Esa assessment coming up.

weedave111

Hi,

Received a letter today telling me I have to be assessed face to face.
I am in support group cont. based for around a year now. I never had an assessment to begin with and I was put straight into support group.
Is it likely that I will be moved to wrag? I still have my conditions which are sciatica back pain and also an over active bladder with urge incontenance (can't hold my bladder) and now I suffer with bad depression and I also have a bad addiction to codeine which I am getting help with.
I want to get back to work but not until I can sort myself out with my depression and addiction. What do you guys think? Will they say it's my own fault and put me into wrag? Really worried about this now. Please don't judge me? Thank you in advance!

TELLIT01

If you were put into the Support Group without a face to face assessment, and your condition hasn't improved it would seem unlikely that you would be moved to the WRAG. If you are, you can request a mandatory reconsideration.
In answer to your other question - No, they won't say it's all your own fault. The people doing the assessment are there to look at all aspects of your condition and then feed that back to the ESA Decision Makers who have the final say.

weedave111

TELLIT01 wrote: »

If you were put into the Support Group without a face to face assessment, and your condition hasn't improved it would seem unlikely that you would be moved to the WRAG. If you are, you can request a mandatory reconsideration.
In answer to your other question - No, they won't say it's all your own fault. The people doing the assessment are there to look at all aspects of your condition and then feed that back to the ESA Decision Makers who have the final say.

Thank you!

Alice_Holt

Might help to be aware of the Support Group Descriptors:
http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/med2/indexxx.php

You may well be placed in the Support Group because of:
"Absence or loss of control over extensive evacuation of the bowel and/or bladder, other than enuresis (bed-wetting) despite the presence of any aids or adaptations normally used.
(a) At least once a week experiences (i) loss of control leading to extensive evacuation of the bowel and/or voiding of the bladder; or (ii) substantial leakage of the contents of a collecting device; sufficient to require the individual to clean themselves and change clothing."

If this (and other activities do apply) have examples / illustarations ready to tell the assessor. You could take some notes / diary with you detailiing examples (and frequency) to tell the assessor. You can take someone with you to observe the assessment, and medical evidence to give the assessor.

More info here:
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/employment-and-support-allowance/help-with-your-esa-claim/esa-medical-assessment/

If it doesn't go according to plan, then get your local CAB to help with the appeal proccess.

Good Luck

weedave111

Alice_Holt wrote: »

Might help to be aware of the Support Group Descriptors:
http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/med2/indexxx.php

You may well be placed in the Support Group because of:
"Absence or loss of control over extensive evacuation of the bowel and/or bladder, other than enuresis (bed-wetting) despite the presence of any aids or adaptations normally used.
(a) At least once a week experiences (i) loss of control leading to extensive evacuation of the bowel and/or voiding of the bladder; or (ii) substantial leakage of the contents of a collecting device; sufficient to require the individual to clean themselves and change clothing."

If this (and other activities do apply) have examples / illustarations ready to tell the assessor. You could take some notes / diary with you detailiing examples (and frequency) to tell the assessor. You can take someone with you to observe the assessment, and medical evidence to give the assessor.

More info here:
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/employment-and-support-allowance/help-with-your-esa-claim/esa-medical-assessment/

If it doesn't go according to plan, then get your local CAB to help with the appeal proccess.

Good Luck

Thank you.