Is WRAG time-limited before work?

Hi. Can anyone tell me; if you are placed in the WRAG, is there a time limit as to how long they expect you to be in this group before the DWP say you have to find work?

I know this may sound a little odd me asking this but can someone be in WRAG indefinitely and can they force you onto Jobseekers allowance or sanction your benefit, if you consider yourself ineligible for work most work, but you cannot get in the Support Group?

I believe a lot of people are trying to do part-time work, but single people would not earn enough to pay my bills, even with the top-up.

Is there any ruling on this?

TCP wrote:

Hi. Can anyone tell me; if you are placed in the WRAG, is there a time limit as to how long they expect you to be in this group before the DWP say you have to find work?

I know this may sound a little odd me asking this but can someone be in WRAG indefinitely and can they force you onto Jobseekers allowance or sanction your benefit, if you consider yourself ineligible for work most work, but you cannot get in the Support Group?

I believe a lot of people are trying to do part-time work, but single people would not earn enough to pay my bills, even with the top-up.

Is there any ruling on this?

Hi TCP,

If a claimant is placed in the WRAG of ESA, they will remain in the WRAG until they are re-assessed.

Each award of ESA, whether WRAG or SG is given a "prognosis", this is the length of time that the award should last before review/re-assessment, see :

How often will I be reviewed

The only way to be sure of your "prognosis" (length of award), is to request the relevant ESA Forms from the DWP, which would be an ESA85, if you had a face to face, or an ESA85A if you didn't, please see :

ESA medical – what forms to ask for?

And :

ESA Forms

Therefore, as you may gather, there are no indefinate awards of WRAG or SG. However it is possible for a claimant to stay in either group indefinately, if they continue to qualify under the relevant criteria, at each re-assessment.

Whilst in the WRAG, you are compelled to take part in WFI's or WRA, however you cannot be compelled to seek or take up employment, please see :

Work Focussed Interviews, (WFI’s)

Work Programme

I am not sure what you are asking with regards to the last part of your post, is this of any help? :

Permitted Work

If this has not answered your query, please repost.

bro58

Hi Gordon,

It seems that we have this problem again, of members getting understandably confused between qualifying for ESA in either WRAG or SG, as a result of how they have been assessed under the ESA WCA process, by fulfilling the qualifying descriptors or Exceptional Circumstances, and whether they are in receipt of CBESA, or IRESA, which a claimant could be in receipt of in either group.

Whether it is CBESA or IRESA, in either group of ESA (WRAG or SG) is dependant on their NI contributions/credits record, or whether they can pass the "means test".

It is CBESA in the WRAG that has the 365 day limit.

By the way Gordon, this is for the members benefit, not yours.

bro58

To quote from Gordon‘s #81361

“You can be forwarded to the Work Programme, typically this will hapeen when you only have 3 months until your next assessment…”

Q. Is being forwarded to, the same as, being forced to take part in. Because at your next assessment, you may be awarded a two year prognosis, either in the WRAG or the SG negating the objective of the work programme.