Additional Information

Today I received the brown envelope with the result from my recent reassessment for ESA. I have been kept in the support group, without the need for a face to face! The whole process from posting the ESA50 has been 11 weeks. I cannot thank B&W enough, as I could never had done this without their help. Their advice to keep a pdf version of the ESA50 up to date is invaluable, and I was working on mine weeks ahead of the expected reassessment letter.

One question however, and one that takes the shine off the result slightly: I rang the DWP to ask how long the award was for, to be told it was for 12 months. If this is so, I will be due for reassessment with less than a year before my state pension. Is it possible that the information given to me was the old award, which was for 12 months. Needless to say, I have requested the documentation used for the decision.

It is possible that the computer system has not been update yet, try ringing again in a couple of weeks.

Thanks Gordon, that did cross my mind
Again many many thanks to the best benefits advice forum!

That's great news Summertrain! Thanks for letting us know and for your kind words about B+W

Gordon: Re the 12 Months prognosis. I have received a form LT54. I am surprised to read that for the Mental Health descriptors, they have decided that none apply, despite my GP and Psychiatrist indicating so in descriptors 13 - 16 (Is this identified as Schedule 3?)
However, they have applied Reg 35, thus qualifying me for The Support Group, thankfully.

The 12 Month prognosis is confirmed, as at the bottom of the form it says please refer for another WCA assessment in 12 months. This is crazy, as I will be less than a year away from my state pension. This latest assessment has if anything made me worse, and to go through this again so soon fills me with dread. They certainly know how to make people suffer to the bitter end!

Also, I am a little surprised that they are continuing to reassess people like this, after ATOS ran into so many difficulties by constantly reassessing people, which as we all know caused a massive backlog. One can only hope that Maximus will also fall foul, and have to halt reassessments in order to catch up.