Esa Issue

millionaire-to-be

Hi

I have a long term illness that has meant i have been off work since middle of Jan this year currently undergoing hospital investigations.
SSP ran out in August applied for Esa will be thirteen weeks the last week of November have been invited to a Work Focused Interview although I have not had an ESA medical assessment or received any letter to say I have been put in any group.
My question is this mandatory? as it states at the bottom it is form F1 ESA Voluntary 01/13 and on the reverse it states you can ring if you have a gppd reason not to take part.
I have a job to go back to and also self-employed that is on hold at the moment so I do not need help finding a job and my employers are willing to work with me once my medication has been stabalised.
I am stressed enough with long term illness, insomnia and other side effects from tablets do not feel likeputting myself through any more at the moment.
Would appreciate everyones comments.

rogerblack

You have to go to WFI - if you are being paid ESA, and are not in the support group generally.
You can request that this is deferred.

HB58

It used to be that the WFIs were not carried out until the claimant had been assigned to a main-phase group. However, legislation allows for these to be carried out during the assessment phase and this seems to be happening more often, maybe because the assessments are taking so long. As Roger says, you can request that this is deferred or carried out over the phone. However, this is entirely at the discretion of the JCP advisor. Whatever you do, don't simply ignore this or you run a real risk of your claim being closed.

rogerblack

HB58 wrote: »

It used to be that the WFIs were not carried out until the claimant had been assigned to a main-phase group.

I can only say that was not the case in 2011 - I had a WFI before being assigned to a group.

HB58

rogerblack wrote: »

I can only say that was not the case in 2011 - I had a WFI before being assigned to a group.

I stand corrected