back in June but thats it. I think this is disgraceful as according to them after 13 weeks you will be placed in a group. I understand that they lie and are probably backlogged but twice as long as they say is a bit much and they won't tell me how long i am expected to wait. i wrote a letter to them today.

Has anyone else claimed ESA this year and how long did it take? I have successfully claimed MRC and LRM DLA for the same problem and it took them 6 weeks and they have a reputation for being difficult!

Any advise much appreciated. :beer:

donnac2558

I have heard it can take 6 months to a year because so many are appealing decisions. Then the people on IB will start moving over to ESA next year too.

Count yourself very lucky not to have been sent for as so many are losing the benefit and having to appeal.

jenheiffer

Have you been receiving ESA all this time? If so I don't understand why you are so keen to get a medical assessment - as the previous poster said, it might go against you as the purpose of these so-called medicals is to take people off benefits.

casey_junior

jenheiffer wrote: »

Have you been receiving ESA all this time? If so I don't understand why you are so keen to get a medical assessment - as the previous poster said, it might go against you as the purpose of these so-called medicals is to take people off benefits.

The reason the poster wants the medical is to get the extra £24 pw which is payable after 13 weeks on ESA.

I started claiming Esa in April 2009 and didn't have the medical till December. I was disallowed and appealed, my appeal was in June and I was allowed but so far I am still getting the £65 pw rate.

The civil service should be privatised, then there would be better productivity, less sick days and no featherbedded pensions for the taxpayer to fund.

jenheiffer

casey_junior wrote: »

The reason the poster wants the medical is to get the extra £24 pw which is payable after 13 weeks on ESA.

I started claiming Esa in April 2009 and didn't have the medical till December. I was disallowed and appealed, my appeal was in June and I was allowed but so far I am still getting the £65 pw rate.

The civil service should be privatised, then there would be better productivity, less sick days and no featherbedded pensions for the taxpayer to fund.

I don't know if that would change anything - aren't the 'medicals' caried out by a private company already? (Or is that just in England?)

Thanks for your reply, by the way.:)

Golden_Anemone

jenheiffer wrote: »

I don't know if that would change anything - aren't the 'medicals' caried out by a private company already? (Or is that just in England?)

Thanks for your reply, by the way.:)

Currently medicals are carried out by doctors employed by the SSA but ATOS will be taking over here very soon, in a matter of months I hear.

donnac2558

Yes ATMOS taking over next year, but still a medical professional has to do the test on behalf of ATMOS. Then it still goes to the DWP for them to decide how many points it all works out at.

ATMOS is I believe the software and they run the programme which asks the questions and the medical professional then types in your answers.

Here is there website.

http://www.atmosmed.com/html/seiten/startseite;224,en.html?t=2

Golden_Anemone

I believe the company is called ATOS Healthcare. They are currently used by DWP to carry out their assessments and the SSA will be contracting them to carry out NI assessments as they can do this cheaper than the SSA can.

Here's some information about them on the DWP site.

donnac2558

Sorry I was watching Doctor Who and they had this thing called ATMOS!:p