Well the postman delivered me a lovely letter earlier this afternoon, another ESA50 form. Re-assessment time again I've been expecting it for sometime but it still made my heart sink when i opened it. Armed with my knowledge i'm not even going to ask a disability advice centre for help filling it in because it's time and effect that i just can't deal with right now. Besides they made such a mess with my daughters PIP forms, i just don't trust anyone. I'll fill it in myself, send my evidence with it and hope for the best. Been in the support group for the last 6 years or so. Wish me luck please everyone!! I must admit out of ESA and PIP, ESA is the one i dread the most! Oh well, it had to happen sooner or later. Love to all.
Best of luck Denise x
Hi Hun hope ur ok ,
I know the feeling had to fill mine in last week does not seem long ago that I filled last one in 😩
Fingers crossed for us both
🙏
Kind regards
Caroline xx
Good luck denise. ..with your knowledge think your better filling in your own forms...instead of all the running about. .it's a pain the asse lol ❤❤❤❤❤❤✋
You have been so much help to a lot of people I wish I could help you with this but you are far more capable than me.
All I can do is send you all my love.
Sarah xxx
Good luck Denise, thinking about you, if only they knew what they are doing to us!! XXXX
I wish you all the luck in the world, Denise. You deserve it
Thanks everyone, it means a lot.....I'm not thinking about, i'm not thinking about, i keep saying in my head. I'm kidding myself really, it's a worrying time for everyone these re-assessments. More sleepless nights to go with the sleepless nights i already have lol..oh yippee! xxx
Stiff upper lip and all that bunk, you will sale through no probs and if you need any advice you can always ask Denise LOL x
Hope it all goes well. I filled my ESA form in myself and was awarded support group. If I can do that and make myself understood, then you definitely can. You're far more able to put your case across eloquently than I am. Follow your own advice and I'm sure you'll be fine.
Just read today an update on when assessors should recommend no further f2f. Maybe you will come into one of their categories. Checked it against my own circumstances and I shouldn't be called in again according to their recommendations, but I'm not going to hold my breath. I will still need a f2 f in order for them to tell me that I think although I haven't had a face to face up to now and my decision was paper based. Best of luck.
Thanks, i really hope so! I certainly will LOL xx
Thanks Jackie, I definitely still meet a Support Group descriptor so i'll definitely be stating this in the ESA50 form along with evidence to prove i meet it. Last re-assessment was a paper based assessment, i'm really hoping for the same this time.
If you met the rules for no further re-assessments then this applies even with a paper based assessment. You do not have to have a face 2 face assessment to meet this criteria. To know for sure whether you did though you'll need to ring ESA and ask the simple question...... how long is your current award for. If it's no further assessments they'll tell you.
When was your last re-assessment? if it was after October 2017 then you have a chance for no further assessments because this is when the new rules came out. New rules were for those in the Support Group, after their next re-assessment they could be awarded this depending on the evidence and how their condition affects them. Of course not everyone will be given this, in fact i've only ever heard of 3 people since the announcement. Sounds amazing though doesn't it, no further assessments for ESA!! I can only HOPE! The new rules don't apply to those currently in the WRAG.
Thanks again for the kinds words! x
Wishing you lots of luck with your reassessment, Denise and fingers crossed for a paper based decision. Out of interest, how long has it been since your last assessment. I was put in the support group after a paper based decision last August. The medical person had recommended I be put in the WRAG and be reviewed in 1 year ( ie now), but the DWP put me in the support group instead, after I pointed out that 1 month previously, I had been awarded enhanced PIP, for both elements, including not being able to walk more than 20 metres. Given that the support group descriptor 1 is about not being able to walk more than 50 metres, I was amazed at the medical recommendation! I have been getting really anxious as I expected to have the new ESA50 form by now, but recently spoke to a friend who said people in the support group tend to get the forms much later than the recommended reassessment dates. What has your experience been with this?
Thanks. The last time i had these forms was 2 years ago. Times vary for everyone in the Support Group. They can actually re-assess you at anytime. I've always gone over my my time. Some are reviewed in just 6 months, while others haven't been contacted for 4 years or more. The first time i went 4 years with no contact. ESA is and always will be my worst nightmare.
That's the reason i've been in the Support Group since my first assessment and what i'll be basing my form on again this time. I also have an Enhanced mobility PIP award and i'll be sending my PIP report and award letter with this form to go with all my other evidence. They can't tell me i can walk more than 50 metres when i have a PIP award that clearly states i can't. Don't know if it will be a paper assessment again this time, but i sure hope it is.
Hi Denise.
My last ESA assessment was around March/April 2017 and it was for 2 years. This was my first assessment and was paper based although they did write to my GP. I was put into the support group and I didn't ask to see the assessment report and neither did I ask how many points I got. I would have qualified on the 50 meter descriptor. In your experience, do people who have had a paper based assessment usually get called for face to face next time. The reason I am asking is because I was assessed prior to last October when the new rules were announced. If I remember rightly, everyone was still going to need to be reassessed either f2f or paper based so that a decision can be made on whether further assessments are needed. I really hope I don't get regular reassessments. I have a condition that will not get better and is unlikely to improve unless medical science comes up with something amazing. I'm also 62. At what age does ESA stop? Is it state pension age? provided that you no other income. It's really quite a stressful experience mainly because of reading so many negative experiences of others who appear to be more than entitled but get nothing.
As your last assessment was before the new rules changes then yes, you will be re-assessed again and sent another ESA50 form before they decide whether the new rules apply to you.
I've heard of people having a paper based assessment multiple times in a row, i've also heard of people having paper based then face 2 face so there's not really an answer to that question.
Being placed into the Support Group isn't about scoring points, it's about satisfying at least one of the descriptors.
ESA stops at state pension age yes because ESA is a working age benefit.
hope you do well .
@denise15811 Dear Denise,
I do feel for you, when I had to retire from work ( a job I loved) because of an injured spine, I was plagued with brown envelopes coming through our door. About once per fortnight I had to attend medicals, these would put me in bed and I would just be recovering when off I had to go again. I got to the point where I told them that I could not possibly attend a centre and if they wanted to examine me, they must come to my home, which much to my surprise some retired doctor would. It was a completely different system in those days. I was turned down once, I was so angry, I wrote to the DLA and told them they could stuff their allowances if they could guarantee my capacity to walk could be returned. Guess what, I got the allowance and was told that I would never have to attend another medical. I have always treated people with respect and good manners, but on this occasion, I just lost my temper and for once it paid off, I could barely walk and spent most of my time in bed because of the crippling back pain. I hope that all goes well for you, I admire the way that you are always there to help. Take care, MaryLip
Thanks Mary,
Well done for standing up for yourself at the time. I never claimed either of the incapacity or DLA.
I'll try not to stress! easier said than done i know. I expected it but hoped it wouldn't arrive and hoped even more that they'd forget about me...chance will be a fine thing! There's always something in life to stress about, if it's not DWP it's something else. Next thing i'll be having my daughters PIP renewal forms through the door....yay! Don't you just love the DWP?? NOT! I have a headache thinking about it. I may know the benefits system very well but that still doesn't make it an easy ride.
As for helping others here, i probably always be here. I know there's a couple of posters that would hunt me down if ran away -coughs- mentions no names of course
Take care Mary and thanks for the kind words! xx
Thank you, Denise, I have only stated the truth. I think I lost my temper because a man who was on every benefit possible, used to chop down trees for extra money. I wouldn't have dreamt of reporting him, but that particular day, I saw him drive merrily passed our house with a lorry full of trees. That did it. LOL.