Claim On MentaL Health Grounds. What Does It Take

What does it take to get a score of 15 points even when you have ticked the A boxes.

Let me explain, Im at a point of transfer from IC to the new benefit and filling in my questionaire ESA50

Yesterday I was looking at posts of people with a similar condition to mine who are more or less housebound due to depression/clostrophobia and was shocked to see that they had been put in the wrag group rather than support group even though they had sent in additional evidence from their psychiatrists etc etc.

I am assuming like myself they have ticked at least 3 A boxes (15 points) and had good grounds for optimism?????.

I dont even have the added benefit of back up reports from proffessional although I am seeing them.

Could I ask did YOU fill in the top scoring point boxes, and why are [mod edit] [claimants] not [getting] full marks on your replys.???

Help please.

cheers A

Mod edit - I have replaced some of the OP's text.

Should read IB Incapacity Benefit above. sorry.

article wrote:

What does it take to get a score of 15 points even when you have ticked the A boxes.

Let me explain, Im at a point of transfer from IC to the new benefit and filling in my questionaire ESA50

Yesterday I was looking at posts of people with a similar condition to mine who are more or less housebound due to depression/clostrophobia and was shocked to see that they had been put in the wrag group rather than support group even though they had sent in additional evidence from their psychiatrists etc etc.

I am assuming like myself they have ticked at least 3 A boxes (15 points) and had good grounds for optimism?????.

I dont even have the added benefit of back up reports from proffessional although I am seeing them.

Could I ask did YOU fill in the top scoring point boxes, and why are [edit] claimants not [getting] full marks on your replys.???

Help please.

cheers A

Hi article

Welcome to B&W

Have you had a look at the B&W guides to claiming ESA here -

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/help-for-claimants/esa

The guides are in the orange Members Only section.

As mods we can help with general questions, but are unable to answer specific questions about your claim.

Regards

Michael

Hi Michael.

yes i have printed out the 70 odd page guide to claims on Mental health problems and gone through the guide in great detail and it very much helped me fill in the form.

but as i ponted out yesterday I was shocked to see at my first visit to this B/Board people more or less in the same boat as me not scoring enough points for the support group and they had supporting evidence from medical proffesssionals I dont.

Im just wondering if they ticked the 15 point boxes or ticked in lower scoring boxes.

Must say Ive ticked 4 top scoring boxes that apply to my situation but now feel after reading posts here rather deflated.

Is it a case of BEING A DANGER TO ONE SELF AND TO OTHERS that gets you into the support group.?.


Help much appreciated as I feel rather desperate now and would like to know without detail, if claimants have been filling in the top scoring boxes which they thought applied but yet are getting rejected and ridden rough shod over?.

rgards A

Hi Article, you are right in assuming that you need to fulfill one of the Support Group criteria such as;

BEING A DANGER TO ONE SELF AND TO OTHERS

It is not based on points. The 15 point target is for the WRAG only.

Best wishes,
Rachel

article wrote:

Hi Michael.

yes i have printed out the 70 odd page guide to claims on Mental health problems and gone through the guide in great detail and it very much helped me fill in the form.

but as i ponted out yesterday I was shocked to see at my first visit to this B/Board people more or less in the same boat as me not scoring enough points for the support group and they had supporting evidence from medical proffesssionals I dont.

Im just wondering if they ticked the 15 point boxes or ticked in lower scoring boxes.

Must say Ive ticked 4 top scoring boxes that apply to my situation but now feel after reading posts here rather deflated.

Is it a case of BEING A DANGER TO ONE SELF AND TO OTHERS that gets you into the support group.?.


Help much appreciated as I feel rather desperate now and would like to know without detail, if claimants have been filling in the top scoring boxes which they thought applied but yet are getting rejected and ridden rough shod over?.

rgards A

Hi Article

The criteria to get into the support group is outlined on pages 15-18 of the mental health guide and discussed in more detail in the part that advises how to fill in the ESA50.

With regards to what boxes to tick, there is no strategy to completing an ESA50 - you have to tick the boxes that you feel apply to you.

You should bear in mind that many claimants score zero points in the limited capability for work test but have their score upgraded to 15 points on appeal. There has even been one case of a 0-100 appeal!

And of course many claimants score the 15 points required without having to appeal. The same degree of randomness also applies to the support group.

So whilst the system is grossly against the claimant you shouldn't feel too despondent from what you read of peoples' experiences.

Good luck

Derek