ESA Appeal

You should not have to 'reapply' for ESA at any stage as long as your claim remains unbroken. Even if you are not getting any money after 365 days in WRAG, you would still be considered to be 'on ESA'. You would still be subject to periodic reassessments and it is possible that you would be placed into the Support Group as a result. You could also ask for a 'supersession' in between reassessments if you felt that your condition had demonstrably worstened or you had added conditions - in this case the onus would be entirely on you to provide the evidence of this.

As to the comments about length of time in the Support Group - we have members who have been given anything up to the maximum 3 years. In my own case, I was given an extra 18 months when I was put into the Support Group on reassessment.

Thank you Mrs H.

Will take on board all your advice. Still think I'm going ahead with Tribunal regardless of what advice worker said. Just have to get my act together and do my best to present my case. My gp and consultant have both said I'll never work again and whilst its acknowledged by DWP I have significant disability, that the prognosis for return to work is at least 2 yrs, I can't figure out what I'm supposed to live on for the year after the 365 days run out. Also, how the nurse came to the conclusion that I'm suddenly going to get better after 2 years I've no idea!!

I feel there is no where else to go except Tribunal.

Many thanks again for this wonderful site, without it I would have made the wrong decisions.

Hi,

I can top your prognosis. After 27 years of illness, on Incapacity Benefit, the DWP have decided that I do not qualify for conversion to ESA. Furthermore, ATOS are of the opinion that I could consider a return to work within 3 months! Needless to say, I am in the process of appealing.

Best of luck to you in your fight.


Spridgett

Hi Spridgett, sorry only getting back to you now, computer was down. Yes you certainly topped me all right! It all so ridiculous. Best of luck to you on your appeal and thank you for your good wishes.

Right today I rang ESA department and queried why I received score sheets with no score!! As i'm transferring over from IB was told to ring them. Person I spoke to informed me that as I already was successful in getting into WRAG, I achieved enough points to be placed there, how many points i got didn't matter any more?? He said "you are disagreeing with this decision and you are saying that you should be in support group, that's what you should be concentrating on now" Told me to contact ESA Appeals and put my query to them. Haven't managed to get through to them yet, line always busy. Any thoughts please