ESA Assessment

Hi Sukes,

thanks for for your reply. I was wondering how soon I could ask DWP for the report. I will leave it a couple of days, then ring them.

Thank you.

Hi Kim,  

what am I like,  I hadn't twigged that it was an ESA assessment, I completely missed that sorry, for some reason I thought you were talking about PIP, so please just ignore my reply.  If I had a brain I would be dangerous 

Aww sukes lol you're funny but sweet too! I had to go back and re-read it because i thought it was PIP at first. xx

Hi Sukes, 

no problem. Thank you for you reply anyway 😀

Hi, 

Thanks for your reply. Wow, 2 weeks, that was quick. I'll keep my fingers crossed mine comes back that quick.

Hi did u work in dwp?

Hi Denise,

Thank you for your reply. I did ask the lady that did my assessment, how long it will take & she said 4-6 weeks but I didn't know whether to believe that or not.

The lady that did my assessment was a doctor. Is this common for doctors to do the assessments?

i am so glad it is over with now. I have been a nervous wreck worrying about it for the last few days.

I just hope I won't have to wait too long for the results.

No and never will. Why do you ask that? I claim ESA and PIP.

Yes Doctors have been known to do the assessments, even Nurses, physiotherapists. It's stressful that's for sure. When i first applied for ESA i waited 10 months for my assessment and a further 7 weeks for the decision. Hopefully you won't be waiting too long. Good luck.

Coz u seem to no alot they tried 2 send me 50miles away for a medical i have just moved house told them no chance not fit then they wanted me to pay 4 taxi and al get it back told them no money finally they said they will get me assesed 8 miles from me after me screaming at him but they couldnt come 2 my house to do it anyway i told him if ur chronic ur not supposed 2 b attending medicals government said that i have been for 6 medicals and passed them but i no there lying b******s so where do i stand

That's because I've been through the whole process multiple times myself and I've done my extensive research. 

The first appointment they send a person will almost always been to a centre that's far away. This is because those appointments are computer generated. You can change the time and place if it's not suitable but you can only do this once. If you refuse the next one then your file will be returned to DWP and it's likely you'll be refused that benefit. As for a home assessment you'll need a letter from your GP stating the reasons why a home assessment is needed. You'll more than likely be refused without this letter. Hope this answers your questions.

Ok thanks

As for claimants whith chronic conditions no longer needing to be assessed i'm afraid this hasn't come into affect yet. They have yet to announce the criteria for this. I have no idea when this is going to happen and until it does everyone will be re-assessed.

As in no1 is left on the sick.no wonder they call it lourdes u go in sick and come out cured

Well these HCP's don't always lie. Yes we hear stories about the lies they tell in the reports but what we forget is about is all the good stories out there. The ones we just never hear about, the reason this is, is because if someone has a decision in their favour and they're happy with that then they don't have any questions to ask. Therefore we don't hear their story. I've been assessed for ESA and PIP multiple times over the past 5 years and all of my reports have been 100% truthful and accurate. Having an understanding on what that benefit is all about is a good start. There's so many people out there that just don't understand it. It helps to do some research before going to any assessment for the first time because going into the unknown is always scary.

I have seen reports from my mates and load of lies in them as for me this will b my 7th medical and i will defo never get better only worse and they no that plus i have another serous ailment from 2 years ago.they were supposed 2 b sending me for pip this year heard nothing got low care dla for life

I so far have won them all the last 1 i had 2 wait 4 month 4 result and the people i no that got flung off only discovered that when they went to get there money and it wasnt in there letters came weeks or months later that is to much stress

My condition will only get worse too and 1000's of other are exactly the same but they continue to send us for assessments, you're not the only one.

As for your DLA to PIP transfer they are massively behind in this and it could be as late as 2018 that you're invited to apply. You could start to gather all your evidence while you wait if you haven't already done so. You will only have 1 month to return that completed PIP2 form once you start your claim off and the time goes by very fast. Most people are sent for a face to face assessment for this too so doing some research will help. DLA and PIP are completely different benefits and like i said there's so many that don't understand it. Well whenever your assessment is for ESA and when you begin your PIP transfer good luck.

Ok, thank you.  I have been waiting nearly nine months. I hope the decision won't take that long.

Thank you.

Your advise & knowledge is so helpful Denise. 

Thank you.

Aye thanks Denise i no people who got pip and high rate dla and nothing wrong with them so i dont want alot just money for taxis when i get bad i moved house for better air quality but on the negative side am not near alot ah well if its 4 me fair do.

