To appeal or not....?

I wish my knowledge of the descriptors was greater so I could offer more reassurance on that front, but my advice would be to look at the WRAG descriptors to see which ones apply to you. If you are happy you score enough points, I would probably stop worrying about being down graded from the WRAG and have a look at which support group criteria applies to you. (There is always 'exceptional circumstances', though the DWP ESA guidelines imply that this not something they will apply very liberally, whatever that means??)

Does the issue concerning the proposed 12 month time-limit for those in WRAG apply to you, or will you be entitled to means-tested ESA?

If you are not well enough to get involved in the work related activity, it sounds like the support group is where you should be, but you would need to meet the criteria.

If you decide not to appeal, you can ask for the WFIs to be deferred.

Take care and good luck whatever you decide to do.

I dont know wether you meet the support group criteria or not.

I was put in the work group without a medical and i appealed.

I wrote a letter using the guidelines on here for appeal and i outlined the reasons i thought I met the support group criteria.

I copied and pasted stuff i had written on the original ESA claim form to back up my reasons for the support group.

I had a letter a couple of weeks later saying they had decided i was now in the support group due to new information i had sent. (i hadnt sent anything new, just brought their attention to the stuff i had already written)

good luch with whatever you decide.

Thanks for that. I've got a feeling that I probably won't appeal as I'm not sure that I do fit the descriptors exactly. I have problems that would fit in certain sections, but I'm not sure If they would be an exact match so to speak and I can't get to talk to anybody about it at this late stage.

Oh what to do? I'm such a coward and at the end of the day I just want to be left alone, which I know isn't going to happen really.

im in a very similar position tho ur symptoms sound worse than mine. u just dont know what 2 do for the best, whether 2 leave well alone & b glad ur getting esa at all or 2 appeal. its very sad.
martin

Hi,

Just to add that we asked in our last newsletter to hear from people who had appealed the decision to place them in the WRAG.

So far as I can tell, none of the twenty plus people who have responded to our request so far have had their award removed as a result of appealing and some got put into the support group without a hearing.

It's not a completely risk free option, but for people who feel they can put forward a strong case both for keeping their current award and also for being placed in the support group, then appealing is an option that should be seriously considered.

I will be writing up what people told us - without revealing identities of course - in time for the next newsletter.

Steve

Steve that at least sounds encouraging that no1 has lost their award for trying.

i think i must b stupid cause i dont think im reading or understanding the descriptors correctly for what qualifies you for the wrag or support group.

there was so much 2 read 2 b honest that it took me the best part of a month 2 fill in the form & send it back, plus all the time spent on the internet. im so exhausted, oh 2 b financially independant & not have 2 rely on these payments. hehe

martin