ESA support group?

Poppie68

This is just for my own curosity more than anything. After reading alot of posts regarding WRAG and the support group i am still confused.
If someone wants to be put in the support group do they fill in the normal ESA forms and hope with everything crossed that they will be put in the support group, or is there 2 different forms?
Basically what does someone have to do to get into the support group apart from supplying medical evidence to back their claim?

lemontart

hope the gawd they actually read it, understand conditions and act appropriately but given that many have been give zero points totally ignoring everything and many have gone on to appeal that would be optimistic, But the rules all change in few weeks.

Here is a link to the new esa test
http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/employment-and-support-allowance/start-the-esa-test?utm_source=iContact&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Benefits%20and%20Work&utm_content=27+Feb+2013

SPELLKASTER

I had my ESA medical back in November last year. I was declared unfit for work due to having a heart condition which made me breathless on the least exertion; the ATOS lady could see I was getting out of breath. She placed me into support group straightaway with a view in the medium term.

pipkin71

lemontart wrote: »

hope the gawd they actually read it, understand conditions and act appropriately but given that many have been give zero points totally ignoring everything and many have gone on to appeal that would be optimistic, But the rules all change in few weeks.

Here is a link to the new esa test
http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/employment-and-support-allowance/start-the-esa-test?utm_source=iContact&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Benefits%20and%20Work&utm_content=27+Feb+2013

I'm already in the support group and the test I completed, following your link, confirmed I would be placed in the support group so I would hope, even with the rule changes that people would go into the correct group based on their capability.

rogerblack

Poppie68 wrote: »

Basically what does someone have to do to get into the support group apart from supplying medical evidence to back their claim?

That's basically it, along with the form.
There is no specific form, unless you are appealing a decision to place you in the work related group, then there would be a general appeal form.

Poppie68

Thankyou Rogerblack for explaining it to me, it just never seemed clear to me when reading other posts. So basically apply for ESA supply enough relavant medical evidence and then they will decide which group to put you in. If they don't put you in the support group and you think you should be then appeal the descion. Thankyou .

PS please excuse my spelling it's early and my medication is still floating around in my system.

epitome

ESA50 is your assessment form, they assess you based on what you put on that form.

If you don't like the decision then you appeal,

helentay_2

epitome wrote: »

ESA50 is your assessment form, they assess you based on what you put on that form.

If you don't like the decision then you appeal,

In which case we could argue that the better completed the ESA50 is using the correct terminology that they would be looking for - you stand a very good chance of being awarded ESA?

Well then all these failures and face to face assessments has nothing to do with the DWP or ATOS - it's simply because some people get a good welfare rights advisor and others don't - and that is why some fail and some pass!!!

susiebear_3

Just been reading some posts about this, as I have a relative who is currently waiting on her decision for ESA after medical and moving from IB to ESA. If she is granted ESA and is placed in the wrag group, and she appeals as she feels she should be in the support group, is there a chance they could look at her decision again and decide she shouldnt have been put in wrag or support and decide she shouldnt have ESA at all? Or once they have given her wrag group can they not take this away from her. She said she is going to appeal if she doesnt get support group and I am just worried if she does appeal they may decide to take it all off her so I don't think she should rock the boat?

TOBRUK

susiebear wrote: »

Just been reading some posts about this, as I have a relative who is currently waiting on her decision for ESA after medical and moving from IB to ESA. If she is granted ESA and is placed in the wrag group, and she appeals as she feels she should be in the support group, is there a chance they could look at her decision again and decide she shouldnt have been put in wrag or support and decide she shouldnt have ESA at all? Or once they have given her wrag group can they not take this away from her. She said she is going to appeal if she doesnt get support group and I am just worried if she does appeal they may decide to take it all off her so I don't think she should rock the boat?

I received the ESA form last October as I was on Incapacity benefit and had to apply for ESA. I was placed in WRAG (for at least 2 years) without face to face interview, just based on the form.

I was extremely worried and felt I should have been placed in the support group. I requested the 'medical report' they produced from which they then made their decision. When I read their medical report I was amazed on the amount of lies/wrong information and assumptions written!

I did appeal their decision back in October and I am still waiting for an outcome.

If she is granted ESA and is placed in the wrag group, and she appeals as she feels she should be in the support group, is there a chance they could look at her decision again and decide she shouldnt have been put in wrag or support and decide she shouldnt have ESA at all?

Yes, I am aware that they could turn around and decline ESA, however, I felt strongly that I needed to set them straight on the false information written about me, also on lack of knowledge on medicines prescribed. Some of the report was contradicting.

I was called for an interview at the job centre on 2nd January - as you have to comply with being on the WRAG, and you must attend even if you have appealed their decision. I did manage to get to the interview and I was there for about an hour. Everything he asked and I answered he was making notes on the computer. He said that I had appealed their decision and informed me that there had been a large volume of appeals, many of which have been successful. He also said that he did not expect me to look for any work.

Being in WRAG does mean you have to attend interviews, perhaps a couple a year ... if that. The chap I saw was ever so nice and told me not to worry about it.

On their decision letter although I have been placed in the WRAG, it states that they don't expect I would be fit to work for at least 2 years. From what I understand, even if you are placed in the Support group there is a 'time' eg 1 year or 2 years etc on the decision letter and you can be assessed again even on the support goup.

Or once they have given her wrag group can they not take this away from her.

They can assess at any time and can take you off wrag group or even support group. Nothing is set in stone.

If you are placed in wrag they will call you for interview perhaps twice a year. If you think about it, there is such a high volume of people on wrag they will be stretched to interview all even twice a year! On top of which there have been many job losses in the DWP!

Once they bring in Universal credit it will be a lot worse. They haven't finished transfering those on IB to ESA yet. It will be chaos when they have to change from DLA to PIP, JSA, ESA etc to Universal Credit!

epitome

TOBRUK wrote: »

I was called for an interview at the job centre on 2nd January - as you have to comply with being on the WRAG, and you must attend even if you have appealed their decision.

My understanding is that if you are appealing WRAG you do not have to go to WFIs. Someone else on here said as much, and seemed to know what they were talking about.