Stopped my IS - Moved to ESA..

Muttleythefrog

planetred wrote: »

Okay thank you all very much for the help.

I will organise to send more formal and documented evidence as soon as possible.

One last question - I have a lot of evidence as you can probably imagine. So as to tailor what I provide to the claim for ESA, is there a document/website that details what the eligibility criteria is for the two ESA groups - Work Related Activity and Support?

The ESA decriptors are available widely...

for WRAG http://www.tameside.gov.uk/esa/wca (15 points total required to qualify for WRAG - you can only have one descriptor count for each of the 17 sections.. highest scoring one is applied)
for Support Group http://www.tameside.gov.uk/esa/lcwra (if any descriptor applies then Support Group)

There are some special circumstances criteria too.

lizzie157

In much the same boat partner scored 0 points but submitted an appeal only to find no money whatsoever in his account. No notification although he sent off club notes as asked to back up his claim while they investigate appeal. No one seems to know what we should be getting and considering we have kids to keep its been a nightmare.

planetred

Muttleythefrog wrote: »

The ESA decriptors are available widely...

for WRAG (15 points total required to qualify for WRAG - you can only have one descriptor count for each of the 17 sections.. highest scoring one is applied)
for Support Group (if any descriptor applies then Support Group)

There are some special circumstances criteria too.

Thanks for the links - interesting read.

I am planning to organise all my evidence for sending tomorrow, along with a supporting letter to compliment.

Do you advise I reference the descriptors provided by the DWP and almost tick off which ones apply to me (i.e. the ones I have trouble doing)? Or is that a bit too detailed?

Regards,

Mike

planetred

Anyone have any advice on the above? As to whether or not I should reference the descriptors for the activities I am unable to perform? (in accordance with the official descriptors?)

Cpt.Scarlet

There's no reason why you shouldn't.

Muttleythefrog

planetred wrote: »

Thanks for the links - interesting read.

I am planning to organise all my evidence for sending tomorrow, along with a supporting letter to compliment.

Do you advise I reference the descriptors provided by the DWP and almost tick off which ones apply to me (i.e. the ones I have trouble doing)? Or is that a bit too detailed?

Regards,

Mike

Yeah... I don't see a problem with that (although I'd suggest only selecting the highest scoring descriptor in each of the 17 categories as only the highest scoring applicable one can count). If you have evidence that supports your claim of the descriptors you select then I'd refer directly to it also. So for example if the descriptor "Cannot raise either arm above head height as if to reach for something" is appropriate I'd probably say you are unable to do this and briefly why and that you have described the relevant details in your ESA50 (if so.. to highlight consistency of your evidence) and you have a medical statement x enclosed saying you have problems moving your arms etc. Further give examples of situations where raising your arms becomes an issue... e.g. I've had to have kitchen cabinets relocated from the walls as I couldn't use them... you had to climb on furniture in previous employment in order to place notices on the wall. That would seem quite direct.

planetred

Muttleythefrog wrote: »

Yeah... I don't see a problem with that (although I'd suggest only selecting the highest scoring descriptor in each of the 17 categories as only the highest scoring applicable one can count). If you have evidence that supports your claim of the descriptors you select then I'd refer directly to it also. So for example if the descriptor "Cannot raise either arm above head height as if to reach for something" is appropriate I'd probably say you are unable to do this and briefly why and that you have described the relevant details in your ESA50 (if so.. to highlight consistency of your evidence) and you have a medical statement x enclosed saying you have problems moving your arms etc. Further give examples of situations where raising your arms becomes an issue... e.g. I've had to have kitchen cabinets relocated from the walls as I couldn't use them... you had to climb on furniture in previous employment in order to place notices on the wall. That would seem quite direct.

Thanks for the advice - that's pretty much what I had in mind .

However, I thought you only needed to hit one of the big (15 point) descriptors? There's only one top 15 point descriptor that applies to me if I'm honest..

Cpt.Scarlet

It's a total of 15 points across all of the descriptors not just in one, so 9 + 6 or 6 + 6 + 6 are equally OK.

planetred

What about just one 15 descriptor and 3 6/9 pointers?

rogerblack

planetred wrote: »

What about just one 15 descriptor and 3 6/9 pointers?

It's a total of 15 points, or more.
One 15 point alone will qualify you.
(but you should not ignore any descriptor where you may possibly get points)