ESA score sheet above 15 and still put in WRAG

caris

I requested my score sheet after only receiving my medical report back and being placed in the WRAG.

My score sheet came yesterday and I have a score of 18 from the physical
assessment and a score of 24 from the mental, cognitive and intellectual function.

As far as I was aware you only needed to score 15 or above in one of the sections alone to be placed in the support group. So I am some what confused to have been placed in the WRAG, when reading the medical report the doctor clearly states significant functional impairment both physically and mentally.

I have already asked for a clarification after a remark was left in the exeptional circumstances which basically said that the assessment was ended early which automatically would place me in the support group.

All this is confirmed by the score sheet would this evidence and that of the score sheet be enough for DWP to change the decision or just go for an appeal via the tribunal? And with the evidence of the score sheet will I still have to attend the WRAG interviews.?

Thanks for your patience and constructive replies. I am finding the whole ESA process confusing and very distressing.

I was on IB and transfered to ESA

seven-day-weekend

AFAIK the points decide whether you qualify for ESA at all. Whether you are placed in WRAG or Support group comes under different criteria. Being placed in WRAG means it has been decided that you may be capable of working at some point, even if you can't at the moment.

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/adviser/updates/changes-to-contribution/

PippaGirl_2

Yes wrag or sg isn't dependent on scores, it is whether you meet certainn descriptors.

rogerblack

PippaGirl wrote: »

Yes wrag or sg isn't dependent on scores, it is whether you meet certainn descriptors.

To clarify, WRAG requires you to get 15 points.
The support group needs you to meet one or more of the descriptors for the support group.

The SG descriptors are mostly the same as the WRAG descriptors that gain 15 points.

In addition, you can get either group under the 'non functional descriptor'.
This is of it would be a risk to the health of any person of you were found not to be entitled to that group.

To expand on seven-day-weekends point.

If you are put in the work-related group, you may have been through the process which puts you in the work-related group, and that group may be described by ministers as 'for those likely to be capable of work with support in the future', but this does not mean that any assessment has been done of this.

You get into the work related group solely by meeting the required descriptors, not by being unable to work.
You do not get into the support group because you will be unable ever to work again, but because you again meet the descriptors.

The brief one paragraph descriptions of ESA are at best an aim, at worst fraudulent and misleading.
They lead to problems like those who will never realistically be employable due to problems in many areas being assumed by the process that they are capable of finding work in a year, and that it's reasonable on this basis to time limit their benefit if they have a working partner.

Muttleythefrog

As per Roger. There are 2 groups. WRAG and Support Group. The WRAG descriptors have associated points... if you total 15 or more then you qualify for WRAG... you scored well above 15 points. The Support Group descriptors (some of which just also happen to be 15 point WRAG descriptors) should be viewed as a separate matter... if any one of them is found to apply then you qualify for Support Group. There are in addition to these descriptors some special circumstance criteria (non-functional descriptors).

My understanding is that curtailment (ending the medical early) which seems to have occurred in your case often happens when Support group criteria is found to be met... but not necessarily so. It's important to point out that the medical report recommendations are not necessarily the same as decision taken by DWP DM. A decision maker at DWP takes the decision ultimately... although there is a strong tendancy to effectively rubber stamp a face to face medical report.

My advice would be to study the report to see if support group criteria was found to be met.. I suspect it wasn't... but check. You might want to appeal if you feel Support Group criteria is applicable to you.. I'd advise getting supporting medical evidence if so... there is a risk you could be found not to meet criteria for either group.. but given you seem to have quite a range of significant problems evidenced by even ATOS HCP that is probably very very unlikely.

rogerblack

Muttleythefrog wrote: »

My understanding is that curtailment (ending the medical early) which seems to have occurred in your case often happens when Support group criteria is found to be met... but not necessarily so.

Indeed.
Curtailment applied for my ESA medical - though I wasn't assessed by the HCP as meeting any criteria for the support group - as I'd hit 24 points (or was it 30).

The lack of information on one of the descriptors for the support group is part of the argument I am going to be making in a few weeks at the tribunal why the support group applies.