ESA Tribunals Decision favourable??

ezzkazz

Hi All,
I was put in the WRAG group but because of my mental health problems I decided to appeal asking to be put into the Support group.
I fillied in numerous forms asking them to change their decision but eventually i had to take it to a tribunals appeal as all attempts to get them to change it failed. This was all going ahead and I asked for them to make a decision without me being present as i couldnt cope with going to a hearing. Anyway, today I received a letter from the tribunals which was very vague. It said the appeals officer has revised the decision on my case and that the new decision is a more favourable one. And thats it!! No other explanation as to what this means, nothing. Im not even sure it made it to the appeals court.

Has anyone else had a letter like this? im not sure what they mean by favourable, do they mean they have put me in the support group? If they have could it be on a certain timescale, if indeed they do that anyway?

I cant phone the number on the letter as I have a phobia of using the phone so Im hoping someone could possibly shed some light onto what they mean by a more favourable decision.
Thanks in advance.

Muttleythefrog

Not heard of this before. I would have strongly advised you go to the tribunal though... it dramatically improves chances of success... and the fact you'd have had difficulty getting there and while there could have done you no harm at all at least in terms of the claim. But that's past now... smacked bottom..lol.

I would expect them to send you a decision notice... a results slip... and although that can often be tied up in legalistic language it should be highly factual and indicate the descriptors and decision. Doesn't sound like this is what you've got at all.

ETA. Just done a scan.. I can only find two references to such wording used in an ESA tribunal letter. Interestingly in the cases it seems the DWP had changed their decision before the tribunal sat. (Although the DWP failed to change their decision in reconsideration there's nothing to stop them reconsidering again if they desire). I wonder if this is the case here and it would explain why you haven't been supplied more detail... there may have been no tribunal. If so then I'd advise contacting DWP to see if any updates on your file... problem is you don't use phone. So you might be best advised just to wait for DWP response and return here when you get it. DWP ESA admin is appalling so it would be no surprise at all if you were to get to hear about events at the DWP from a 3rd party.

rogerblack

This means that your case has not yet gone to tribunal, and will not, unless you object to the decision.
The decision may in principle be that you are entitled to the support group for a day, then revert back to the work related group.
This is very unlikely unless there are particular circumstances I may be true.

It is likely, though not certain that the initial decision to place you in the work related group has been changed to the support group, and you are now going to get some back payments.
You need probably to wait for an actual decision letter.
Give it a week, and if nothing, call them.

As a general point.
Turning up to a tribunal improves your chances.