after all the palaver of getting my wifes esa successfully sorted..i now have to go to a "work focused interview for partners" i have been once before a year ago,but now my wife gets esa on the support group and claims for me(or its called a joint claim) sure its the same thing i presume even though shes in support group i still have to attend? i am considering applying to be her carer and i certainly wouldnt want to be leaving her for long periods of time first question is.do i definately have to attend? thanks

your case is similar to ours won the decision on 7 july but still waiting for backpay and esa support group first 2 calls to dwp no good just fobbed off this week spoke to more helpful person who rang the actual people who deal with it confirmed they recieved the decision on 7 july.same day of tribunal stated there was a backlog from last november but would now put ours at top of pile just hope they didnt say that to fob us off! congrats on getting yours sorted

another update...still had no written notification from dwp got appeal tribunal to resend decision notice eventually spoke to someone at dwp who was helpful said decision was recieved on 7 july but there is a backlog from last november..however they have put jackies case at the top of the pile hopefully get it sorted this week

Phew thanks one less worry

hi we are finding out that winning an appeal tribunal isnt the end of the stress! still had no notification letter from dwp..esa payment went in bank at usual time but on old rate. rang up esa yesterday they said nothing showing up and better to take the decision notice to our local jobcentre was taken by suprise but we said we would never go to jobcentre again whatever happens it just makes us ill we didnt tell advisor this though as was taken by suprise. even thogh this is an appointment to show the decision notice booked by us can they sanction esa when we dont turn up? also this morning had a missed call from the esa number we rang yesterday..is this normal? wish we had been more patient and not rang them now!

she has been told and in writing she does not need to be reassesed for 2 years

thanks again everyone on line 3 of her decision notice it says she is awarded esa with the support component i take it this means she is indeed on the support group? fantastic result if so but it took so long and was so stressful i really feel for those still going through what we did

scanning the web it seems support group is much more beneficial for her than wrag if she is put in the wrag can she appeal again immediatly?

thankyou to everyone on this forum for their help and advice

update..wife won appeal with recomendation to be assesed again in 2 yrs..havnt seen paperwork yet so i dont know for sure if shes in support group. does she need to provide fitnotes still? been getting 229 pounds a fortnight on assesment rate esa..does this go up now? its been years since she was on full esa i know the first 14 weeks dont count but after that is there a cap on backdated payments as it would probably be a large amount? cheers

so wifes tribunal is finally happening on july 7th..we have solicitors helping us and going with her to tribunal. as usual i am thinking the worst case scenario and our appeal is thrown out..what then?

we will look at the example you gave and see if there is more we can do.the tribunal have already been sent a doctors statement strongly supporting her case.the main claim we are appealing is the descriptor about bowel problems.wife was told outright no points are awarded for consistant soiling etc..we have found the list of descriptors and that is just not true.

after waiting almost 4 weeks since we signed off jsa, the dwp admitted they had lost our proof of logging to tribunal and fit note. we took these copies again to the job centre where they were scanned.the next day they rang to say they couldnt find the fitnote! a few minutes later they found it. the next day they put the backdated payment in our bank but it was wrong..they had forgot it was a joint claim.today they finally put that right.its been a long stressful wait and next stop is the tribunal.

still waiting from any response from dwp.. still bit confused if we can be disallowed from esa from 30 march new legislation just found this online.. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/384007/esa-repeat-awards-regulations-2015-ssac-memorandum.pdf

thanks again..your advice is actually keeping us going at the moment..still no news from dwp since we signed off jsa but expecting something to happen this week

signed off jsa this morning rang esa, predictably she said sorry theve changed the rules.when i told her it was not a new claim she said oh ok post everything in then! got a feeling they are eventually going to write back saying we cant do it as the rules have changed? how do you suggest i get through to them that we are allowed to do this( if indeed we can?)

Yes logged appeal and confirmation back from tribunal. Also text msg confirmation from dwp this evening.would you advise ring or write to esa? Would prefer write but need to know date to backdate fit note [/color][/size][/font]

we are so confused now but we are going to follow your original advice and sign off jsa tomorrow..if it turns out esa wont be paid will we have a long wait to get back on jsa again?

we took advice from a solicitor who said in effect it is a new claim for esa were making. as we dont get paid jsa till this thursday we dare not claim till then and as it is past mar 30 we are still worried they can refuse us esa? sorry if i appear slow on the uptake...i am!

thanks margeret now we are scared to sign off jsa incase theres a long wait to be put back on esa assesment rate resulting in no income at all i presume we will get a letter from dwp confirming our appeal to tribunal? is it that letters address we should send notification of our desire to swap on to esa to?

we will do that. to clarify it wont be a new claim for esa then,or will it as her last claim was stopped by the dwp?

thanks again i have found the paragraph that pertains to us,but another question..what if the dwp delay there response till after 30 march,will that change our circumstances?

thanks so much margeret, i tried to tell the guy i was sure he was wrong but i do wonder if they are just told to lie to get people off benefit. as usual i will take your excellent advise one thing,i dont fully undrstand the extra bit you put in..does it refer to a new claim for esa after 30 march?

just rang them they said she has to make a NEW CLAIM for esa which is a big shock as we were told she didnt have to make a new claim? anyone been through this?

thanks thats what my wife wants to do but my question is will the dwp let her? or will they for example say we have to recieve confirmation of your appeal from the courts before allowing her to swap back to esa? we are ringing them soon so im interested to get some opinions before we do that