- Posts: 7
- Forum
- Members forums
- ESA, PIP, UC and DLA Queries and Results
- Help needed with ESA... support letter from GP
× Members
Help needed with ESA... support letter from GP
- BeccyMac
- Topic Author
- Offline
Less More
6 years 5 months ago #220775 by BeccyMac
Help needed with ESA... support letter from GP was created by BeccyMac
Hello all, I'm new to the site...so bear with me if I'm doing this wrong 
My husband was moved from Support Group ESA to WRAG last year, DWP triggered a Mandatory Reconsideration when my local MSP (we live in Scotland) phoned them to complain about the decision...we weren't even notified, we just received a Mandatory Reconsideration Notice upholding the original decision.
This meant that he will stop being paid ESA unless we make a new claim for Universal Credit...which we really don't want to do. We spoke to CAB who suggested that we apply for an 'anytime review', to say that his mental health has deteriorated in the last few months ,(which it has... because of this), but said we need a supporting letter from our GP.
I asked our GP, explaining what is happening, and she is more than happy to help...however, she doesn't know what information the DWP needs, and what would be the best thing to write on his behalf (he has a long history of mental illness, as well as idiopathic epilepsy,but no seizures in the past couple of years.
What I really need help with is if anyone knows of any guides or template letters I could give to my GP, so that she could help us to get my husband moved back into the support group.
So sorry for such a long, rambling post!
Thanks

My husband was moved from Support Group ESA to WRAG last year, DWP triggered a Mandatory Reconsideration when my local MSP (we live in Scotland) phoned them to complain about the decision...we weren't even notified, we just received a Mandatory Reconsideration Notice upholding the original decision.
This meant that he will stop being paid ESA unless we make a new claim for Universal Credit...which we really don't want to do. We spoke to CAB who suggested that we apply for an 'anytime review', to say that his mental health has deteriorated in the last few months ,(which it has... because of this), but said we need a supporting letter from our GP.
I asked our GP, explaining what is happening, and she is more than happy to help...however, she doesn't know what information the DWP needs, and what would be the best thing to write on his behalf (he has a long history of mental illness, as well as idiopathic epilepsy,but no seizures in the past couple of years.
What I really need help with is if anyone knows of any guides or template letters I could give to my GP, so that she could help us to get my husband moved back into the support group.
So sorry for such a long, rambling post!
Thanks

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- Gordon
- Offline
Less More
- Posts: 51287
6 years 5 months ago #220791 by Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Replied by Gordon on topic Help needed with ESA... support letter from GP
BeccyMac
Welcome to the forum, you might want to have a look at the following FAQ which explains where everything is
Welcome to Benefits and Work
So I assume your husband is receiving Contribution Based ESA and is approaching the end of the 365 days of payments that can be made if he is not in the Support Group.
Have you checked whether he is entitled to INcome RElated ESA? ESA(IR) is dependant on your household income, your savings and assets, and any hours that your work. See
Asset and savings rule for ESA(IR)
24 hour work rule for ESA(IR)
If he is then his payments will continue, if he isn't then you are unlikely to qualify for UC either.
Our ESA Claim guides have the Support Grou Descriptors listed and explained. See
www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/help-for-claimants/esa1
It would not be an Any Time Review, you would be reporting a Change of Circumstances due to a changed condition(s).
If you have more questions then please reply to this post and we will do our best to help.
Gordon
Welcome to the forum, you might want to have a look at the following FAQ which explains where everything is
Welcome to Benefits and Work
So I assume your husband is receiving Contribution Based ESA and is approaching the end of the 365 days of payments that can be made if he is not in the Support Group.
Have you checked whether he is entitled to INcome RElated ESA? ESA(IR) is dependant on your household income, your savings and assets, and any hours that your work. See
Asset and savings rule for ESA(IR)
24 hour work rule for ESA(IR)
If he is then his payments will continue, if he isn't then you are unlikely to qualify for UC either.
Our ESA Claim guides have the Support Grou Descriptors listed and explained. See
www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/help-for-claimants/esa1
It would not be an Any Time Review, you would be reporting a Change of Circumstances due to a changed condition(s).
If you have more questions then please reply to this post and we will do our best to help.
Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- BeccyMac
- Topic Author
- Offline
Less More
- Posts: 7
6 years 5 months ago #220851 by BeccyMac
Replied by BeccyMac on topic Help needed with ESA... support letter from GP
Thanks Gordon....Yes, he is at the end of his contribution rate ESA. We had someone from CAB come to advise us, and she told us that we couldn't claim IR ESA, as this was a full service UC area, and the only thing we can do is claim UC, which we don't want to do,if at all possible, for obvious reasons.
I have been in touch with several DWP departments, as they're currently dealing with complaints I made over a year ago (after the Minister for Disabled, Sarah Newton read an email I sent and made them look into it!)
I have since sent 5 emails back to CAB, but no one is getting back to me, so we're totally lost.
I'll read the links you sent me tho,thanks!
Beccy
I have been in touch with several DWP departments, as they're currently dealing with complaints I made over a year ago (after the Minister for Disabled, Sarah Newton read an email I sent and made them look into it!)
I have since sent 5 emails back to CAB, but no one is getting back to me, so we're totally lost.
I'll read the links you sent me tho,thanks!
Beccy

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- Gordon
- Offline
Less More
- Posts: 51287
6 years 5 months ago - 6 years 5 months ago #220858 by Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Replied by Gordon on topic Help needed with ESA... support letter from GP
BeccyMac
Your CAB advisor is wrong! If you are eligible then Income Related ESA can be paid as a replacement for your husbands ESA(CB).
There is no requirement for you to claim UC in these circumstances.
Gordon
Your CAB advisor is wrong! If you are eligible then Income Related ESA can be paid as a replacement for your husbands ESA(CB).
There is no requirement for you to claim UC in these circumstances.
Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Last edit: 6 years 5 months ago by Gordon.
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- BeccyMac
- Topic Author
- Offline
Less More
- Posts: 7
6 years 5 months ago #220861 by BeccyMac
Replied by BeccyMac on topic Help needed with ESA... support letter from GP
Thanks Graham! To be honest, she was fairly useless! It's a real shame, because i've had their help before, when I was still down in England, and they were brilliant! I know that in the main, they're really good...but this one wasn't. She didn't do, or show us a breakdown of what we can claim for...she just told us the only choice we had was to claim Universal Credit, as IR ESA "doesn't exist" now...it has to be a new claim for UC!
I have tried to clarify this, and get the detailed breakdown, but 5 emails later, I'm still waiting.
I have also got to renew my son's DLA claim at the same time, as well as waiting for a Complaints Resolution Manager at DWP to send his response to 3 letters of formal complaint from myself and my local MSP, that have been ignored since last July!
As you can imagine, it's all a bit full on here!
Thank you so much for your help... Beccy
I have tried to clarify this, and get the detailed breakdown, but 5 emails later, I'm still waiting.
I have also got to renew my son's DLA claim at the same time, as well as waiting for a Complaints Resolution Manager at DWP to send his response to 3 letters of formal complaint from myself and my local MSP, that have been ignored since last July!
As you can imagine, it's all a bit full on here!
Thank you so much for your help... Beccy
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
Moderators: Gordon, Gary, BIS, Catherine, Wendy, Kelly, greekqueen, peter, Katherine, Super User, Chris, David