work focused health related assessments?

[Deleted User]

just received the news that i have been put in the support group after my migration from i.b,apparently for 18 months,and have requested a statement of reasons looking forward
however can anyone explain the WFHRA? will i have one of these ? and basically what is it?
cheers

Horseunderwater

If you now have an award letter stating that you are now in the Support group and that it will not be reviewed for 18 months at the earliest then you will not need to go for a Work capability assessment.
Your benefit amount will not change as you have transitional protection in place so you will still get IB amount, but it will now be called ESA instead if that makes sense.

Saversue

woodbine wrote: »

just received the news that i have been put in the support group after my migration from i.b,apparently for 18 months,and have requested a statement of reasons looking forward
however can anyone explain the WFHRA? will i have one of these ? and basically what is it?
cheers

If that's the work-focused interview and you are in the Support Group, then it's voluntary, if you are in the Work-Related activity group it's a condition of continuing to receive benefit.

I don't have a statement of reason because I was told mine is for 3 years - the maximum - but letter doesn't have any time scale on it at all

" You have been placed in the support group because your illness or disability restricts the possibility of working. This means you do not need to take part in any work-related activity, but you can volunteer to see a personal adviser if you want to."

jacques_chirac

I'm pretty sure the WFHRA has been indefinitely suspended. In theory it was a good idea (for those in the WRAG), but in practice there simply was not the expertise or manpower to make it work.

[Deleted User]

it is the WFHRA i refer to,and there is only a start date for esa no end date but was advised when i asked that its for 18 months,the woman i spoke to had no idea about wfhra but it was mentioned on the award letter

sja75

Is this what you are referring too...

From November ESA claimants are to be forced to have regular meetings with DWP doctors, occupational health nurses or therapists to discuss how they can make themselves well enough to work. Failure to comply will lead to having their benefit stopped. The rules will apply to claimants who are in the work-related activity group and who are expected to be able to return to work in 18 months or more. Initially the new rules will apply to 3,000 ESA claimants in a pilot scheme running from November 2013 to August 2016. It will run alongside two other pilot schemes in which claimants will receive additional support from Jobcentre Plus or from work programme providers to see which scheme gets the most claimants off benefits.

From Benefits and Work newsletter.

More info here:

http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/2316-mandatory-dwp-health-advice-for-esa-claimants?utm_source=iContact&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Benefits%20and%20Work&utm_content=09+July+2013+newsletter

HB58

jacques_chirac wrote: »

I'm pretty sure the WFHRA has been indefinitely suspended. In theory it was a good idea (for those in the WRAG), but in practice there simply was not the expertise or manpower to make it work.

This is correct. I think it stands for 'work focussed health related assessment' (or something similar) and they were suspended some time ago. It is not the same thing as the 'Work capacity assessment', 'Work focussed interview' or 'work program'.

*Sorry Woodbine, I had missed the fact that you gave the full name of the thing in the title of this thread!