ESA support group - how often assessed

janzbro

Hi, I have recently been put into the ESA support group and wondered how often I will be assessed to remain in this group - is it every year or more frequently 

poppy12345

The reply from the other thread where you asked the question is this.

Under normal circumstances you can be reassessed anytime from 3 months. Reviews are currently suspended with a new update hopefully soon.
Having been in the Support Group myself since 2012/13 i've had 4 reviews in that time and my most recent one was March this year.

janzbro

Hi, thanks - so there is not set period of time, it can be anytime after 3 month. 
Is the ESA50 required each and every time 

poppy12345

You can ring DWP and they will give you a date for your next review but this is only ever a guide and nothing more. Some people wait 6 months and others it's a couple of years between assessments.

Yes it's the ESA50 for all reviews.

tazwhoever

Just to add, Support Group reassessment from 3 months to 3 years, so it's flexible according to your illnesses. 

poppy12345

tazwhoever said:

 from 3 months to 3 years,

I wouldn't say 3 years is the maximum. People have gone a lot longer than that between assessments. Support Group is ongoing for as long as you remain in that group. There's also some people who will never need to be reviewed ever again and will remain in the Support Group for as long as they're entitled to it. Unless their condition changes of course.

janzbro

Thanks again - I will wait and see, it will happen when it happens.

Spoonie_Turtle

poppy12345 said:

tazwhoever said:

 from 3 months to 3 years,

I wouldn't say 3 years is the maximum. People have gone a lot longer than that between assessments. Support Group is ongoing for as long as you remain in that group. There's also some people who will never need to be reviewed ever again and will remain in the Support Group for as long as they're entitled to it. Unless their condition changes of course.

I was not aware of this until my aunt mentioned she'd never been reassessed since being put in the support group 7 years ago! She assumed it was the same for everybody, so it was quite nice to be able to tell her that no, that was a decision they made based on her circumstances. [Incidentally, she had a nightmare face-to-face assessment but then got that decision the first time, no needing to fight for it. Bizarre.]

poppy12345

Spoonie_Turtle said:

poppy12345 said:

tazwhoever said:

 from 3 months to 3 years,

I wouldn't say 3 years is the maximum. People have gone a lot longer than that between assessments. Support Group is ongoing for as long as you remain in that group. There's also some people who will never need to be reviewed ever again and will remain in the Support Group for as long as they're entitled to it. Unless their condition changes of course.

I was not aware of this until my aunt mentioned she'd never been reassessed since being put in the support group 7 years ago! She assumed it was the same for everybody, so it was quite nice to be able to tell her that no, that was a decision they made based on her circumstances. [Incidentally, she had a nightmare face-to-face assessment but then got that decision the first time, no needing to fight for it. Bizarre.]

This would not be because she no longer needs anymore reassessments. This is most likely because she's just not be contacted.

No further reassesments have only been in place since 2017. This applies to people with severe life long disabilites and will apply to some but not everyone because it has very specific criteria. Details here. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/employment-and-support-allowance-and-universal-credit-changes-to-the-work-capability-assessment

Spoonie_Turtle

poppy12345 said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

poppy12345 said:

tazwhoever said:

 from 3 months to 3 years,

I wouldn't say 3 years is the maximum. People have gone a lot longer than that between assessments. Support Group is ongoing for as long as you remain in that group. There's also some people who will never need to be reviewed ever again and will remain in the Support Group for as long as they're entitled to it. Unless their condition changes of course.

I was not aware of this until my aunt mentioned she'd never been reassessed since being put in the support group 7 years ago! She assumed it was the same for everybody, so it was quite nice to be able to tell her that no, that was a decision they made based on her circumstances. [Incidentally, she had a nightmare face-to-face assessment but then got that decision the first time, no needing to fight for it. Bizarre.]

This would not be because she no longer needs anymore reassessments. This is most likely because she's just not be contacted.

No further reassesments have only been in place since 2017. This applies to people with severe life long disabilites and will apply to some but not everyone because it has very specific criteria. Details here. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/employment-and-support-allowance-and-universal-credit-changes-to-the-work-capability-assessment

Ah right. She will never be able to work again, she will never get better (in fact she's got much worse since first claiming) but they're not lifelong conditions in the true, congenital sense. Just ...'for the rest of her life' long.

[I won't ask her if they specifically told her she wouldn't be reassessed because that would spike her severe anxiety unnecessarily.]

skye_

I've been in ESA SG since 2013 and I've never been reassessed. I was supposed to have a phone assessment last month but it was put off due to staff shortages..that's what they said anyway!