ESA to WRAG

I have recently received same: letter of decision after medical assessment to move from Support Group to WRAG. After waiting TEN WEEKS hearing nothing, the same day I was expecting a full ESA payment but found I was short on checking bank account, the letter arrives.

Then it all gets very interesting....

I immediately phone (was not going to bother and just write and say I was seeking a MR and go through all the palaver of getting doctors letters etc to back up) and ask for MR, copy of how decision was reached etc. While on the phone, guy on other end while looking at file then says oh there's actually been a mistake, that the decision to move me from Support to WRAG has been over ruled and my claim as was.

I ask for this in writing and the aforementioned reports, plus the credit to my account of the money I was underpaid due to the erroneous change.

Three weeks on and none of the above has happened: no letter, no report, no money refund. So I phone again. Yes, what I was told before was correct there had been an error. I ask again for tge above. Am told this will be sent out.

A week later....still nothing. I am now obviously at the end of the period in which I can ask for a MR - a month from letter decision date - and to be honest, I don't trust them. I leave it expecting to hear and then I could well imagine them saying they have Jo record of my calls, nothing on file about any error...you see what I am saying? It would then be out of time for me to challenge. All the proof I currently have is what I have been told verbally.

I also wonder if this is some kind of trick they are trying to pull with claimants after ESA medical reassessments. Stick them in WRAG, see if they complain and ask for MR. If they don't, they save money. If claimant then asks for MR, well as many get upheld anyway on review and it is a time consuming process, tell them there was a mistake and that they are still in Support Group.

Despite my calls, if there was an error in my case - seemingly at the same time the first letter was sent to me - why was a second letter not sent out within days of that saying the first was cancelled and there was no change to my situation? Had I not made that first call a month ago I would still be none the wiser and think I was indeed now in the WRAG. I wonder if my case is an exception, or as I said above, it this is some sly move on their part and it is happening to others?

I would recommend anyone receiving such a letter as I did, does phone in the first instance to check firstly that the decision they have received is correct before requesting MR.