ESA Support Group and Medical Statements

Leeki

I've been on ESA for almost two years now and was put into the support group six months ago. Until then, I would send in medical statements from my GP every few weeks.

After entering the support group, I found out I no longer needed to send in medical statements so I stopped. I was sent a letter afterwards telling me my statement was about to expire, but knowing the statements were no longer necessary, I ignored it without consequence.

I've been receiving payments normally since, however last week I was sent another letter. It tells me my last medical statement expired on 13/03/2015 and that if I have recently sent a statement to cover me from that date, to ignore it. I'm not sure what to think of suddenly being told this after not hearing anything for six months.

Is this something I can safely ignore? Does being on the support group count has having a medical statement that covers this, or does this letter mean I'm now required to send them? If I haven't had a valid statement for six months and I've still been getting paid I would assume it's the former, but I'm worried something may have been changed without my knowledge.

Torry_Quine

Once you have been put into either group then you no longer need to send in fit-notes. Personally though I would contact them to confirm they are aware you are in the support group and no longer need to send them a fit-note

TELLIT01

You should never ignore any communication from DWP or any other government department. Information can be requested at any time and failure to provide can result in benefit being suspended.
I suspect that a 6 month cert was put on the system when it should have been set not to need one any more.

Leeki

TELLIT01 wrote: »

I suspect that a 6 month cert was put on the system when it should have been set not to need one any more.

I thought that might have been the case, but wouldn't the expiration date on the letter reflect that?

TELLIT01

I'd missed that Leeki. Odd that it's almost exactly 6 months since the expiry date of the med cert mentioned. It doesn't make any sense as payment should cease when the med cert expires. Give them a call on Monday just to put your own mind at rest.