Anyone else worried about the ESA time limit changes?

Indie_Kid

Brassedoff wrote: »

Thanks, just did the first page and got 46, so I guess I get in one group then?

The person that does your medical may say differently. I'm sure (sorry about this - do need to point it out) that there are people on here who've gone for their medical and scored 0 points. Yet, score many more on the self-assessment.

According to my self-assessment, I score 57.

sweetersong

Brassdoff-Yes, if you don't meet the descriptors in appendix 3 on that link , and IF they agreed with the points, then yes you would be awarded ESA with the work related activity component.

If things still stood as they do now, I would have no problems agreeing to go into this group, I indeed hope that one day my ME will go down to a level low enough that I can partake in at least part time work, I enjoy working and I enjoy the socialisation of work.

However, come april 2012, if you are put into this group, and you are claiming contributions based ESA (you can not claim income based ESA if you have a partner who works over 24 hours a week, andeven if its under that they need to be on about minimum wage) then, regardless of how long it takes to get better, you will only be able to claim for a maximum of 12 months.

Thats right, if you are in this group, and after 12 months you still aren't better, but you don't meet the criteria for the other group, you get zilch, fun eh?

bertiebat

sweetersong wrote: »

Plus the descriptors are changing come March next year.

You can get it without meeting the descriptors if they agree that if they did not assess you as incapable for work related activity, it would seriously cause your health to deterioate, but its how you prove that, which is the issue

I thought it might be useful to post the proposed new descriptors as these are different to the current ones posted by martin57. The descriptors for being put into the support group start on page 17. One of the major changes relates to mobilising.

http://www.ssac.org.uk/pdf/esa-amendment-regulations-2011.pdf

No account is taken on the permanency of conditions and you could score way more than the 15 points required to qualify for ESA and still be assigned to the time limited contributions based work related group.

G51shopaholic

Still no capability test which involves the persons ability to breath! I am mentally alert but lungs are guffed - so how do they judge people like us?

I've been in the Support Group since ESA was started.

Brassedoff

bertiebat wrote: »

I thought it might be useful to post the proposed new descriptors as this are different to the current ones posted by martin57. The descriptors for being put into the support group start on page 17. One of the major changes relates to mobilising.

http://www.ssac.org.uk/pdf/esa-amendment-regulations-2011.pdf

No account is taken on the permanency of conditions and you could score way more than the 15 points required to qualify for ESA and still be assigned to the time limited contributions based work related group.

Wife and kids just did the new test and they agreed between 64 and 78 points ( the wife knowing stuff the kids don't), so knock off the extra to get over 15 and surely they cannot get it THAT wrong, can they?

cit_k

dmg24 wrote: »

You need to stop listening to gossip and deal with facts. It is not near on impossible to be placed in the Support Group, nor is it the case that most cases get awarded after tribunal. You do yourself, nor anyone else, any favours by quoting inaccurate information as fact.

It is pretty much near on impossible, I mean, what are the last known stats, something like about only 5 percent of all the claimaints get into the support group....

40 percent of tribunals are won, whilst not most, its still a pretty significant proportion, and it must be remembered many tribunals have not been heard yet, the backlog for tribunals runs in to the 10s of thousands..

Brassedoff

bertiebat wrote: »

I thought it might be useful to post the proposed new descriptors as these are different to the current ones posted by martin57. The descriptors for being put into the support group start on page 17. One of the major changes relates to mobilising.

http://www.ssac.org.uk/pdf/esa-amendment-regulations-2011.pdf

No account is taken on the permanency of conditions and you could score way more than the 15 points required to qualify for ESA and still be assigned to the time limited contributions based work related group.

So as a claimant of IB and told not to bother sending in sick notes and excluded by the DWP from the work focused interviews and counselling, plus dependent on high volumes of morphine daily, two-three hospital in patient appointments a week. Then suffering from a deteriorating disability that my Consultant has said will need a further "big" operation with a planned in patient time of around 30 weeks and the loss of use of my leg, plus toilet and night time issues, may still result in going into the work group? Wow, just what dill you need to suffer from for the support group?

sweetersong

Brassdoff-I have no idea! I think it comes down to the person looking at your claim and whether they can understand how the condition effects your real ability to work.

Likle I have said, I do know of 1 person with my condition (ME) who seems to be in the same state as many others who have claimed, but got the support group just from her medical, where as other have had 0 points scored apparently until they went to tribunal, and then they got given the work related activity group ( the one which will now be time limited)

I have actually sent her a PM on that message board, as it may be she is worse than it seems, and that is why, but it may not be, and thats what we need to work out

I am hoping that there will be a bigger push on this when the changes come in as there will be a lot of people who are too ill for work who will be taken off their benefit because they have had their 12 months, and I think and that point the DWP will have to start looking at what they are doing more

Indie_Kid

Brassedoff wrote: »

Wow, just what dill you need to suffer from for the support group?

You probably have to be dead...

Chorlie

bertiebat wrote: »

I thought it might be useful to post the proposed new descriptors as these are different to the current ones posted by martin57. The descriptors for being put into the support group start on page 17. One of the major changes relates to mobilising.

http://www.ssac.org.uk/pdf/esa-amendment-regulations-2011.pdf

No account is taken on the permanency of conditions and you could score way more than the 15 points required to qualify for ESA and still be assigned to the time limited contributions based work related group.

Interesting reading, it will be harder for me to get ESA with the new descriptors, the old one I got my 15 points on the first question (since I can't walk), but now I'd get 9 points due to steps; I got another 15 points due to not being able to stand-up but now 9 points on a bad day or 6 points on a good day.... So I still think I'd get the 15 points to be on ESA.

But now I think I could get into the Support Group, just with the replys i said in my medical, where before I wouldn't (so I'm in the Work Group).

When do these new rules come into action and can I ask for my medical to be re-viewed or would I have to re-apply / another medical?

Thanks