Coming changes to ESA. (Government response to report on WCA)

JaneDoeJohnDoe

rogerblack wrote: »

The DWP.
If your last claim was for depression - and you've been found fit, and then claim again for depression - it may be quite difficult to get them to accept the claim - even if your depression has gotten worse.
If you have a new condition agreed by your doctor - then it's less problematic.

It seems unlikely this would be piloted.
It's 'obviously right' and 'uncontraversial' - in their view.

Fair enough - just clarifying now -
So, say you claim for depression, get assess phase ESA, but found fit, go thru MR & Appeal (on appeals rate ESA) & lose then unlike now when it's 6 months from original decision of being found fit for work, if you were to claim again at any time for depression you wouldn't get assess phase ESA until actually been assessed. So doc could give 'fit' note saying CANT WORK so can't get JSA, but until you've been assessed - which prob be several wks after a claim - you won't get any kind of ESA or anything else at all! :mad:

Methinks some one somewhere is going to have to make the reclaim bit CRYSTAL CLEAR!

rogerblack

JaneDoeJohnDoe wrote: »

So doc could give 'fit' note saying CANT WORK so can't get JSA, but until you've been assessed - which prob be several wks after a claim - you won't get any kind of ESA or anything else at all!

On a general point - a fit-note saying you can't work is entirely irrelevant.
You can claim JSA, or indeed work - with one.
Your doctor is (presumably) a GP.
They have often limited knowledge of actual best practice in recovery for many illnesses - they are generalists, and do not have actual specific knowledge of the best way to recover. For some people and conditions, that will involve - perhaps limited - work, when the GP thinks this is impossible.

From a DWP perspective - the determination that you are fit for work overrides your doctors note.

This applies to JSA, ESA, and UC.