Hi Denise, sorry to butt in on this post buy would like some advice. I was on incapacity benefit and was transferred onto ESA in 2015 without applying for it. Like you I have a chronic and debilitating condition that will only get worse.

Is it like PIP where your reassessment starts a year early, as I haven't got a clue. Many thanks, Dee.

Hi,

No it's nothing like PIP. If you're in the Support Group the max amount of time between re-assessments is supposed to be 3 years, but because there was a huge backlog some time ago they let many claimants go without contacting them. They're slowly catching in now. As you've only been on ESA for 2 years you may have another year yet before they contact you.

I believe it's 2 years for the WRAG.

Hi Denise,

I called DWP a few days ago to ask for a copy of my report following my esa assessment earlier this week & I was told the report is automatically sent out with the decision letter. Is this correct because I would have thought if you don't request the report, they wouldn't send it?

Oh dear you've been informed wrong! You're right, they don't automatically send a copy of the report out. They won't send it unless you ask for it to be sent. I'd advice ringing them again to ask them to send you a copy. Hopefully this time you'll talk to someone different.

It is incredible how many times I have phoned DWP & been misinformed. Do they actually know what they are doing??

I did ask them to send me a copy of the report, I will call them again to check they are going to send it.

I have just called DWP & I was told I cannot request a copy of the report until a decision has been made. I questioned this & asked if they can put a note on their system that I have requested the report & was told no, you will need to call us again once a decision has been made. GGRRRRRRR.

I was on hold for over 20 minutes waiting to speak to somebody, do they really think we have nothing better to do!!!!!!

Ah yes it's ESA, my mistake. They won't allow you to see that report until a decision's been made. With PIP as i thought it was (sorry, so many posts from different people i get confused sometimes) It's different they'll allow you to have a copy before that decision's been made. Are you in one of the groups already or was this your first assessment?

No problem Denise, this was my first assessment for esa.

Thanks again.

No problem. Hopefully the decision will be that you have a limited capability for work and get put into one of the groups. The Support Group with any luck. Please do let us know the outcome.

Thank you. Fingers crossed.

i will let you know.

Hi Denise,

i finally recieved a call from dwp today, to tell me following my ESA assessment on the 12th of September, that I do not qualify for ESA & then proceeded to tell me I got 0 points. I am absolutely shattered by their decision!!

The strange thing is I called yesterday afternoon & was told my file had not even been looked at yet, then less than 24 hours later they call me with the bad result. I told the lady on the phone that I am going to appeal & she told me I have to wait for the result in writing before I can appeal. I asked her to put a note on their system that I am definitely going to appeal.

 I am devistated especially when I have got 2 neighbours that are both alcoholics that both claim ESA.

Hi Kim,

I'm sorry to hear this. They were probably right when you called them yesterday, because it does take 24 hours for the computers to update with the info.

They were right, you do have to wait for the decision in writing to be able to ask for the MR. When you do get that decision and the report you'll need to list what you disagree with. Were you hoping for the Support Group or WRAG? The WRAG is based on points and you need 15 at least. The Support Group however, isn't based on points it's a criteria instead. If you google Support Group criteria, benefits and work have it. This will tell you what the criteria is for it. Remember it's NOT based on points. Either that or it will be regulation 29/35. It's extremely complicated if you don't know what you're doing, or understand it.

Before writing that MR letter you're going to need to decide which group and if it's the support group, you'll need to look and see what would make you qualify to be put in there.

I would advice some help with this, or at least with the tribunal because that's more than likely where you'll be heading. Most MR decisions remain the same.

Please don't compare others to yourself. We really don't know what others go through behind closed doors, whether they're alcohololics or not. Whatever our issues and disabilities we all suffer one way or the other. Good luck.

Thank you for your reply Denise. 

I was was hoping for Support Group.

i will definitely get advice before I ask for an MR.

The reason I mentioned the 2 alcoholics that currently claim ESA is because they both brag the fact that they sit at home drinking all day & the government pays them for doing it. ( Their words not mine). I am certainly not comparing my condition to theirs.

i asked for a copy of the assessors report, which they say they have already sent. I will wait with anticipation.

As you're hoping for the support group then please take a look at those descriptors relating to that and decide which descriptor applies to you, because that's what you need to concentrate on as it's not about scoring those points.

Also please remember that ESA is about the work you can do and not the work you can't do, this it was they assess you on.