Being reassesed for ESA while in the support group?

[bigissue]

I am currently in the support group, I was assesed earlier this year for a non terminal condition and placed in that group under exceptional circumstances. I am now being reassessed. Things have not changed for me health wise in fact they are slightly worse and I am still under the care of the same consultant as I was at my last WCA and awaiting new tests.

 

My question is this; if I give the same information relatiing to my condition on my form and if in the medical I give the same information as my last assesment which was only recently especially given that I am still waiting on further tests etc and ATOS / DWP go frm putting me in the support group to WRAG or even finding me fit for work then surely the fact that they found me eligiable for the support group just recently means that they would be forced to alter their decsion and if they didn't it would make it obvious that they were just randomly passing and failing people on the WCA according to "targets" as last nights programs demonstrated?

 

What do you think?

[gordies]

You can be sure that they will do whatever they please.

 

There is no guarantee you will be re-confirmed in the Support Group.

 

Fill in the ESA50 and supply as much evidence as you can, that is all you can do in reality.

 

fingers crossed,

 

Gordie

[Helen2264]

I am currently in the support group, I was assesed earlier this year for a non terminal condition and placed in that group under exceptional circumstances. I am now being reassessed. Things have not changed for me health wise in fact they are slightly worse and I am still under the care of the same consultant as I was at my last WCA and awaiting new tests.

 

My question is this; if I give the same information relatiing to my condition on my form and if in the medical I give the same information as my last assesment which was only recently especially given that I am still waiting on further tests etc and ATOS / DWP go frm putting me in the support group to WRAG or even finding me fit for work then surely the fact that they found me eligiable for the support group just recently means that they would be forced to alter their decsion and if they didn't it would make it obvious that they were just randomly passing and failing people on the WCA according to "targets" as last nights programs demonstrated?

 

What do you think?

 

You need to ask them why are you being reassessed and for what reasons? you've given enough evident on your illness which they have accepted that you are unfit for work. You said your conditions are worse then put that down on the form, you have not told them you are getting better it was their decision that you were unfit for work and it was their decision to put you in the support group with the evident you gave, you might be waiting for further tests but that doesn't mean your illness got better, I am afraid you'll need to ask them further questions about why they think you need another reassessment it's your right by law to have answer don't let them get away with it it is your right and you want answers.

 

And who ever is reassessing your case ask for the name, their profession, and check them out you must put the pressure back on ATOS/DWP.

 

I hope your case get solve please fight you are not fit for work and they know it they cannot change their mind as they see fit, the government has always stated they want to help those who need help but they are not doing that.

[hensteeth]

I am currently in the support group, I was assesed earlier this year for a non terminal condition and placed in that group under exceptional circumstances. I am now being reassessed. Things have not changed for me health wise in fact they are slightly worse and I am still under the care of the same consultant as I was at my last WCA and awaiting new tests.

 

My question is this; if I give the same information relatiing to my condition on my form and if in the medical I give the same information as my last assesment which was only recently especially given that I am still waiting on further tests etc and ATOS / DWP go frm putting me in the support group to WRAG or even finding me fit for work then surely the fact that they found me eligiable for the support group just recently means that they would be forced to alter their decsion and if they didn't it would make it obvious that they were just randomly passing and failing people on the WCA according to "targets" as last nights programs demonstrated?

 

What do you think?

 

I was eventually put in the Support Group in Jan 2010 for 3 years. Originally I failed the assessment with 0 points. I sent them some evidence and they moved me.

Based on that I know that come Jan 2013, I will have failed the review and have 0 points under my belt.

 

Healthwise, I am a wreck! Much worse than I was in 2010, but that is not of interest to the DWP. I have to pass the ESA descriptors not prove I am unable to work.

My attitude towards the DWP has always been two fingers! This time round, I am not as forceful and to be honest just want to be left in peace. Where I end up I don't know, I have been fighting the DWP for three years now, ESA, DLA, Pension Credit to name but a few that I have crossed swords with. The time has come to give up.

 

My psychiatrist asked me a few week ago if I still felt suicidal, yes I do I told him. Have you made plans? Oh yes! I have enough Morphine at home to kill half a dozen people - I'll just go to sleep. Why was I feeling like that? In a word - the DWP!!!

[Helen2264]

You can be sure that they will do whatever they please.

