how long before ESA decision?

Everyday living
1

Hi, hope you are all as well as can be.

I was wondering how long people on here have had to wait before they’ve had an ESA decision? I sent my forms off last may, but still haven’t been told anything. I am not chasing them up cos I am still getting IB paid and i rely on this and DLA for my income. thanks, love Bex xxx

2

Hi Bex,

I don’t remember exactly but it definitely wasn’t over 6 months - more like a few weeks. Did you get proof of postage?

Jane

3

I had a appointment come through for a medical about 3 weeks after i sent the questionaire back unfortunately i didnt get a single point do they stopped it luckily i have a young child so qualified for income support or id had to go on jsa as i had to leave my job because i wasnt allowed to operate tje hoists with vertigo my partner moved in so dont need to mess about with claims now luckily x

4

I know they got my forms because i rang them up about 8 weeks after i sent them off. They said that they would write to me when they have made a decision. So, i’m guessing they haven’t made a decision yet xxx

5

Hi to all, It took me about 12 weeks n that included filling a form for a medical which i didnt go to because they put me in a support group instead because of my symptoms back bowel and bladder probs so hopefully you will get yrs come through soon. Dolphin_500.

6

Hi Bev,

Im surprised you’ve not heard anything from them. When my husband was moved from IB to ESA the reply was in a few weeks at the most. You’re usally financially better off if you move directly from IB to ESA because it isn’t related to your income like ESA is, because if you’re moved directly from IB to ESA you continue to get paid at your original IB rate (I hope that makes sense?) I they hadn’t received the forms they would probably have stopped your benefit by now. They could well have looked at your form and decided from that that you qualify for ESA without needing to be assessed further, but you should have received at least a phone call from them. personally I have never been asked to go for a face to face assessment but did get a phone call to tell me that.

You could phone them just to confirm your position; or wait until they contact you; or your benefit stops.

If it were me I think I’d give them a call just to put my mind at rest and know my benefit isn’t just going to suddenly stop and then having to go through the hassle of trying to get it restarted and possibly losing the advantage that comes with moving directly from IB to ESA. It won’t make any difference to any decision they make.

Diane X

7

Hello It is possible that you were caught up just when the hold was put in place as ATOS Assessors we’re put through retraining following the MPs report to parliament. Things are just starting to swing back into action now. All the best.

8

My advice, for what it’s worth, is do nothing and keep spending what they send you. As long as you sent the forms back just try to forget all about it. And don’t forget… vote Labour!!

9

In the interest of fairness as the BBC would state "Other political parties are available!!!

10

Hi,

On my frst assessment I was waiting nearly a year, I’ve just been re assested and it took 5mths,I heard that the deprtment that deals with this is in a real mess, my advice, as long as your getting paid say nothing, this time as well I went straight into the support group.

Jean x