ESA claim still waiting.

rich_shot2003

I put in a claim for ESA back in June and started to get payments within a couple of weeks and got a letter to have a Assessment at start of oct.

but then a week later had another to say that i dont need to go to a assessment as they had enough details from my doctor about my health issues so it was cancelled and that i am to wait for a letter from DWP to find out what group i will go into.

i am still waiting for that to be done so how long are they taking at the moment as i have been on ESA for about 18 weeks now and they soon do them when they are going to stop say DLA as i well know and that was done and sent to me within a week!!!!

IAmWales

18 weeks is quicker than most, some people wait three times that long.

epitome

Wow, that is quick..... and it is only October 16th today...

I would suggest waiting until the end of November before phoning and asking the DWP about the decision.

des147

Would I be correct to state that if the OP is a new claim to ESA and having been awarded without an assessment (paper based) the only option by law would be a Support group placement.

DWP can not find someone fit for work nor can they place into WRAG new claims without a person to person assessment.


https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/502920/3801-2015.pdf

Freedom of Information request 2015-3801
Date received 07 September 2015
Date of response 23 February 2016

DWP response
The Work Capability Assessment (WCA) determines eligibility for Employment
and Support Allowance (ESA). It is a functional assessment which looks at
what a person can do rather than assuming that their health condition or
disability is automatically a barrier to work. It also identifies those claimants
who can work; those who require more support to move into employment and
with the right support could work; as well as those who face the greatest
barriers to employment and therefore are unable to work.
In practice, individuals are assessed by qualified healthcare professionals
against a set of qualifying descriptors. DWP decision makers will consider the
healthcare professionals’ advice, along with any other appropriate evidence,
when determining entitlement to ESA and which group the individual should
be placed in: the Work-Related Activity Group (WRAG) or the Support Group
(SG).

For new ESA claims, at the initial Work Capability Assessment, only SG
recommendations can be made using paper evidence only. At repeat
assessments and for Incapacity Benefit Reassessment (IBR), both SG and
WRAG recommendations can be made using paper evidence only. No
claimant can be found fit for work without undergoing a face-to-face
assessment.

Table 1: ESA Work Capability Assessments – Type of Work Capability
Assessment (WCA) by specified decision outcome and paper-based
assessment method, Great Britain: October 2008 – March 2015
WCA type Decision Total Decisions Of which paperbased cases
Initial
Support Group 766,600 441,900
Repeat
Support Group 685,800 465,000
Work Related Activity
Group 502,900 235,900
IBR
Support Group 633,400 448,500
Work Related Activity
Group 488,400
243,000
Source: Data in the above tables is derived from administrative data held by
the DWP and assessment data provided by the healthcare provider.
Notes:
1. Data is rounded to nearest 100.
2. Figures exclude clerical cases and, for ESA initial/repeat assessments,
Terminally Ill (Special Rules) cases. Information on Incapacity Benefits
Reassessments (IBR) special rules cases is not available.
3. ESA new claims initial and repeat assessments are tabled by claim
start date, Incapacity Benefits Reassessments (IBR) are tabled by
referral date. The reassessment of existing incapacity benefits
claimants started in October 2010 with a trial in the Burnley and
Aberdeen areas.
4. For new ESA initial claims only Support Group recommendations can
be made using paper evidence only. At repeat ESA assessments and
for Incapacity Benefit Reassessments, both SG and WRAG
recommendations can be made using paper evidence only.

I have sourced another piece of information that also cover this

https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmselect/cmworpen/302/30206.htm

Taken from the above information page I was hoping to get some kind of verification

PAPER-BASED ASSESSMENTS AND THE WRAG

23. New ESA claimants can only be placed in the Support Group on a paper-based assessment; it is not possible for them to be placed in the WRAG without a face-to-face assessment. However, IB claimants being reassessed for ESA can be placed in either the Support Group or the WRAG without a face-to-face assessment. Between autumn 2010 (when the trials of IB reassessment began) and March 2013, 214,000 IB claimants were reassessed and placed in the WRAG without a face-to-face assessment.[39]

27. We also recommend that DMs give much more careful consideration to whether a claimant can be placed in the Support Group without having to undergo a face-to-face assessment. Paper-based decisions are quicker, cheaper and less stressful for claimants, and may well be possible for a greater number of claims than is currently the case. However, we do not believe that paper-based assessments are appropriate for placing people in the WRAG, as can currently happen with IB reassessments (but not ESA new claims), because moving a claimant to a lower level of benefit should be based on the widest available evidence, particularly given the additional job-search conditionality which arises from being in the WRAG. We recommend that DWP change this policy urgently so that IB claimants are not placed in the WRAG without a face-to-face assessment.

rich_shot2003

des147 wrote: »

Would I be correct to state that if the OP is a new claim to ESA and having been awarded without an assessment (paper based) the only option by law would be a Support group placement.

