ESA

Hi all

Brief history - I sent in my ESA50 in May/June 2014. Following an escalation of my condition and a resulting deterioration in my health, and as per their verbal instructions, I sent very detailed letters to both Maximus and the DWP outlining the escalation/deterioration (and the effects) and thus formally advised them of a change of circumstances in August 2015. So far as I can tell I now meet one of the descriptors for the support group which I'm almost certain I didn't before, although I may originally have scored 15/18 points totting up scores from various questions.

As yet I've still heard nothing. I wasn't expecting to be seen within the 13 weeks and I know there are considerable delays with ESA assessments, but I'm thinking I should chase mine up. I believe I come under the Bristol area for assessments so if anyone has any idea of how long on average the wait is in this area it would be useful. If my wait is an average one I'll probably leave chasing it up.

Thanks in advance for your help, any advice welcome!

Hi
You don't say what happened to your first claim but assuming you are in the WRAG and you made a claim to be put in the support group you should have receuved some sort of respobse by now.
I suggest you ring and ask what is going on.
Did you send the form by registered post?

Hi foss

I haven't made a second claim, I'm still in the assessment phase (£73.10pw) for my original claim made in May/June 2014 - so I'm not in the WRAG or support group as yet. The info sent in August last year was an update about how my condition had deteriorated. As a matter of fact things have deteriorated further still, but that's another matter.

Anything I send to the DWP or Maximus (ATOS prior to March last year) is sent either Special delivery or at the very least registered. I have all receipts, proofs of postage and signatures for anything I've sent to them.

Who should I contact - the DWP or Maximus? With the best will in the world all the DWP call centre appears able to tell me is that I'm still in the assessment phase and they have up to date fit notes - I could have told them that!

Thanks for your help and any further assistance you can give, it's much appreciated.

Wobblylegs wrote: Hi foss

I haven't made a second claim, I'm still in the assessment phase (£73.10pw) for my original claim made in May/June 2014 - so I'm not in the WRAG or support group as yet. The info sent in August last year was an update about how my condition had deteriorated. As a matter of fact things have deteriorated further still, but that's another matter.

Anything I send to the DWP or Maximus (ATOS prior to March last year) is sent either Special delivery or at the very least registered. I have all receipts, proofs of postage and signatures for anything I've sent to them.

Who should I contact - the DWP or Maximus? With the best will in the world all the DWP call centre appears able to tell me is that I'm still in the assessment phase and they have up to date fit notes - I could have told them that!

Thanks for your help and any further assistance you can give, it's much appreciated.

Hi Wl,

We have heard from several members where they have been kept in The Assessment Phase of ESA for in excess of 12 months, and it is a scandal.

Unfortunately, there is no legislation that you can use to force them to carry out your ESA Assessment (WCA) to see which group you may be placed into.

You could contact Maximus with an official complaint :

Contact The Centre for Health and Disability Assessments (CHDA) (aka HAAS) (Maximus) who took over the ESA WCA Contract from ATOS on 02/03/15.

You can also ring ESA :

THE ESA PHONE NUMBER DWP : 0345 608 8545 (Open 8AM-6PM. Mon-Fri.)

Where you can request an escalation to a Manager/Supervisor which will involve a call-back, so the earlier that you call the better.

You can then request that DWP push Maximus to fast-track your ESA assessment as you are suffering financial difficulty.

You could also back your verbal request to ESA up with a written complaint addressed to The Benefits Office/Centre on your most recent ESA letter, FAO : The ESA Department Manager.


Sending Documents to the DWP, ATOS, Capita or Maximus.

Finally, you could also enlist the help of your M.P. !

Many members have and found them to be helpful in such matters :

Contacting your MP

Once you are assessed, any extra component addition payments (WRAG or SG) should be back dated to the start of week 14 of your claim.

Good luck !!

bro58

Hi bro

Thanks for such a comprehensive set of information; I wouldn't have worked out that I needed to do half of it, and I've done an awful lot of admin in my career!

I'll contact Maximus and the DWP taking the steps you suggest which should hopefully get things moving. I'll also give my MP a go - I've heard from others he's a good constituency one on a range of issues, even though he is a Tory!

Thanks once again - as so many others have said before (and I'm sure many will say again) B&W are fantastic and a real lifesaver to those of us navigating the benefits minefield.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Wobblylegs wrote: Hi bro

Thanks for such a comprehensive set of information; I wouldn't have worked out that I needed to do half of it, and I've done an awful lot of admin in my career!

I'll contact Maximus and the DWP taking the steps you suggest which should hopefully get things moving. I'll also give my MP a go - I've heard from others he's a good constituency one on a range of issues, even though he is a Tory!

Thanks once again - as so many others have said before (and I'm sure many will say again) B&W are fantastic and a real lifesaver to those of us navigating the benefits minefield.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Hi Wl,

No problem !!

Your M.P.'s political persuasion should not really have any bearing on providing help in a situation such as this, and if they are unsupportive, I would tell them so !!

They are there to help and support ALL their Constituents no matter what the Constituent's political persuasion may be.

M.P.'s have Case Workers who deal with such matters, and most of them are well versed in "Benefit" issues as such problems are so common now !

Keep us updated !!

bro58