 

There is no guarantee you will be re-confirmed in the Support Group.

 

Fill in the ESA50 and supply as much evidence as you can, that is all you can do in reality.

 

fingers crossed,

 

Gordie

 

They cannot if you fight for your right a little home work about human right goes a long way, ATOS backed away from me big time. They said I was unfit for work then two weeks later a medical letter followed. I won my medical first time round 15 points on two counts no tribunal nothing I gave the so call doctor a hard time back as soon as I entered the medical room I've seen enough sick people suffer I was not going to suffer the same fate. The medical examiner asked me stupid questions I told him out right that it was irrelevant with the illness I had, whilst I suffer with mental illness I have bad panic attacks and agoraphobia I am not a cabbage that I cannot read, watch tv etc, i've been in mental wards where they encouraged mentally ill patient to read books and watch tv I threw that to the medical examiner he went very quiet indeed.

 

So you can fight them.

 

helen

[bigissue]

Thank you for your replies. Last time I was placed in the Support Group for a limited period after my form and medical I did not need to appeal for this. I am hopeful that my condition can improve in time but at the moment I am actually worse than I was when I was last reassessed and am awaiting further tests.

 

I assume they are reassesing me because at the time of my last assesment it was possible I might have had some improvment by now. What my question really is is if they for some reason find me fit for work or place me into WRAG when I am just the same or worse as my last assesment only months ago when the placed me in the Support Group I would think that by simply pointing this out to them they would have to reconsider their decision?

[DanscoCAB]

As Far as I know DWP are trying to get people out of the support group (and on ESA on the whole) before any decision is made about how long they have to leave people alone. Last nights programmes will go a long way to help all of our situations

 

I have also found that if you get help filling your form in by someone like CAB or a disability organisation it helps.

[bigissue]

As Far as I know DWP are trying to get people out of the support group (and on ESA on the whole) before any decision is made about how long they have to leave people alone. Last nights programmes will go a long way to help all of our situations

 

I have also found that if you get help filling your form in by someone like CAB or a disability organisation it helps.

 

That worries me as I got CAB to help last time filling out my form but the man from CAB who helped me last time with my ESA50 kept going on and on about how over stretched they were and how they couldn't cope with all the demands on their time so this time I just used my form from last time as a template and filled it in myself because I didn't want to put any extra stress on them.

 

Now I feel worried that I should just have went to them anyway to get help with the form anyway as maybe filling it out myself will go against me.

[estellyn]

That worries me as I got CAB to help last time filling out my form but the man from CAB who helped me last time with my ESA50 kept going on and on about how over stretched they were and how they couldn't cope with all the demands on their time so this time I just used my form from last time as a template and filled it in myself because I didn't want to put any extra stress on them.

 

Now I feel worried that I should just have went to them anyway to get help with the form anyway as maybe filling it out myself will go against me.

 

Don't worry. The thing that matters is that the right info is on the form, not who filled out the form. Advisers just put the information in such a way that fits with the descriptors. If you've copied from the previous form, and nothing has changed, it should be OK.

[bigissue]

Don't worry. The thing that matters is that the right info is on the form, not who filled out the form. Advisers just put the information in such a way that fits with the descriptors. If you've copied from the previous form, and nothing has changed, it should be OK.

 

Thanks for that, makes me feel a bit better its just all such a mine field it can get your head spinning!

[DanscoCAB]

It's a good idea to keep the last one as a template. Remember you can fill this form in online then save it then print it out to send to DWP, that's what I did.

 

As for CAB, yes we're very stretched but try speaking to them again, they will try and help as much as possible

[bigissue]

It's a good idea to keep the last one as a template. Remember you can fill this form in online then save it then print it out to send to DWP, that's what I did.

 

As for CAB, yes we're very stretched but try speaking to them again, they will try and help as much as possible

 

I will speak to them if I need to appeal. As I have said before if they system was fair and wasn't designed to purposefully trick people out of benefits (as last nights programs showed) then fewer people would be seeking the help of CAB and other advice organisations. Add to that the deliberate lack financial help from the government to places like CAB, advice centres and legal aid and it is so obviously a deliberate attack on the poor, the sick and the vulnerable that it beggers belief.

 

I really hope that last nights programmes woke a few people up!