ESA support group

Just a note to outline my ESA process.

I submitted a new claim for ESA in December 2014. I followed the b&w guides and provided in depth responses to each question along with around 50 extra evidence pages of cross referenced consultant letters and various reports.

In February this year (2016) I received a date for a face to face assessment. This was cancelled as the recording equipment I had formally requested with my claim in 2014 was not available.

For the next appointment, again in february, i attended the assessment centre. After waiting for around an hour, i was told I should be seeing a doctor because of one of my conditions and the one available wasn't trained to use the recording equipment, so I was sent home.

Earlier this month I attended the centre again for my f2f. I didn't have to wait more than half an hour and there was a doctor and recording equipment available that the Dr was able to operate. The Dr was pleasant enough but focused. I was asked lots of questions and replied with the same answers that I had given on the forms. After a while the recording was stopped and the Dr left the room to speak to a supervisor. On return I was told the assessment was being terminated as sometimes it is obvious that things are so severe there is no need to continue?!

Just over a week later I have received a letter to say I have been placed in the support group. I have checked my bank and the back pay has already gone in. I have called and been told this is for 18 months.

I have tried to keep pretty chilled throughout the process but have certainly been anxious, worried and frustrated at times, with the stress impacting on my health.

Thanks for you help guys and good luck to anyone else having to go through the claims process.

Hi Lds77

Sorry it has been such a stressful time for you - hope your nerves recover soon!!

So pleased you got the result you wanted; I suppose that makes things a little bit easier to bear. I am sure it will give other people heart to go on with their own applications when they see that sometimes things do go right!

(Sorry - called away! )

Well done!!

So sorry, I started to answer this and then got called away I see that this is your first post on the forum, how lovely that it is to give us the good news about your award!

ESA is an open-ended award but you will be subject to periodic reassessments. If you wish to find out when to expect this you can phone DWP and ask for the 'prognosis' or you can ask for all the paperwork associated with your claim.

ESA medical – what forms to ask for?

I do hope that you will now be able to relax for a while and recover from the ordeal.