IB to ESA

My wife has been on IB for over 10 years and has received a letter this week saying that she will get a phone call and then a questionaire to decide which group she will be allocated to.
She has been dreading this but I have tried to reassure her that she will be put in the Support group. I also am of the view that the people getting the questionaires this early are those who are more likely to be on the support group. Am I just naive?
Also she has receive high rate Care and mobility DLA for the same period. Again naivety or do they know this as they should being the same Department.
My first post so any comment would be most welcome. Thanks

EYEBALLS01 wrote:

My wife has been on IB for over 10 years and has received a letter this week saying that she will get a phone call and then a questionaire to decide which group she will be allocated to.
She has been dreading this but I have tried to reassure her that she will be put in the Support group. I also am of the view that the people getting the questionaires this early are those who are more likely to be on the support group. Am I just naive?
Also she has receive high rate Care and mobility DLA for the same period. Again naivety or do they know this as they should being the same Department.
My first post so any comment would be most welcome. Thanks

Hi,

B&W have produced a guide entitled 'Being transferred from Incapacity Benefit to Employment and Support Allowance'' which is accessible from the following page:

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

Also on that page you will find links to guides on 'Understanding Employment & Support Allowance' as well as guides to the Work Capability Assessment (medical) on either Physical Health and/or Mental Health Grounds.

These guides fully explain the processes involved in being migrated from Incapacity Benefit to ESA, what ESA is and the relevant descriptors used to determine entitlement to ESA.

Sadly I am afraid experience shows that some of your assumptions with regards to ESA maybe somewhat wide of the mark. If you search the forum using the key word 'migration' you can read other members experiences of the process of being transferred to ESA.

Whilst many many claims do go through without problem or incident, the 'bar' for qualification for ESA and for the Support Group in particular is much higher than was for Incapacity Benefit and many people who believe they meet the descriptors for the Support Group find themselves either being found 'fit for work' or placed into the 'Work Related Activity Group' and are ultimately having to appeal DWP ESA decisions.

With regards to DLA, albeit there is a degree of overlap between DLA and ESA, they are essentially different benefits paid for different reasons. It is also quite possible to be paid DLA whilst being in work. Hence any award of DLA really has no direct bearing on entitlement to ESA.

Also an award of the High Rate Care Component of DLA (HRCCDLA) does not exempt the holder from the Work Capability Assessment of ESA unlike under Incapacity Benefit regulations where having HRCCDLA exempted one from the formerly used Personal Capability Assessment.

Pete

Pete
Many thanks. I`ll start reading!