ESA Support Group

LadyMorticia

Hello.

I have just received my ESA50 (I think that's what it's called) as I'm in the process of transferring from IS to ESA.

I know that there are two groups - the WRAG and the Support Group.

Could someone please tell me if I would be eligible for the Support Group, please?

I have Moderate-Severe M.E and use a walking stick around the house. When out, I need to use a wheelchair as I cannot walk more than 20 metres without severe exhaustion. However, I cannot self-propel due to said exhaustion and weakness in my arms so my husband has to push me.
Being put in the WRAG wouldn't bother me as I hope to be able to work at some point! I would just need reasonable adjustments to be made to be able to get to the appointments as M.E is a very unpredictable condition but I was just wondering if I would be eligible for the SG.

I hope I'm making sense.

oldhand

https://benefitsandwork.co.uk/component/users/?view=login

Hi,cant say of your chances of support group only that it was always very difficult to get into and has certainly got far more difficult.The above site whilst a members site has lots of help available to all free,best of luck.

schrodie

LadyMorticia wrote: »

Hello.

I have just received my ESA50 (I think that's what it's called) as I'm in the process of transferring from IS to ESA.

I know that there are two groups - the WRAG and the Support Group.

Could someone please tell me if I would be eligible for the Support Group, please?

I have Moderate-Severe M.E and use a walking stick around the house. When out, I need to use a wheelchair as I cannot walk more than 20 metres without severe exhaustion. However, I cannot self-propel due to said exhaustion and weakness in my arms so my husband has to push me.
Being put in the WRAG wouldn't bother me as I hope to be able to work at some point! I would just need reasonable adjustments to be made to be able to get to the appointments as M.E is a very unpredictable condition but I was just wondering if I would be eligible for the SG.

I hope I'm making sense.

To get into the Support Group you have to show that you satisfy at least one of the Support Group descriptors.

Checkout page 25 of This

Horseunderwater

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
If you take this little test from same site as previously posted it will give you an idea of whether you would get into the support group or not.

LadyMorticia

Thank you everyone. It's just all very daunting. I have GAD/Panic Disorder also and even though I have known for a while that the change is inevitable, it still really freaks me out.

As a side note: Will the money I am getting carry on until a decision is reached? Or will it stop until a decision has been made? Thank you.

Horseunderwater

What you get now is what you will get all the way through the whole process as there is transitional protection in place.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

have you supportive evidence that you have collected from consultants etc? if so your going to need to make photo copies and send them with the ESA50.

your going to have to make yourself very clear that you cannot self proppel and why.

your also going to have to make it very clear, that using a walking stick is N/A to you.

also DLA award notices can help ive been told as this lists some reasons why you were awarded what level and why. high care and high mobility there would be some reasons why these companants were awarded and some worded like ESA descriptors.

search google for the WCA ESA handbook revised april 2012 this will list the descriptors for wrag and support group and can aid filling in the ESA50 with a bit more understanding.

KxMx

It's worth considering if you'd be able to (potentially) battle to get into the support group, or whether it would be better to get into the WRAG without the additional stress.

I probably would qualify for the support group, but I can't face the fight and decided settling for WRAG would be a satisfactory outcome.

skintmacflint

oldhand wrote: »

Hi,cant say of your chances of support group only that it was always very difficult to get into and has certainly got far more difficult.The above site whilst a members site has lots of help available to all free,best of luck.

The percentage of people getting into the Support Group is higher now than it was in 2011. As well as higher than the government had anticipated.

Inability to mobilise 50metres is a Support Group descriptor. If you make very clear on your form why you can't self propel this distance in a wheelchair eg severe fatigue, weakness in upper arm strength , especially with supporting reports you should be fine.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

skintmacflint wrote: »

The percentage of people getting into the Support Group is higher now than it was in 2011. As well as higher than the government had anticipated.

Inability to mobilise 50metres is a Support Group descriptor. If you make very clear on your form why you can't self propel this distance in a wheelchair eg severe fatigue, weakness in upper arm strength , especially with supporting reports you should be fine.

thats because people fought for it in tribunal, as the government thinks everyone is a scrounger and support group should have been almost impossible to get with its descriptors unless you were dying.

TOBRUK

LadyMorticia wrote: »

Thank you everyone. It's just all very daunting. I have GAD/Panic Disorder also and even though I have known for a while that the change is inevitable, it still really freaks me out.

As a side note: Will the money I am getting carry on until a decision is reached? Or will it stop until a decision has been made? Thank you.

Hi LadyMorticia,
I don't know if you have read my thread on this forum but in short, I was transferred from IB to ESA in October. Four weeks after I sent back the form I received a letter to say I had been placed in WRAG. I was curious and so I requested the 'medical report' they had made based on the form to come to their decision. I received the medical form (which was produced by a nurse) and was shocked at the claims she had made which were condradictory and totally wrong! She had no idea about the medication and what it was for.

I wasn't too bothered about being placed in WRAG once I had understood what it entailed, however, I was bothered about the descrepancies on the 'report'. On that basis I decided to appeal their decision and explained in detail the reasons I disagreed with the decision - I just wanted to put it right as I don't know if it will be relevant in the future.

In the meantime I was called for an interview at jobcentre on 2nd January which I attended - that was fine and I was told that they did not expect me to look or prepare for any work.

I, like you suffer with ME and is quite bad. I can tell you that about 2-3 weeks ago I received a reconsideration and was placed in SUPPORT GROUP! Mind you it is only for 6 months while the wrag I was placed was for 3 years! This is really strange if they are going to send out forms every 6 months. I'm not going to worry too much as it is just exhausting!!;)

Good luck. If it helps, when I had the ESA50 form I tried to fill in 2-3 pages a day otherwise it was daunting and as I get so tired quickly and I am unable to concentrate it was the only way to tackle it! Do tell your GP that you are sending this form as they may very well contact the surgery for a report as they did with me.

Remember to keep a copy of everything you send. Some questions which are FALSE/TRUE, YES/NO ANSWERS I would write on it 'neither' and give explanation!

Good Luck