DWP can not find someone fit for work nor can they place into WRAG new claims without a person to person assessment.


https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/502920/3801-2015.pdf

Freedom of Information request 2015-3801
Date received 07 September 2015
Date of response 23 February 2016

DWP response
The Work Capability Assessment (WCA) determines eligibility for Employment
and Support Allowance (ESA). It is a functional assessment which looks at
what a person can do rather than assuming that their health condition or
disability is automatically a barrier to work. It also identifies those claimants
who can work; those who require more support to move into employment and
with the right support could work; as well as those who face the greatest
barriers to employment and therefore are unable to work.
In practice, individuals are assessed by qualified healthcare professionals
against a set of qualifying descriptors. DWP decision makers will consider the
healthcare professionals’ advice, along with any other appropriate evidence,
when determining entitlement to ESA and which group the individual should
be placed in: the Work-Related Activity Group (WRAG) or the Support Group
(SG).

For new ESA claims, at the initial Work Capability Assessment, only SG
recommendations can be made using paper evidence only. At repeat
assessments and for Incapacity Benefit Reassessment (IBR), both SG and
WRAG recommendations can be made using paper evidence only. No
claimant can be found fit for work without undergoing a face-to-face
assessment.

Table 1: ESA Work Capability Assessments – Type of Work Capability
Assessment (WCA) by specified decision outcome and paper-based
assessment method, Great Britain: October 2008 – March 2015
WCA type Decision Total Decisions Of which paperbased cases
Initial
Support Group 766,600 441,900
Repeat
Support Group 685,800 465,000
Work Related Activity
Group 502,900 235,900
IBR
Support Group 633,400 448,500
Work Related Activity
Group 488,400
243,000
Source: Data in the above tables is derived from administrative data held by
the DWP and assessment data provided by the healthcare provider.
Notes:
1. Data is rounded to nearest 100.
2. Figures exclude clerical cases and, for ESA initial/repeat assessments,
Terminally Ill (Special Rules) cases. Information on Incapacity Benefits
Reassessments (IBR) special rules cases is not available.
3. ESA new claims initial and repeat assessments are tabled by claim
start date, Incapacity Benefits Reassessments (IBR) are tabled by
referral date. The reassessment of existing incapacity benefits
claimants started in October 2010 with a trial in the Burnley and
Aberdeen areas.
4. For new ESA initial claims only Support Group recommendations can
be made using paper evidence only. At repeat ESA assessments and
for Incapacity Benefit Reassessments, both SG and WRAG
recommendations can be made using paper evidence only.

I have sourced another piece of information that also cover this

https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmselect/cmworpen/302/30206.htm

Taken from the above information page I was hoping to get some kind of verification

PAPER-BASED ASSESSMENTS AND THE WRAG

23. New ESA claimants can only be placed in the Support Group on a paper-based assessment; it is not possible for them to be placed in the WRAG without a face-to-face assessment. However, IB claimants being reassessed for ESA can be placed in either the Support Group or the WRAG without a face-to-face assessment. Between autumn 2010 (when the trials of IB reassessment began) and March 2013, 214,000 IB claimants were reassessed and placed in the WRAG without a face-to-face assessment.[39]

27. We also recommend that DMs give much more careful consideration to whether a claimant can be placed in the Support Group without having to undergo a face-to-face assessment. Paper-based decisions are quicker, cheaper and less stressful for claimants, and may well be possible for a greater number of claims than is currently the case. However, we do not believe that paper-based assessments are appropriate for placing people in the WRAG, as can currently happen with IB reassessments (but not ESA new claims), because moving a claimant to a lower level of benefit should be based on the widest available evidence, particularly given the additional job-search conditionality which arises from being in the WRAG. We recommend that DWP change this policy urgently so that IB claimants are not placed in the WRAG without a face-to-face assessment.

Yes my Claim is a new claim.

rich_shot2003

Just called them to get a update as too if its gone to a DM yet and as of yet no it has not.

if i get put into the support group would i get anymore money and if so does it get backed paid?

she just send there is no time frame on when it will be done and told me to keep sending in fit notes.

also what worries me is that she can see that Medical services sent it back to them but she could not see that its been sent to a DM.

poppy12345

rich_shot2003 wrote: »

Just called them to get a update as too if its gone to a DM yet and as of yet no it has not.

if i get put into the support group would i get anymore money and if so does it get backed paid?

she just send there is no time frame on when it will be done and told me to keep sending in fit notes.

also what worries me is that she can see that Medical services sent it back to them but she could not see that its been sent to a DM.

It's backdated to week 14 of your claim. How mch you get will depend on your circumstances, Income Related or Contribution based? single, joint claim?

epitome

des147 wrote: »

Would I be correct to state that if the OP is a new claim to ESA and having been awarded without an assessment (paper based) the only option by law would be a Support group placement.

DWP can not find someone fit for work nor can they place into WRAG new claims without a person to person assessment.
.

I have never seen this subject discussed before. I have always assumed it can be either wrag or sg...

And having never thought about it before I didn't look out for examples where it was one or the other.

Will be interesting to see what the OPs decision is...

By the way OP, you can ask now for the medical report to be sent to you - don't listen to them if they say you can't have it until a decision has been made.... if they say this they are wrong and you should ask to speak to a manager and make a formal complaint (to that manager over the phone) if they do not agree to send it to you. The Medical Report would give you some pointers as to what group has been recommended.


Until I see an ESA regulation (legislation) that specifically outlaws WRAG on scrutiny, I will continue to believe that either is possible for new claimants.