IB to ESA without ATOS?

Zakalwe

I have been receiving incapacity benefit for a while, and DLA since early this year when my PPMS really began to limit my mobility. In August I got the phone call from DWP about transferring me to ESA, and received the ESA150 form a week later. This was filled out and posted early October (it took a while to get supporting letters from my neurologist, MS nurse, and GP).

So I received a letter this morning informing me that I'll be receiving ESA (support group) as of 4th December, but I haven't been called to attend ATOS. I had a 90 minute ATOS assessment in March for the DLA, but was under the impression that no matter what your disability or condition, and regardless of how many qualified health professionals provide supporting evidence, you get dragged in for the ATOS interrogation anyway.

Can anybody advise me on this please? I know I will be called up for assessments in the future, but is it common to be transferred to ESA without such an assessment? I've been in a constant state of anxiety for weeks about this, and would dearly love to just be able to breath again.

Cheers,

Zak

pmlindyloo

Zakalwe wrote: »

I have been receiving incapacity benefit for a while, and DLA since early this year when my PPMS really began to limit my mobility. In August I got the phone call from DWP about transferring me to ESA, and received the ESA150 form a week later. This was filled out and posted early October (it took a while to get supporting letters from my neurologist, MS nurse, and GP).

So I received a letter this morning informing me that I'll be receiving ESA (support group) as of 4th December, but I haven't been called to attend ATOS. I had a 90 minute ATOS assessment in March for the DLA, but was under the impression that no matter what your disability or condition, and regardless of how many qualified health professionals provide supporting evidence, you get dragged in for the ATOS interrogation anyway.

Can anybody advise me on this please? I know I will be called up for assessments in the future, but is it common to be transferred to ESA without such an assessment? I've been in a constant state of anxiety for weeks about this, and would dearly love to just be able to breath again.

Cheers,

Zak

Not common but perfectly possible. If you have your decision letter then the decision has been made! So you can rest easy for now.

lukieboy96

I went from IB to ESA without ATOS.

Zakalwe

Many thanks for the replies. It is a massive weight off my mind, at least for the time being.

jacques_chirac

pmlindyloo wrote: »

Not common but perfectly possible. If you have your decision letter then the decision has been made! So you can rest easy for now.

It is common now, if the claimant supplies there own medical evidence and meets the descriptors they are likely to get an award without the need for a face to face assessment. I have completed many forms for people and not one has been called in.

OP, it sounds like you have been reading the scaremongering on the internet There is no reason that you will be called for an assessment in future, as long as with future reviews you complete the form fully and provide medical evidence as you have done this time.

Poppie68

I was'nt on IB, i applied for ESA and was informed 12 weeks later that i was excepted into the Support Group without an assesment, so strange things do happen.



EDIT: JC is correct, i supplied a letter from my GP, copy of my prescription and filled in the form honestly.

pmlindyloo

jacques_chirac wrote: »

It is common now, if the claimant supplies there own medical evidence and meets the descriptors they are likely to get an award without the need for a face to face assessment. I have completed many forms for people and not one has been called in.

OP, it sounds like you have been reading the scaremongering on the internet There is no reason that you will be called for an assessment in future, as long as with future reviews you complete the form fully and provide medical evidence as you have done this time.

It depends on your definition of common

If you are talking about people who are transferring from IB to ESA without the need for an ATOS medical then I would still maintain that it is not common.

If you are talking about people who meet particular descriptors of the support group without any doubt and have medical 'back up' then it could be called common.

Sorry to be pedantic and glad the OP has been successful.

jacques_chirac

pmlindyloo wrote: »

It depends on your definition of common

If you are talking about people who are transferring from IB to ESA without the need for an ATOS medical then I would still maintain that it is not common.

If you are talking about people who meet particular descriptors of the support group without any doubt and have medical 'back up' then it could be called common.

Sorry to be pedantic and glad the OP has been successful.

Could I ask what experience you have to support your statements - how many cases you have managed yourself? My comments are based on actual cases, not just what I read on the internet.

pmlindyloo

jacques_chirac wrote: »

Could I ask what experience you have to support your statements - how many cases you have managed yourself? My comments are based on actual cases, not just what I read on the internet.

I often read your replies to threads and respect your knowledge. I am sad that you do not have a similar respect for my knowledge and assume that I answer questions based on scaremongering internet ramblings. I spend considerable time on this forum using my knowledge and experience to help others.

I do not wish to get into a slanging match about who has the most experience of ESA applications/appeals/ whatever.

The simple fact is that your statements are based on your experience and management of your own cases.

Statistics nationally show the percentages of people who when transferring from IB to ESA are found fit for work/get into the WRAG group/get into the Support group.

It is, in my opinion, incorrect to use the word 'common' to talk about the number of people moving from IB to ESA without the need for a medical assessment. It may be common in your experience but nationally it is not.

rogerblack

jacques_chirac wrote: »

Could I ask what experience you have to support your statements - how many cases you have managed yourself? My comments are based on actual cases, not just what I read on the internet.

For one, published DWP statistics back up that the vast majority of IB->ESA claimants are assessed.

elle_may

Husbant went from ib to esa (support group) without atos and did not put in any medical evidence just filled in form.All was done in 3wks could not believe it, after all the horror stories i read.