Health and work conversation appointment for ESA

Hi,

* Has anybody heard of "Your Health and work Conversation " letter ?
The letter is an invitation to attend the Job Centre, and states it is a type of work focused interview and is not the Work Capability Assessment. A questionnaire has to be completed and it states the answers are to help have a better conversation with the work coach and help them to find the best support. Then a plan of action will happen. It also states that that the claimant does not have to talk about their disability, illness or health condition, if they don't want to, but can help your work coach to give the best support. This will not be shared with the healthcare professional that carries out the ESA assessment. Failure to attend, and you do not have a good reason, the ESA may be reduced.

* This is a recent claim for ESA, after 6 months sickness from Work and unlikely to return back to work (there are 6 months left). In receipt of £73.10 contribution based from January 2018 that will end January 2019. By January 2019, DWP states that "we cannot pay you ESA from January 2019". By that time (Jan 2018) , left employment June 2018.

1) why is the appointment necessary ? Sick notes are produced and disability makes it impossible to attend.
2) is £73.10 amount correct ? does this amount increase after work Assessment ?
3) What Benefits can the claimant receive in January 2019, when contribution based finishes?
Is this automatically transferred to Income Based ?

My husband was also asked to attend a HWC before xmas, he started a claim for CB ESA last October after being medically retired from work and received the letter to say a work coach would ring the day after to confirm an app for HWC at the jobcentre the week after.

When she rang, my husband was unable to take the call as she called 3 hrs after the time she said on the letter and due to having spinal cord injury he was knocked out on pain meds and in bed when she finally rang. He did speak to her to confirm security questions asked but she could tell he wasn't coherent. I explained that he wasn't able to drive, he's paralysed etc so he falls, limited mobility etc pointed out there was no parking near the jobcentre and having been accessed 2 mths prev for PIP and being awarded enhanced rate for both care and mobility and the fact that part of his medical retirement was that he was deemed a substantial risk to himself and others in the workplace, I asked could they guarantee his safety when his work place couldn't? She told me the HWC was mandatory and that his benefit could be affected so I said then by all means you can visit him at home anytime and that if you are threatening to stop his claim then go ahead. She said oh no we won't do that, she was very nice and understood when she knew the details.

There was absolutely no way I could get him there safely so she decided to defer the HWC till the month after which she said could be conducted over the phone if he was still unable to attend. The jobcentre Work coach knows nothing at all about your disability/illness, they are just told to make the mandatory app for the HWC as its part of the ESA new claim process, you have to explain to them if you are not able to attend, or if you have difficulties as this is new, as the work coach said she had not come across our particular situation before, a month later my husband was awarded ESA support group anyway., so no need for the follow up.

Best wishes with your esa claim Bam

Hi Bam - thank you for your reply . I've not heard of this HWC before - DWp laetter arrived on Saturday (as they are normally typically received when they are closed!). Contacted DWP today and they said to expect a phone call 2 days before the appointed date. I discovered a copy of this questionnaire at www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/403081/re...20booklet%20v3.0.pdf

Not sure about the Support Group / WRAG as still technically employed (off long term sick ) !