advice needed please regarding ESA payments

edwink

Can anyone please offer me any advice on the following:-


A friend of mine was previously in the WRAG group of ESA. Last year in September she filled in her questionnaire and returned it as requested by early October.


This week she has received a letter from the DWP saying that she has been moved from the WRAG group to the Support group. This has happened without out a face to face assessment. Because she has move to the Support group her benefit amount has increased.


Her question is "when should her benefit be increased from?"


She feel that it should be increased from when she submitted her questionnaire. As she says it took 10 months for her to hear from the DWP.


She also feels that if she was originally in the support group and the decision maker moved her to the WRAG group after 10 months from the time she submitted her questionnaire she would have been overpaid and ask to return the money.


I would be grateful for any replies that I could pass on to help her!!


Thank you in advance x

bspm

I believe it is backdated to the 13th week of her original claim

Horseunderwater

Has she ever been in the support group prior to latest decision? If yes, then she should ask for the time she was in WRAG to now to be uprated to SG.

help4help2013

if she was placed in WRAG previously ( before she got the new ESA50) in September) then she should have asked for reconsideration back then if she felt she should have been in the SG (you only get one month to appeal that decision )

the new decision to place her in the SG will be from the information she put on the new ESA50 form they asked her to fill out in September the date she put on the ESA50 form in September last year that's when it should l be backdated from it should tell her on the award letter when the SG will be paid from

tommix

It's only backdated to the date that the decision was made to put her from Wrag to Support Group.

nannytone_2

i agree with tommix.
the support group award only starts on the day the decision was made, as it isnt a reconsideration or an appeal, just a reassessment.
if your friend had been reassessed and found fit for work ... would she find it reasonable if they asked for her WRAG componant back from the date she signed the ESA50?

edwink

Thank you to all of you that have responded to my post about my friend.


I e-mailed her again today to try and get a bit more information from her about this.


She has said that she was transferred from the old benefit Incapacity to ESA and placed in the WRAG group. This she accepted and had to go to work focused Job Centre meeting during that time. This she complied with although she is really not well and these worried the life out of her as she got so worried she would miss one as her health dictated to her if she went or not. Thankfully she says she managed to get to them over the course of the year. She sent in her filled in questionnaire last September as I have already mentioned. She was not asked to attend a face to face so just on paper alone she was moved from the WRAG group to the Support Group. She was so surprised to be moved. She said she filled out her questionnaire the same and sent in the same medical evidence as nothing had got better or worse with her health.


I suppose at the end of the day it looks as though the decision maker that looked at her claim this year chose a different group for her than the other decision maker did.


She is not complaining at all but just wondered if she should receive back pay as she like others really does not understand the new system. So it looks as though she will not get back pay as I thought but as I was not certain I thought I would post on here for for some advice.


Yes I understand what you are saying Nannytone about would she be happy if she had to to pay the WRAG group money back if she was found fit for work. That is a good point to make! Bless her she has been so worried about this all as I know others are on this site. She has said that she can concentrate on her health now and hopefully stop worrying.


I suppose it just seemed unfair to her as they took 10 months to get to her claim and make the new decision to move her.


I hope my question and the responses I received has helped others to clarify this sort of situation should they find themselves (in the same boat) as my friend.


Thank you to all who responded.


Take care x

tommix

The 'Support Group' is the best group..You get more money each week, plus your friend wont be compelled to attend Work focussed interviews anymore..All round good result!:beer:

edwink

tommix wrote: »

The 'Support Group' is the is the best group..You get more money each week, plus your friend wont be compelled to attend Work focussed interviews anymore..All round good result!:beer:

Thank you Tommix


I will pass your comments on to her!!!!


Thanks again x