ESA - WRAG group but why medical etc? Help please

Advice for a family member please about ESA as I dont know much about it. He has been on IB for sometime - sent ESA form to fill in (I gave him guides) got letter today to say he is in WRAG group and will have to attend Work Focus Interview and Healthcare Assessment. Question: As he has been put in WRAG group why does he need a medical and can medical say he is not entitled to ESA? Dont understand the next process as it seems to be different if you are transfered then if its a new claim where you have to wait the 14 weeks to find out what group you are in......sorry but I am confused need to claify things so I can explain to him. I dont understand if he is safe in WRAG group or if could be overturned at medical or interview stage? It states that the ESA will start from 4 janaury but no end date. Thanks in advance

Hi Lorraine

The work focused interview (WFI) is not a medical assessment and the personal advisor who conducts it does not reassess a claimants entitlement to benefit. There is more information on WFIs in the members' area.

I'm afraid I haven't a clue what the healthcare assessment is but they always send out another ESA50 questionnaire before the next medical assessment. If he requests his ESA85 or ESA85A report this should give an indication of when he will be reassessed. See

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/forum?func=vie...mit=6&start=42#75575

Hope this helps

Derek

Lorraine wrote:

Advice for a family member please about ESA as I dont know much about it. He has been on IB for sometime - sent ESA form to fill in (I gave him guides) got letter today to say he is in WRAG group and will have to attend Work Focus Interview and Healthcare Assessment. Question: As he has been put in WRAG group why does he need a medical and can medical say he is not entitled to ESA? Dont understand the next process as it seems to be different if you are transfered then if its a new claim where you have to wait the 14 weeks to find out what group you are in......sorry but I am confused need to claify things so I can explain to him. I dont understand if he is safe in WRAG group or if could be overturned at medical or interview stage? It states that the ESA will start from 4 janaury but no end date. Thanks in advance

Hi L,

As you correctly state anyone awarded WRAG of ESA will have to attend WFI's, see here :

Work Focussed Interviews

I can only assume that the "Healthcare Assessment" that you speak of is a WFHRA,(Work Focused Health Related Assessment), if this is the case these WFHRA's were postponed for two years in July 2010 (until July 2012) see page 28 of our :

Understanding Employment and Support Allowance

From here :

ESA Guides

It may also help if you read the information from the releative links in our FAQ's, here :

FAQ’s

Also with respect to how long the award of WRAG will last, the award cannot be changed without another WCA.

The length of the current award will be found in the ESA85A which can be requested from the DWP. See here :

ESA medical – what forms to ask for?

And here :

ESA Forms

Here also :

How often will I be reviewed

Hope this helps.

bro58