WRAG to Support group appeal?

Thanks for the further information.

If I ask for a reconsideration to be placed in the support group, is there a possibility that I will be asked to undergo a medical assessment before a reconsideration decision is made?

I have read in your guidelines that usually you recommend going straight to an appeal rather than a reconsideration. I wonder if this would be advisable in my case when I haven't had a medical, or whether to try a reconsideration first?

There is no way of telling whether you will have to attend a medical assessment if you ask the DWP to reconsider their decision not to place you in the support group. This will be a decision for the DWP, and therefore it is impossible to second-guess what course of action they consider to be appropriate in your circumstances.

The are plans afoot to revise the reconsideration process within the DWP, presumably to reduce the number of appeals. This was in response to the Harrington Report on the progress of ESA. However, if you decide to lodge an appeal, the DWP will in any event carry out a reconsideration in the first instance, as part of the appeals process.

Hi XF

Do you know if the initial decision-maker is employed by DWP or Atos Healthcare?

I have seen conflicting info. in this regard.

Your question has been answered in the thread below.

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/forum?func=vie...imit=6&start=6#61255