ESA50 sent off 9 weeks ago..Good sign, Bad sign?

johnkat

Hi, I returned my completed ESA50 form along with supporting medical evidence 9 weeks ago, I,m Long term IB awaiting transfer to ESA. I've heard nothing back as yet, I was hoping to avoid the face to face assessment due to all the horror stories i've read. My thinking is that due to the length of time that has elapsed it is looking increasingly likely that i will be called in for the dreaded Atos assessment.

I'm guessing that the reason for the delay is that they are waiting for a slot to fit me in, and that if they had concluded, based on the Completed form and supporting evidence, That I did not require a 'face to face' assessment, I would have heard a lot sooner.

My question is: Has anyone else had to wait this length of time after sending back the ESA50 form and still managed to avoid a 'face to face' assessment?

PS. I rang them up 2 weeks after sending my form off and they have recieved it.

Thanks.

Muttleythefrog

Lots of people are waiting long periods at all stages. I'm going to give my usual advice... be proactive to find out what is going on.

First (if you can afford it) call DWP and ask if a decision has been made (often they don't tell you!). If yes then ask for the decision and ask for copy of ESA85A ATOS report.
If no then ask if they've received advice from ATOS yet... if yes request ESA85A, if no then email [EMAIL="customer-relations@atoshealthcare.com"]customer-relations@atoshealthcare.com[/EMAIL] giving your details and NiNo and asking what is happening with your referral folloiwing their receipt of your ESA50 around date x. With any luck they'll give you status. If they've closed their file then they've sent ESA85A to DWP, if they have contacted your GP then they're waiting for him/her to complete ESA113 form that may prevent requirement for medical, or they may be deciding whether to call you for medical. If you get called to medical then a couple of days afterwards contact DWP and ask for a copy of the resulting ESA85 ATOS medical report.

It's worth saying that they can't find you fit for work without a medical unless you fail to engage the process of being called for them.. so no news is certainly not bad news.

johnkat

OK, Thanks for that..I'll get on to it. I'm finding the waiting game rather stressful but was'nt sure of the wisdom of ringing them up etc. Your reply has outlined a few options. Thanks again.

Muttleythefrog

johnkat wrote: »

OK, Thanks for that..I'll get on to it. I'm finding the waiting game rather stressful but was'nt sure of the wisdom of ringing them up etc. Your reply has outlined a few options. Thanks again.

They're worth taking.. it means you can get hold of the ATOS advice probably long before it is used.. giving time to possibly challenge it before it is used to take a decision, or it'll save you lots of worry, or it'll buy you plenty time to prepare for bad decision.

MUMZ2BEE

I sent in my ESA50 back on the 20th September, they sent me a letter 2 weeks later saying I had a medical on the 26th October.

They didn't even bother contacting my GP before calling me for a medical; thats why I am upset, plus on the form I filled it in with every information possible.

Muttleythefrog

MUMZ2BEE wrote: »

I sent in my ESA50 back on the 20th September, they sent me a letter 2 weeks later saying I had a medical on the 26th October.

They didn't even bother contacting my GP before calling me for a medical; thats why I am upset, plus on the form I filled it in with every information possible.

They only contact GP if they feel that would be sufficient in addition to the other evidence in order to prevent the need for a medical... it's probably more common in reassessments. If you pass the WCA this time around following face to face medical then at next reassessment which may be only a few months afterwards then the chances of face to face medical reduce. I have to be blunt and honest... I think you may underestimate the norm of the medical... unless you've got some exceptional circumstances applying then this time around the odds probably were that you would be called for one. Some claimants will get medicals every few months. Completion of the ESA50 is not assumed to contain complete truth... they'll look for verification of the relevant facts in the process... that's even true if you've got terminal cancer with just a few weeks to live. It may even be that in completing the form the information on it suggests you wouldn't pass the WCA.. who knows. But you are placing far too much significance on the ESA50... as if it is an exam paper that you pass or fail... you don't pass or fail the ESA50.. it's an opportunity to declare your problems from your perspective relevant to the WCA.

What I would advise is trying to reduce your anxiety by assuming the process will work well for you... in many cases it doesn't but there are things that can be done to address that come the time. You've got a medical coming up... don't underplay your problems there... be honest and take any supporting medical evidence you can that relates to the descriptors or at very least that confirms your claimed medical problems. After medical then as advised the next step will be to ASAP get the DWP to send a copy of the resulting medical report which will be highly informative... at least in terms of what decision the DWP is likely to eventually reach.

whitelillie

johnkat wrote: »

OK, Thanks for that..I'll get on to it. I'm finding the waiting game rather stressful but was'nt sure of the wisdom of ringing them up etc. Your reply has outlined a few options. Thanks again.

Hi did you ring the dwp to find out whats happening with your claim ?
My husband as also been waiting for 8 weeks now and still [EMAIL="have@nt"]have'nt[/EMAIL] heard anything from them .

johnkat

whitelillie wrote: »

Hi did you ring the dwp to find out whats happening with your claim ?
My husband as also been waiting for 8 weeks now and still have'nt heard anything from them .

Hi, yes I did ring and was informed that i would be placed in the ESA Wrag for 18 months. All good but I wont relax just yet, not untill I get it confirmed in writing.

Fingers crossed your Hubby gets the result he's hoping for.