just been put into a wrag group

hi my husband has just been awarded esa but been put to a wrag group,he is too ill to attend interviews as he is bedridden most of the time we are going to ask them for a report why he is not in a support group and ask them if they can change it. if we do this will he have to have a medical? and does anyone know how many interviews he has to go too? and if he can have them on the phone? thankyou jackie

jackie
nihat wrote:

hi my husband has just been awarded esa but been put to a wrag group,he is too ill to attend interviews as he is bedridden most of the time we are going to ask them for a report why he is not in a support group and ask them if they can change it. if we do this will he have to have a medical? and does anyone know how many interviews he has to go too? and if he can have them on the phone? thankyou jackie

Hi,

Yes, he has the right of appeal if believed he should be in the Support Group. As part of the 'appeal procedure' the DWP will look at his claim again to see if they believe the initial decision was correct/incorrect. If they cannot change their decision, it will go onto the actual Tribunal procedure. He may be subject to a medical at some point during the process even at the tribunal stage if they believe it will help them form a better assessment of the case.

As for the Work Related Interviews, subject to the agreement of the DWP, these can be deferred if there is a good enough reason, or as in a few cases it is possible they may be held over the phone. The key is to ask the DWP and explain the full circumstances.

In order to appeal the decision, he wil need to either ask for, or download a GL24 Appeal Form

www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/gl24dwp.pdf

It has to be said though, that there is a small risk in appealing, in that he may lose what he has already been awarded
(WRAG.

It is worth going through the ESA resources in the members area to check his condition/illness limitations against the descriptors for the Support Group. Also if possible obtain some face to face advice from a Welfare Rights Agency/CAB etc.

Pete

thanks pete for your quick repley,do you know how many interviews he will have and how long they go on for?it aoesnt give a date he will get his esa for too. jackie

jackie
nihat wrote:

thanks pete for your quick repley,do you know how many interviews he will have and how long they go on for?it aoesnt give a date he will get his esa for too. jackie

Hi,

It could be a maximum of six WFI's plus anything agreed at the wfi's. However it is not unknown for the advisers to 'park' claimants after the first wfi if they think there is no real prospect for the client, but it is down to the adviser.


As to a date, it is worth asking the DWP for a copy of the medical report form (as well as the statement of reasons). The review date will be on the medical report (albeit the Decision Makers are free to ignore it if they feel there is overwhelming evidence which contradicts the given review date). However in general people claiming ESA will be reviewed more often than under the previous IB/IS regime.

Pete