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Being transferred from IB to ESA

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12 years 1 month ago #81363 by Snowbird
Being transferred from IB to ESA was created by Snowbird
My wife is being transfered from IB to ESA.

Can anyone advise how long from returning a completed ESA50 is it taking before being asked for a medical in your experience? If no medical is needed how long after returning the form might it take to find out the result? I realise this can vary depending on where you live but just wondered what people's experiences are and whether the medical is likely to be within the 13 weeks.

I read on your guide that people are called for a work focused interview at around week eight of the claim. My wife would not be able to attend one of these and was exempt for the last 15+ years under the old system so we are praying for support group. Could we ask for a work focused interview to be put off until the result of her application is determined based on the fact that she should be elegible for support group under a few descriptors not least the acceptional circumstances regulations due to substantial risk? Have any of you managed to defer the eight week work focused interview without sanctions and are they likely to be understanding? I am hoping to get medical evidence to prove that my wife cannot go to a work focused-interview in time for when I post the form. It seems unfair for people who might later be found to be in support group to be asked to endure a work focused interview prior to the result of the assessment. My wife has suicidal tendencies and severe mental health problems as well as HFA, agoraphobia and many longterm physical disabilities that will never improve.

We are hoping to get a Doctors letter asking for a home visit and put it in with the ESA50 before returning it. If we can't get one this time we will attach previous letters the GP wrote asking for home visits in the past but they are quite dated. Some of the medical evidence we have is quite dated but does show long term problems, is it worth putting in Doctors and specialist letters that are several years old (given that there has been no improvement) or would they just file them in the bin? We have an excellent psychiatric report but that is nearly a year old (medications and conditions remain the same is in the report), do you think they might take note of the content of the psychiatric report despite it being nearly a year old and GP letters that are several years old?

I can't tell you how stressed and upset we are about this. My wife isn't coping at all, I am scared for her safety.

Snow

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12 years 1 month ago #81364 by Gordon
Replied by Gordon on topic Re:Being transferred from IB to ESA
Snowbird

Can you try not post such long posts, even in the forum they are difficult to read, and near impossible when waiting to be approved.

First thing, ignore the 8 weeks WFI and the 13 week time to Decision, these only apply to new claims, not to claimants being transferred from IB.

Whilst I can appreciate how anxious you and your wife can be as to how long this take, there really is no stock answer.

Time from submitting an ESA50 to being called to a medical (if required) is probably 3-4 weeks to the actual appointment, they have to give you 7 days notice (unless you agree to an early appointment. The longest I have heard of where there has not been another problem is probably 4 months.

If your wife if not called to a medical, then the minumum time until a Decision is made is about a week from returning the ESA50, the longest I have heard of 11 months, the average is probably 4-5 weeks.

You are doing everything you need to to request a home medical, but if not granted, your wife must attend at an ATOS centre or risk having her claim closed.

If your wife is placed in the WRAG, then she should expect to be invited to a WFI within 3-4 weeks, you can contact the JC+ advisor to defer the appointment, they are under no obligation to do so. WFIs can also be held over the phone, and in rare cases, at a claimants hone, again this is at the discretion of the advisor.

If you have further questions, please reply to this thread.

Gordon

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems

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12 years 1 month ago #81366 by hassled mum
Replied by hassled mum on topic Re: Being transferred from IB to ESA
hello snowbird I don't know if this helps with your enquiry but I phoned the dwp job centre who are on my esa communications to find out what is happening with my renewal which arrived with ATOS on 30th November, they looked at the system and told me I was still in the "pile to be looked at" this is at week 9. they suggested I phone ATOS and gave me the freephone number which I did and they have moved no further either, still in the pile. I did ask what the time guides are at the moment given the increased workload with the ib to esa transfers and was told that on average it is 8 weeks to review an application but at the moment taking 13 weeks, I was told if I had heard nothing in another 3 weeks to phone again for an update. It looks like there is a very large pile of esa 50's waiting to be looked at,having said that other members of the disability forum I belong to had submitted at the same time and heard back within 6 weeks, they did not require a medical and their awards were for support group. I am not sure that the dwp or atos are really quite sure how long anything is going to take at the moment.I hope things turn out ok and your wife does not have to suffer needeless stress.
best wishes
hassled mum

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12 years 1 month ago #81387 by Snowbird
Replied by Snowbird on topic Re:Being transferred from IB to ESA
Sorry for the long posting Gordon and thank you for your informative reply.

Thanks hassled mum for your reply and support.

Just wondering if anyone reading this has attached dated medical letters and reports as evidence to go with their ESA50, and if so have ATOS and decision makers taken them into consideration? One we have is close to a year old and others date back to four or more years(including my wife's previous IB85). Do you think those will be looked at if I attach them? My wife is still on the same antipsychotic medication (she is on 18 different medications for various conditions) and there have been no improvements.

Thanks,
Snow

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12 years 1 month ago #81395 by Steve Donnison
Replied by Steve Donnison on topic Re:Being transferred from IB to ESA
Hi Snowbird,

Please look at the guides to claiming ESA in the members area, there is very detailed information about how and when to submit supporting evidence.

Steve

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12 years 1 month ago #81399 by Snowbird
Replied by Snowbird on topic Re:Being transferred from IB to ESA
Hi Steve. Thanks for your reply. I have glanced through the guides briefly but can't remember reading anything about submitting really dated evidence. Will take another look.

Also I am not sure we are using the right ESA50 form. I downloaded it from www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/...lasset/dg_195544.pdf and it says ESA50 03/11 at the bottom of the first page and is 21 pages long. But the numbered descriptors don't seem to match the support group descriptors on page 16 in your November 2011 Mental Health Guide. On the ESA50 form the learning task is on section 11 but the guide shows 9 as being learning tasks. The ESA50 shows the awareness of hazard on section 12 but the guide lists 10 as awareness of hazard. On the ESA50 I have downloaded, Part 2 (mental, cognitive and intellection functions) starts at number 11 but your guide shows the mental health descriptors as starting at number 9. I am so confused.

Snow

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