I wonder if you could shed some light on what happens, I’m in receipt of incapacity benefit which is due for normal review early next year. I assume will be put onto ESA, I’ve always done the work capability test so is the test for ESA very different, I’ve been reading about support group and work related, it does seem that lots of people go in the WRAG group who should of been in the support group, Is it normal for medical s or is this all dependent on the results of your work capability test. If anyone is on the old IB and has been transferred over I would be interested to know what happens, I’ve not only had my DLA reviewed but will be changing over to ESA next year so to say I’m stressed just a little.
Deanne have a quick look at Moogles post titled Question Sue
Sorry meant Moogle star
I have never been on incompacity benefit before, I did try and try when I I first got MS but I didn’t have enough NI controbutions and I have been sick all my life with different things such as blindeness, epilepsy and a mental condition called OCD so I was never able to study in school that well as I was sick everyday. So work was hard to come by and I could never hold down jobs without getting laided off for the days off I had even with sick notes.
So what I did was one of my family members ran a buisness and said I can do some work for home and put no pressure on me. They paid my NI controbutions for 3 years and then the company went down so I was out again but I got my ESA with my NI controbutions but stopped after 1 year… So Incompacity turned into ESA and DLA is gonna turn into PIP boo!
So I have been fighting for 10 years for one year of benefit, wrong level of benefit as I have secondry MS and all these other issues.
I am living off my DLA which is Middle rate care and high rate mobility and now they want to test that out… They are sick people to be picking on the weakest!
Morning, I was on incapicity benefit, then got my forms about ESA transfer, with the help of a volunteer for our local society who did work in the benefit symstem, but is now retired, filled then out and sent them off, about 8mths later a letter dropped on the mat informing me that I’d been but in the work related group, I rang the number on the letter asked what this meant, and was informed that I would be expected to attend an interview at my local job centre with regard to finding work, I said theres no way I can work, but was told I would have to attend anyway, but if I didn’t agree with the group I’d been but in to appeal, they sent me the forms out, again the same person helped me to do this, we both felt I would be called for a medical, anyway in the meantime I went for my interview, very nice woman, she herself couldn’t understand way I was there, had just a normal interview, told her how it was on my VERY WORST TIMES, I ask her if this information would be passed on to ATOS, she told me that they didn’t share info, which I just couldn’t understand, so about 6mths later another letter came informing me that I’d now been but in the support group, and wouldn’t need a medical, I couldn’t believe it, now I’m sure it doesn’t go like this for everyone, and I know from others in my local group that I will get ask about it again, but for now I’m ok, my advice is get someone thats knows what there doing to help with the forms, this can be you’re nurse, physio, GP, mine wrote a letter, get all the help you can, really sorry for the long post, just wanted to explain my experience, oh forgot to say, if you do have to appeal ask for a copy of the medical report, get everything you can, good luck, and take care, Jean
Everyone who is currently on IB will be moved over to ESA sometime in the near future. I am myself dreading the appearance of the brown envelope. When I say “moved over” what I actually mean is “invited to apply for ESA”. Like IB you still need 15 points to be eligible but the descriptors are very different. For example IB asks how far you can walk but ESA refers to mobilizing and includes the use of aids up to and including a manual wheelchair. It would be naïve to assume that because you were eligible for IB you would automatically get ESA.
Filling in the form correctly (ESA50) when you get it is crucial. Decisions can only be made on the information that you give. ATOS make lousy decisions anyway so don’t help them by giving scant information. The form lulls you into thinking that yes/no answers are sufficient. Not so, especially with a condition like MS that can be variable.
The best advice I can give is the join Benefits and Work website (£20.00 p/a) where you will find detailed guidance on filling in the form and the process of migration from IB.
Good Luck
Jane
I’ve been through this process and was placed in the work related group, after many letters, phone calls and getting my MP involved the decision was changed and I am now in the support group.
I have learned a few things during the process, while filling the ESA50 in correctly is important without supporting evidence Atos will ignore most of what you tell them for example I can only walk a very short distance and have to be pushed in my wheelchair for anything more than about 20 metres, I wrote this on the form but when I recieved a copy of the Atos report it stated that I don’t have any mobility problems. the person who compiled this report has never met me I didn’t have a medical assessment or an interview.
I strongly suggest along with you ESA50 you enclose as much supporting evidence as you can, a letter from your GP, MS nurse and Neuro, don’t rely on Atos contacting them they will not.
Good Luck
Chris
Hi
I went through this process recently and was fortunate ( or not which ever way you look at it ) enough to be put in the support group without a medical or a face to face interview.
I did find it quiet stressful and did’nt send it in untill the last minute.
I think the best thing you can do is join the benifit and works website they have plenty of reading on the subject which explains what the questions on the forms mean and how to answer them honestly.
There is a special offer on at the moment.
I sound like I work for them but I don’t it really did help me.
Anyway if you have any letters from your specialist or doctor that help to explain your illness you can send in a copy with the forms and you can also send in how your illness effects your everyday life.
I can’t recommend that site enough.
benefitsandwork.co.uk I think that is the right address.
Ronin
Hi Deanne. As you will have read on other posts everyone on incapacity benefit is going to be assessed for the new benefit ESA. I filled in the work capability form in great detail and sent it off. I had put down mu neurologist name but forgot to put his contact details. I also put down the name of my GP. I know from them that they weren’t asked for any information. Ten weeks after I sent the form away I got a phone call to tell me that I had been put in the support group without a medical. Perhaps I was extremely lucky or maybe in was the fact that I filled in the form with every single little detail. Hope it all works out for you.
Mary
Thank you all for you detailed replies much appreciated, it is April or may that my normal,review is I just have read about the different groups and wondered what people’s experiences of them were. It was looking on reading other forums that they put a lot of people into the WRAG ice to hear some of you went into support group. When I get my forms I will obtain help, I actually had help filling in my recent dla review by welfare rights, now I’ve not had a decision as yet and my form went back middle of September. Really stressful time this isn’t it, thank you all again. X