concern RE: deferral info for ESA

Gordon wrote: Summertrain

I think it very unlikely that there will be any announcement in regard to the re-commencement of re-assessments, new ESA50s will simply start to be sent out, it will most likely be regional and will depend on the workload in that area and the available capacity.

Whether we have reached this point in some areas already is impossible to say, I don't think you can rely on the forum as a source of information, my understanding is that the majority of B&W members do not post in the forum, so some members may have already been affected but have not said.

Gordon

You would have thought that if the DWP had any compassion (a radical notion I admit) they would at least make an announcement that would give people some clarity. In the absence of any such announcement all we're left with is speculation and the stress resulting from the uncertainty. Given the reported scale of the WCA backlog, and given that a recent article in the B & W news section described the system as "on the verge of collapse" (I think that was the phrase used) it seems very hard to believe that they could have sorted the backlog out in a little over five months.

I was not referred before the January cut-off period. I always get my renewal ESA50, exactly one month before my ESA is due to run out. The DWP sent my referral for reassessment to Atos exactly 2wks before my ESA50 was due to be sent out end of April. I phoned Atos who confirmed I was referred beginning of April. The other people I know who did not get a 2yr deferral, were also referred around March/April.

I use the Romford office, and there are no major backlogs there, so would seem that the info that only seriously backlogged areas are being targeted, may have some truth, at least in my case. I live in East London. I always get my referral forms bang on one month before ESA is due to expire. Appts for WCA's are also sent out quite quickly, with no major wait for this to be done.

Possible that I'm one that lives in a fairly smooth running part of London RE: Atos assessments. I was most definitely NOT referred before January sadly.

Hi From reading posts on this site I have concluded that you cannot allways rely on information given by phone from DWP & ATOS call centre staff !!

LMJ37 wrote: I was not referred before the January cut-off period. I always get my renewal ESA50, exactly one month before my ESA is due to run out.

Whilst I understand the point that is being made here, for the benefit of anyone else reading this, ESA is an indefinite award, it will not 'run out' if a reassessment decision has not been made by a certain date.

My apologies, I didn't phrase correctly, I meant my form always arrives exactly one month before the next re-assessment date that the DWP have on file.