esa assessment waiting time

After being successful at my PIP tribunal and being awarded enhanced rates for both categories I now come to the forum with my Universal Credit issues.

I live in a part of Liverpool in which Universal Credit has replaced ESA, Housing benefit ect and instead of ESA there is now Universal Credit with a sickness component. If determined eligible, you will be placed in the Limited Capability for Work (LCW) or Limited Capability for Work and Work Related Activity category (LCWRA). The categories are exactly the same as ESA, just called something different.

I started submitting sick notes last March and filled out the WCA form and sent it back June 2016. As of December 27th , I have still not received a reply with regards to an assessment. I have phoned up many times to ask about any progression and I have even got my MP involved. Is it normal to still be waiting for an appointment 6 months after the WCA submission?

Would it be of value if I submitted the evidence I used in my PIP appeal? My CAB advisor says I should be in the LCWRA category.

Thanks

Hi Mark,

We don't yet have much experience with UC claims. I do know that, when ESA was first introduced, many assessments were taking months - sometimes even more than a year.

As you say, the criteria for UC is the same as for ESA, so assessors do not have to get to grips with an entirely new system. However, I don't know where UC assessments are fitting into the process.

Our advice in these situations, no matter what the benefit, is to phone the assessment provider and ask what is going on.

I am helping someone with an esa application. We submitted the ESA50 form back in April. the face to face is next week - so its been 8 months for us.
I telephoned several times and each time was told "we have no appointments at the moment, ring back in 2 weeks". I did get very bored with this but eventually the day is now drawing near.

What a complete travesty of a system. You wouldn't think we were a first world country!

Mark