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ESA appeal

  • Codds
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11 years 5 months ago #92866 by Codds
ESA appeal was created by Codds
Hi! was wondering if anyone had experience of something I came across today?
I have lodged an appeal as I feel I should be in the support group and not the wrag group that I was placed in after my IB to ESA assessment
I received a letter acknowledging my appeal back in May and as I have heard nothing else since I rang the office the letter came from.
One of the things that I was told during the call was that "Support group is only for those who we feel will never work again".
I said that I was appealing on the grounds that I cannot mobilise 50 meters without significant discomfort etc.
The person I was speaking too then told me that I should not have been told that and they would get someone to call me back today.
Have I got it wrong? is the 50 meter criteria for support group no longer valid..

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11 years 5 months ago #92870 by slugsta
Replied by slugsta on topic Re:ESA appeal
Nothing has changed with the ESA descriptors, the 50 metre mobilisation is still the same (note that this refers to mobilisation, not just walking, you will also have to show that you would not be able to self-propell a manual wheelchair for the same distance). Indeed, I have recently won my own appeal on the same grounds.

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11 years 5 months ago #92872 by Gordon
Replied by Gordon on topic Re:ESA appeal
Codds wrote:

Hi! was wondering if anyone had experience of something I came across today?
I have lodged an appeal as I feel I should be in the support group and not the wrag group that I was placed in after my IB to ESA assessment
I received a letter acknowledging my appeal back in May and as I have heard nothing else since I rang the office the letter came from.
One of the things that I was told during the call was that "Support group is only for those who we feel will never work again".
I said that I was appealing on the grounds that I cannot mobilise 50 meters without significant discomfort etc.
The person I was speaking too then told me that I should not have been told that and they would get someone to call me back today.
Have I got it wrong? is the 50 meter criteria for support group no longer valid..

Whilst your expectations regarding the knowledge of the benefit system by the DWP staff is perfectly reasonable, I am afraid you will find that in the majority of cases, the Call Centre staff, who you will have spoken to, know next to nothing about the system :(

You are perfectly correct that being unable to mobilise 50m is one of the Support Group criteria. In fact there are a total of 16 Support Group descriptors, and bizarrely not one of them mentions not being able to work again :)

With regard your appealing, you need to be aware of the following.

Is there any risk to challenging a decision?

With regard the Support Group

Qualifying for the Support Group

To submit an appeal

How long do I have to appeal?

How to submit an appeal

You should also be aware of the following

12 Month Limit for ESA(CB)

Do I have to attend WFIs while I appeal?

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

Gordon

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  • Codds
  • Topic Author
11 years 5 months ago - 11 years 5 months ago #92875 by Codds
Replied by Codds on topic Re:ESA appeal
Thanks for the reply.
Glad about the fact that the descriptors are still the same.Can only guess what they are trying to tell me in that case.
I am aware of the fact about propeling wheelchairs, which I cannot do anyhow because of the seating position and problems in my neck etc.
Will have to wait and see what they tell me when/if they call me back.
Thanks again
Last edit: 11 years 5 months ago by slugsta.

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11 years 5 months ago - 11 years 5 months ago #92884 by wasue
Replied by wasue on topic Re:ESA appeal
I too have just won on the same descriptor grounds after waiting since April to hear. x
Last edit: 11 years 5 months ago by slugsta.

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  • Codds
  • Topic Author
11 years 5 months ago #93257 by Codds
Replied by Codds on topic Re:ESA appeal
Bit of an update. Have received a letter today saying that the decision has been revised and that I'm now in the support group.
I would like to thank all involved with Benefits and Work for the invaluable advice and guidance that I have received.
Just got to work out the money side of it now as the amount I am told I will be getting has not changed from the WRAG group but thats the least of it really
Thanks again.

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