All repeat WCA medicals to be stopped

John_Clark

Thanks for the replies.
I have found ringing them is usually a frustrating and expensive waste of time. But I discovered from one phone call I had been migrated from Incapacity Benefit to Work Related Support Group 3 months earlier without my knowlege :eek: I was still being paid Incapacity Benefit, and had been told nothing, so naturally assumed wrongly that no decision had been made. The ATOS 'nurse' had ignored my one week old ESA50 (my condition clearly meets and exceeds the descriptors for support group) and relied instead on an eight year old Medical Report produced when my condition was less debilitating :mad:.
I was being passed from pillar to post, so I asked for a call back from a decision maker who phoned next day and after a short conversation changed the decision to support group immediately, with a review after 2 years - but 2 years from the date of the original decision, not 2 years from her changing it. So my review is scheduled for next week. As I have heard nothing, and saw this thread, I wonder if it has been put back?

Anchoress

I think they usually send out the ESA50 at least a month prior to your review date. As you haven't had one I would suspect that your review has been postponed.

Best phone them again and ask them if they have sent out the forms as you are due for reassessment, just in case they have been lost in the post. As I said in my other post, I did that and I was told I was up for reassessment but have heard absolutely nothing since.

KxMx

I think the only way people will find out their own review dates is to phone and ask.

nannytone_2

i wouldnt risk 'assuming' the renewal date has been postponed.
the fact that you were migrated from IB to ESA without being informed would make me feel that there might be a possibility that a letter may have been 'lost' and could lead to benefit being suspended due to not returning the form!

John_Clark

Just an update for anybody who is interested. I have just phoned and been told some are being deferred for 18 months, but they cannot check to see whether mine has been deferred because the computer system is down.

John_Clark

KxMx wrote: »

I think the only way people will find out their own review dates is to phone and ask.

Hopeless. I phoned the number on my letter and got a recorded message saying it had been changed to the benefit enquiry line 03456088545. The only time I got to speak to anybody was when their computer was down so they couldn't tell me anything. Tried several times since. Usual button pressing palava, then told all our agents are busy, we are usually less busy between 8am to 9am. But tried at 8.05 and its just as bad. Put on hold then cut off without speaking to anybody :mad:

John_Clark

KxMx wrote: »

I think the only way people will find out their own review dates is to phone and ask.

You were right, Thank You.
Got through to the benefit enquiry line on 08456088545 after ten minutes on hold, and discovered my next review has been moved on by about 18 months.
At least it saves me worrying whether they are going to say they posted me a form and I didn't send it back in time.

KxMx

I'm glad you got it sorted, I know all too well the frustrations of dealing with the JCP over the phone!

I know my review is due August 2015 so early next year I will be phoning every other month or so to see if it changes.

Murphybear

Murphybear wrote: »

Not clear whether people having sent back forms for routine repeat WCA over the last few months will be reassessed. I sent back my form in July, not heard anything. Must be loads of us in this position

Update of this.

I received an appointment from Atos in September. I phoned to confirm as I had not recently filled out a form, they said it was the July 2013 form and apologised for the delay. They phoned the day before to confirm I would be there but I was ill in bed so cancelled it. They said it wasn't a problem and the DWP would send me a form. DWP did this then phoned me for a chat and agreed that having a medical was a waste of time as I am due to retire in a few months. They referred me to a decision maker, I am still waiting and still getting the full ESA. So there we have it:mad:

harry7075

I received a letter a bit back which stated "due to a recent change of circumstances they've reviewed my case" it then goes on to state I'll remain in the support group.

It was a bit of a shock as I've not filled in an ESA50 never mind attended a medical.