criteria applied by Decision-Makers

Hello,
what criteria do Decision-makers use when deciding which group,
or none , claimants should be placed in?
Or, How do they decide, and what do they use to make the decisions they make.?
(Is it consistent).

stephano wrote:

Hello,
what criteria do Decision-makers use when deciding which group,
or none , claimants should be placed in?
Or, How do they decide, and what do they use to make the decisions they make.?
(Is it consistent).

Hi,

The criteria for either the support group or work related activity group are based on meeting certain descriptors.

The descriptors are as in the 'understanding ESA' guide in the members area accessible from this page:

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

As to consistency - well decicisions 'should' be consistent - with the emphasis on should!! However it is generally a subjective matter whether or not one can meet descriptors.

Pete

Thanks,
are the descriptors, then,
interpreted by decision-makers? Or,are
decision-maker decisions about evidence
of claimants' descriptors not prone to interpretation? And, if dm's are not interested in evidence based on diagnosis,
how is the system they use fair, in terms
of the day to day effects of disability?

stephano wrote:

Thanks,
are the descriptors, then,
interpreted by decision-makers? Or,are
decision-maker decisions about evidence
of claimants' descriptors not prone to interpretation? And, if dm's are not interested in evidence based on diagnosis,
how is the system they use fair, in terms
of the day to day effects of disability?

Hi,

No, the descriptors are not interpreted by Decision Makers (DM's)- the descriptors are fixed in Law.

What DM's do interpret is the claimants evidence to see if the evidence either supplied by the claimant, or as a result of an ATOS Work Capability Assessment, or GP report etc satisfies one or more of the descriptors.

In order to help them do this, they may access to what is called the 'Decision Makers Guide''

Pete

Thanks,
is the desision makers' guide
readily available?