how long from WCA letter ("ESA50"), to interview / desicion ?

Bananas123

hello,

please can anyone who has done so, this year, or recently, tell me how long they had to waited from sending out the work capability assessement, ot being called in for a interview / recieved a response ?

or anyone know the approximate processing times currently ?.

thankyou very much for any help.

Anchoress

My forms went back on 7th April and I'm still waiting to hear from them.

Bananas123

thankyou!.

i know there is a week+ processing time (from posting), until they acknowlege they have recieved it (on the basis i got a automated warning, despite posting it 1 week earlier or so then the warning letter stated)

i have only been waiting 5 weeks thus far (from that time), but it's really starting to test patience...

does anybody know if they work to deadlines to process cases ? (maximum timeframe ?)

thanks

grace68

My sons was returned by February 20th, still waiting!

paragon909

Bananas123 wrote: »

thankyou!.

i know there is a week+ processing time (from posting), until they acknowlege they have recieved it (on the basis i got a automated warning, despite posting it 1 week earlier or so then the warning letter stated)

i have only been waiting 5 weeks thus far (from that time), but it's really starting to test patience...

does anybody know if they work to deadlines to process cases ? (maximum timeframe ?)

thanks

It varies depending where you stay and depending on your local assessment centre availability etc. It's normally 13 weeks, but that can be shorter or much longer...

TELLIT01

paragon909 wrote: »

It varies depending where you stay and depending on your local assessment centre availability etc. It's normally 13 weeks, but that can be shorter or much longer...

The assessment is supposed to be done within 13 weeks of the start of the claim, not within 13 weeks of the ESA50 being returned. However, the reality is that timescales vary greately between areas. There have been instances where Contributions based entitlements have ended and the assessment has still not been done. i.e. over 12 months.

Bananas123

thankyou for all replies,

does anybody know; can the DWP give a peson a approximate timescale, if you ring them ?

or are they as oblivious as we are ?

thanks!

daphnemoon

My form was sent to me December 2015. Returned mid January. April was booked for a medical for May. 5 weeks later still no decision letter.

It's taken me a couple of weeks to have a good enough day to face calling them. I was told no decision yet but that it shouldn't be too much longer now!

So basically they don't know and you won't know till you get the phone call/letter!

Hope this helps, I know how frustrating waiting can be (and the stress of that actually makes my condition much worse) so you are not alone!

UKTigerlily

I'm with the crisis team right now & the lady that came out today, said that so many of their patients are going through this and it's stretching the resources and she feels they should have fair & mental health assessor assessments.

It's such a stress to go through, I know they have to do so, and agree but for me, an assessment at home with a mh nurse/dr would be easier. What happens if we are deemed capable of work? Do they cut the ESA just like that?

TELLIT01

Bananas123 wrote: »

thankyou for all replies,

does anybody know; can the DWP give a peson a approximate timescale, if you ring them ?

or are they as oblivious as we are ?

thanks!

Back in the early days of ESA, in the office I worked at anyway, we used to call ATOS (as it was then) to try to find out the timescales. Unfortunately there are now so many people waiting for assessment, that call is pointless as the reply is always "There's a backlog, and we'll contact the customer when we have a date".
So in answer to your question, YES, DWP staff have no better idea than you.:(

Bananas123

thanks!!!

...i will try work on my patience.

hopefully get a letter soon...

thanks for saving me an exponential amount of 10p's in phone money... (attempting to ring them)

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UKTigerlily wrote: »

What happens if we are deemed capable of work? Do they cut the ESA just like that?

they put you / keep you on the assessment rate, as then mandatory reconsideration, then if you don't appeal a "no" from them, i think you get booted off and have to apply for JSA (cannot open a new esa claim in 6 months i think (?)).

but if you appeal etc, you won't get cut off etc, until after the tribunal (which if 6 months+ from claim start you can reapply).

(you get money backdated if you are succesfull (which will be from week 14 onwards (the full rate you would have been recieving minus the assessment rate).

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...it's obviously not nice if you get 0's thrown back at you and are relying on esa for your entire income ...being ill and whatnot... (not even considering what vulnreable people have to go through).

....pretty depressing subject.

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thanks guys