Esa support gp - review in 'medium term'

HI,


I want to ask several questions about my recent ESA review but for now I'd just like to ask:


I was put in the Support Group and paperwork says 'to be reviewed in the medium term as all avenues haven't been exhausted'


Clearly the HCP didn't read my forms correctly or listen to me regarding 'the all avenues bit'.


However, I am grateful I have been placed in the Support Group again.


My question is 'How long is the medium term' does anyone have any clue?

Comments

  • poppy12345
    poppy12345 Posts: 17,841
    First Anniversary First Post Name Dropper
    Forumite
    dazza-mac wrote: »

    My question is 'How long is the medium term' does anyone have any clue?
    It really makes no difference how long this is because for ESA they can re-assess you anytime from 3 months. This is the reason why ESA decision letters never state how long the award is for.
  • KxMx
    KxMx Posts: 10,580
    First Post Name Dropper First Anniversary Photogenic
    Forumite
    If you call the ESA line, they will be able to tell you the date of your next Work Capability Assessment.

    This is only a guide and not an iron clad date, but they do usually stick to it.
  • poppy12345
    poppy12345 Posts: 17,841
    First Anniversary First Post Name Dropper
    Forumite
    KxMx wrote: »
    This is only a guide and not an iron clad date, but they do usually stick to it.
    I disagree, i've always gone over the time they've given me and i've heard that some have be re-assessed before the time they've been given.
  • dazza-mac
    dazza-mac Posts: 336
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Post
    Forumite
    When I was last seen (several years ago) I had to go to appeal and won under the Regs 35 (2) (b) and it stated that I would not be able to return to work in the long term, yet this time I didn't have to go to appeal and was placed in the support group again - however there is nothing specific to say why, unlike at the appeal last time.


    It's a puzzle to me that the HCP said that all avenues hadn't been tried and when I asked for a copy of the assessment he never even took into consideration other health factors.


    It seems he relied almost entirely on the fact that I have Fibromyalgia (which is good as I feel that it sometimes isn't taken seriously).


    It may sound a stupid question, but should I do anything about this as I have other health problems that I gave a full account of in my esa form- yet they were hardly referred to.
  • poppy12345
    poppy12345 Posts: 17,841
    First Anniversary First Post Name Dropper
    Forumite
    dazza-mac wrote: »
    It seems he relied almost entirely on the fact that I have Fibromyalgia (which is good as I feel that it sometimes isn't taken seriously).


    It may sound a stupid question, but should I do anything about this as I have other health problems that I gave a full account of in my esa form- yet they were hardly referred to.


    Simple answer is no, definitely not. Why would you even consider doing that? You've successfully been placed into the Support Group so why risk losing that? You can't be placed into a better group than this.


    My advice, take your award and be happy you're in the Support Group because there's a lot of people out there fighting tooth and nail to be placed into this group.
  • My last esa decision sg again last year stated quite clearly that I would never be re-assessed and that I would receive no more ESA50's
  • Muttleythefrog
    Muttleythefrog Posts: 19,724
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    Forumite
    edited 31 May 2019 at 11:59PM
    Well in passing.... I would consider them to regard longer term as 3 years... so perhaps 1.5-2 years? I would be tempted to contact them.... and see when you are due for review... they should give a date. As Poppy says you can't rely on it. However I think they probably are reliable dates. They seem to have been in my case.... the only time they haven't reviewed when the date came up was during the ATOS debacle when they had to postpone the more disabled claimant reassessments. I thus missed one in 2016 after getting 3 years longer term 'prognosis' in 2013.. but up it came in 2019 (and is frustratingly ongoing after over 3 months now). All other reassessment dates have been in line with the prognosis/their system.
    "Do not attribute to conspiracy what can adequately be explained by incompetence" - rogerblack
  • dazza-mac
    dazza-mac Posts: 336
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Post
    Forumite
    poppy12345 wrote: »
    Simple answer is no, definitely not. Why would you even consider doing that? You've successfully been placed into the Support Group so why risk losing that? You can't be placed into a better group than this.


    My advice, take your award and be happy you're in the Support Group because there's a lot of people out there fighting tooth and nail to be placed into this group.


    I take your point and I do appreciate that people are fighting to be placed in this group. It was just bugging me as it took me ages to fill the form in, my dad was very ill in hospital at the time and I could not get an extention to fill the form in and get all documents etc together.


    I think it's because we're told to write everything fully, and I did. What irks is that I genuinely don't think they read it all. I have mobility supplement due to foot problems which never even got a mention.


    I shall take your advice and wait until the next assessment.
  • poppy12345
    poppy12345 Posts: 17,841
    First Anniversary First Post Name Dropper
    Forumite
    dazza-mac wrote: »
    I take your point and I do appreciate that people are fighting to be placed in this group. It was just bugging me as it took me ages to fill the form in, my dad was very ill in hospital at the time and I could not get an extention to fill the form in and get all documents etc together.


    I think it's because we're told to write everything fully, and I did. What irks is that I genuinely don't think they read it all. I have mobility supplement due to foot problems which never even got a mention.


    I shall take your advice and wait until the next assessment.
    There's no extension of time to return the ESA50 form. The rules are relaxed if you're claiming for mental health and it's noted on the computer. Otherwise the rules are extremely strict.



    I understand what you mean. When they assessed they most likely seen that the way your fibromyalgia affects you could keep in the the Support Group so they decided to ask you questions based on that.



    It was the same for me when i had my last assessment for ESA. Fibro is one of the things i claim it for...multiple other reasons too but during my assessment she concentrated purely on the way my fibro affects my daily life. Nothing else was mentioned in the report but i was fine with that. I knew the reasons why i was previously in the Support Group and that mobilising would most likely be the reason that would keep me in there and it was.
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 342.5K Banking & Borrowing
  • 249.9K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 449.4K Spending & Discounts
  • 234.6K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 607.1K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 172.8K Life & Family
  • 247.4K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 15.8K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards