WRAG/Support group

Just_About_60

UPDATE

I attended the urgent appointment made for me at JCP and told the advisor that I had to fax over to DWP an urgent appeal. I showed him the 'strange' letter and he said he would try and find out more as he did not think that an appeal was what I needed, as it appeared a new decision had already been made. He just needed to find out what it was. I actually thought 'Good Luck' as I had made/taken 11 calls the previous Friday in an attempt to sort the matter out. I felt sorry for him when he saw the screen with all the calls logged. He just shook his head and said 'Well let's see if we can get to the bottom of this'. He made a call and was passed onto another department and so on at least five times. At one point they even put him through to his own JCP! Evenutally he spoke to someone in a local office who confirmed that I had been put into the support group but that the paperwork/reconsideration had to come from Bradfod office as they deal with migrating claimants. As I never trust what has been told to me verbally I asked him to log the conversation and the result onto his computer. I also asked him to make a note that I had been told I did not need to make an appeal as a new decision (to put me into SG had already been made). Today I have received a letter which does not mention the reconsideration other than to say 'We have looked at your claim again following a recent change'. It goes on to say that I will get a Christmas Bonus Payment and that they will credit my National Insurance Contributions. The payment page has a bit which says 'Extra money because you are in the Support Group'.

I did expect a letter which said something along the lines of 'We have looked again at your evidence and have moved you into the Support Group of ESA'. Obviously I am not going to get anything like this but I do now assume that I am definitely in the SG.

My ESA85a suggested a return to work in 18 months. Will the fact that I have been moved into the Support Group alter this in any way or will I be sent a new ESA50 to complete nearer to the end of the 18 months? Fortunately due to my age I will probably only have to go through this once more as I will then have reached pension age. Of course if the government hadn't moved the goal post regarding retirement ages I wouldn't be in this position anyway. I won't be any less disabled in 18 months!

I have to say that like everyone else I have found the whole process unimaginablly stressful. I worked in two different government agencies for many years (not benefits) so I can manage to write appropriate letters etc. but I feel heartly sorry for anyone not able to deal with these matters themselves. Our CAB is miles away and not easily accessible to anyone without a car so I think it is a really good job forums like this exist to help ordinary members of the public.

Thank you again to everyone who gave advice/suggestions. It has been much appreciated.

Just_About_60

I would also like to add that this process has been reasonably quick in my case. My ESA50 was returned by June 12th and my (hopefully) final letter was today, 20th August. I am posting this to give other people an idea of timescales, although I appreciate that it may differ in other parts of the Country.

Muttleythefrog

Pleased to hear this sounds like it may finally be resolved. As per my suspicion of previous it does indeed sound like you've had a successful reconsideration made. You're right about the letter... you'll probably never get a simple 2 sentence letter actually telling you the very simple reality of what you need to know... such letters seem to be beyond the reach of the ESA claimant. To confirm everything is as it should be.. just make check of bank statements to make sure payments are appropriate and as expected given a Support Group award.

If my understanding is correct... the ESA85A recommended WRAG and gave prognosis 18 months. It is possible the DWP will still use the 18 months prognosis... towards the end of the period expect an ESA50 form from ATOS HC. But I think only the DWP could clarify for definite what they've decided to do regarding scheduling next assessment. I'd try to then put it all out of your mind in the knowledge your future reassessments are highly limited in number.

Your case is yet another example of how they really don't have a clue what they're doing at DWP regarding ESA after 4 years of its existence. I'd like to say the system isn't fit for purpose... but it's hard to believe there's a system at all. If ATOS don't land you in the mud then the DWP will make sure they drag you back through it.

Just_About_60

Thank you for all your help/comments reagrding this matter. You are perfectly right about a system that is not fit for purpose. I wonder how many claimants 'crumble' because they can't cope with the overwhelming barrage of letters, phone calls etc. I wonder how many people just give up altogether?

In my case there will be no differnce in payment as I migrated from Incapacity Benefit. That is why I had to scrutinise the payment page so carefully.

Muttleythefrog

Just_About_60 wrote: »

Thank you for all your help/comments reagrding this matter. You are perfectly right about a system that is not fit for purpose. I wonder how many claimants 'crumble' because they can't cope with the overwhelming barrage of letters, phone calls etc. I wonder how many people just give up altogether?

In my case there will be no differnce in payment as I migrated from Incapacity Benefit. That is why I had to scrutinise the payment page so carefully.

Ah sorry yes.. it won't be obvious in your case... at least not in terms of actual money.

But yes, I suspect many never achieve their true entitlement regarding ESA due to one of the many problems regarding its administration at DWP or failures of ATOS HC. As I sometimes say... if you're not unfit for work when you apply for ESA then by the time they're finished with you you'll be unfit for anything.

Horseunderwater

Muttleythefrog wrote: »

Ah sorry yes.. it won't be obvious in your case... at least not in terms of actual money.

Bank statement should show DWP ESA on it, not IB DWP, so it should be reasonably obvious - but then we are talking about the DWP! LOL!:)