ESA - been placed in WRAG, not sure if happy...

Mark Sutton wrote:

bro58 wrote:

Mark Sutton wrote:

bro58 wrote:

As you may know passing "on scrutiny" means that the decision of ESA award was made on the written evidence that the DM had at his disposal, without the need of a face to face assessment.

If an appeal is lodged, it is possible that you may be required to attend a face to face assessment, to gain further evidence in reconsidering your award.

bro58

Hi, bro58,

Do you have any stats (from the appeals info you collected, for example) to indicate how many WRAG>Support Group apellants who got into the WRAG "on scrutiny" were subsequently called to face-to-face medicals?

Hi MS,

I'm afraid that I don't have such stats.

bro58

That's a shame.

This is a most important factor that has to be considered before launching a WRAG>Support Group appeal as the medicals seem to be something of a lottery and one could end up even worse off.

Hi MS,

You could make an F.O.I. request to the DWP, from this site. :

www.whatdotheyknow.com/

However, the statistics that you require may not be available, also many stats are coalated by the DWP on a quarterly or half yearly basis.

I am not sure, but I think that the site owner Steve is trying to coalate such information from members at present.

I am sure that if he obtains any relevant information he will publish it at some time in the future.

bro58

bro58 wrote:

I am sure that if he obtains any relevant information he will publish it at some time in the future.

bro58

Thanks, bro58, that's most helpful.

Mark Sutton wrote:

bro58 wrote:

Mark Sutton wrote:

bro58 wrote:

As you may know passing "on scrutiny" means that the decision of ESA award was made on the written evidence that the DM had at his disposal, without the need of a face to face assessment.

If an appeal is lodged, it is possible that you may be required to attend a face to face assessment, to gain further evidence in reconsidering your award.

bro58

Hi, bro58,

Do you have any stats (from the appeals info you collected, for example) to indicate how many WRAG>Support Group apellants who got into the WRAG "on scrutiny" were subsequently called to face-to-face medicals?

Hi MS,

I'm afraid that I don't have such stats.

bro58

That's a shame.

This is a most important factor that has to be considered before launching a WRAG>Support Group appeal as the medicals seem to be something of a lottery and one could end up even worse off.

I spoke to my counsellor today. She was both amazed and disgusted that I haven't been placed in the Support group - and I'm not the only one of her clients (by the sound of it) that this has happened to.

She is fully prepared to support any appeal that I may decide to launch. In a way, it makes me feel better to know that someone whose opinion matters in the grand scheme of things agrees that I really am as ill as I've been saying that I am (maybe I'm wrong - but it always feels like I'm in a struggle with them to prove that I'm not a lying, thieving benefit scab). She's told me a few reassuring things about these Work Focussed Interviews if it gets to the point (as it probably will) that I have to go to them. Stories of people she personally knows who have been forced to go to them, despite significant illness, to be met by helpful staff, sympathetic to their case and bemused as to why the 'system' has sent these people to them, despite them obviously being unfit for 'work related activity'. By the sound of it, quite a few people around here are going to one or two or three ten minute interviews, then being told that it's pointless for them and a waste of everyone's time to attend any more...

Anyway, I'm going to get in touch with my GP next. Going to try ringing him in the next couple of days. Any suggestions as to what, specifically I should ask of him, that might help in an appeal? Or just a general 'will you be prepared to support my ESA appeal?'? Pretty sure that he will - he certainly supported my initial application.

Hi, just to answer the stats question;

this from Hansard 12th Oct 2012, Chris Grayling;

Due to the overall length of the incapacity benefits reassessment process, information on the entire process including the final outcomes and subsequent destinations of claimants being reassessed is not yet available. Individual level data are being collected, but it will take time to complete because of the overall length of the reassessment process.

Best wishes,
Rachel

Phil - i think you need to ask your GP to be pretty specific regarding the support group criteria you meet, whether it be one of the descriptors or 'exceptional circumstances'. You need to make sure your GP refers to your limited capability for 'work related activity' (support group) and not just 'work' (WRAG).

Best of luck with it all.

TCP - in addition to contacting your MP and ministers, you could also make contact with journalists, but i would choose those who are likely to be sympathetic and knowledgeable. There are several Guardian journalists who regularly write very good articles on ESA - have a look on their site.

Also BBC radio 4 regularly reports on welfare reform/ESA issues, especially the You and Yours programme.

www.disabilityalliance.org/bbcwca.htm

Although Helen Grady, the producer is particularly looking for people with a WCA in October, she may well be interested in hearing about any relevant issues - maybe for future programmes.

Worth a try

Best wishes