Wrag to Support group without a medical

Everyday living
1

Hi all,

Just thought I’d tell people my story regarding ESA.

I put in an application for Contribution based ESA and was relieved to be put in the WRAG Group without a medical. As it is only for a year, and with other things going on in my life I didn’t want to appeal. However after reading on Benefits and Works that if at a later date I qualified for the Support Group I could reapply; I decided to ask the Decision Maker for all the information regarding my claim which you can do as part of the Data Protection Act. The idea behind this was really just to see how many points I’d been awarded so that I knew where my starting point was if/when I needed to reapply. I have PPMS.

Anyway, when I got in yesterday there were 2 brown envelopes on the mat.The 1st was an acknowledgement of my request. I opened the 2nd expecting it to be notification of the interviews you have to have in WRAG. It wasn’t it was telling me they’d looked at my claim again and had put me in the Support Group!

I’m not sure if I’m being a bit cynical with the system but it seems a remarkable coincidence if the 2 aren’t connected!

So to all of you who may be starting the ESA process, you don’t always have to have a medical if you provide enough evidence. I included copies of all my medical letters. And it may well be worth asking for information about you that was made when the claim was decided!

Sarah x

2

Hi, thankyou for posting this. it will, hopefully, help all those in your situation.

My turn will come no doubt!

luv Pollx

3

Hi

Had I have known two years ago what I know now, I would have probably been placed in the support group straight away.

I did go for 3 medicals ( I think) two were rather dubious, but I walked with a stick so that went against me even though I did’nt walk more than 20 mtrs. I had also just moved house to a different area so Dr, Neuro or MS nurse did not know me.

Anyway I appealed and it took over a year to get to a tribunal which I sailed through, by this time I am now in a wheelchair anyway. This was fine until I could not work out why they had only given me six months of back payments…I had been reassessed while waiting for the tribunal date and had been put in the wrag again without a medical.

I then had to put in a late appeal and had the decision changed…so all is well now

I am also ppms

jax