Got Decision Today

Hi, I got my ESA50 decision today and have been placed in the WRAG. I was not called for a medical. I don't agree with their decision however and thought I would be put in the support group. I had included letters from my Consultant and G.P so I'm not sure where to go from here.
What is the main difference to WRAG and the Support Group?

I do want to thank everyone on here for all the help and support I have received to get this far.

Jessica

Jessica wrote:

Hi, I got my ESA50 decision today and have been placed in the WRAG. I was not called for a medical. I don't agree with their decision however and thought I would be put in the support group. I had included letters from my Consultant and G.P so I'm not sure where to go from here.
What is the main difference to WRAG and the Support Group?

I do want to thank everyone on here for all the help and support I have received to get this far.

Jessica

Hi J,

You have one month from the date of your WRAG award letter to submit an appeal.

Please see : How long do I have to appeal?

How to submit an appeal

Is there any risk to challenging a decision?

With regards to forms that you may wish to request from the DWP to aid an appeal, see :

ESA medical – what forms to ask for?

ESA Forms

Our most current ESA Appeals Guide (Nov 2011) is available on this page :

ESA Guides

With regards to the difference between WRAG and SG, see :

Qualifying for the WRAG

Qualifying for the Support Group

As you are in the WRAG, you may wish to read :

Work Focussed Interviews, (WFI’s)

Work Programme

The Welfare Reform Bill 2011

12 Month Limit for ESA(CB)

There are other helpful links as well as those above, in our FAQ's at the top of the Forum, see : FAQ’s

bro58

Thank you very much Bro. Do you think it would be worth a try and ask for a reconsideration before appealing? The thought of having to attend a tribunal fills me with horror, I just want the whole thing to be over but part of me is so angry . I have worked all my life and am made to feel like this. Do you know if anyone could attend a tribunal on my behalf and if I need a solicitor etc. Is there any Legal Aid that I could apply for?

Thanks again Bro and I'm sorry for all the questions, I'm just shocked and confused.

Jessica

Jessica wrote:

Thank you very much Bro. Do you think it would be worth a try and ask for a reconsideration before appealing? The thought of having to attend a tribunal fills me with horror, I just want the whole thing to be over but part of me is so angry . I have worked all my life and am made to feel like this. Do you know if anyone could attend a tribunal on my behalf and if I need a solicitor etc. Is there any Legal Aid that I could apply for?

Thanks again Bro and I'm sorry for all the questions, I'm just shocked and confused.

Jessica

Hi J,

With regards to Reconsideration versus Appeal, please see this 3 page thread :

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/forum?func=vie...id=10&id=78133#78133

With regards to gaining representaion, anyone who is agreeable can represent a claimant in an appeal, and at a Tribunal Hearing.

Many people successfully represent themselves.

It is obviously better if you can gain the support of a qualified representative from the CAB etc.

Please see the link below, (again from our FAQ's, which I directed you to in my previous post) on sources of advice :

Where to get advice?

bro58

Thank you for that Bro, I really appreciate it.

Jessica

Hi J,

Don't forget that you would receive an automatic reconsideration by a different DWP DM, if you submit an appeal.

Only if the decision is not changed at this stage, would your appeal be sent forward to the Appeals Service.

You can cancel your appeal at any stage if do not wish to see it through to fruition.

If you simply ask for a reconsideration, and the decision is not changed, you would then have to submit a seperate appeal request.

So it is one action in the former example above, as opposed to two actions in the latter.

bro58