New DWP ESA warning to claimants

Hi all, 

I am currently on the old style ESA contribution based in the support group and have been in it for at least 3-4 years now since my last reassessment. I am not sure why I have not been reassessed earlier. Not receiving any other benefits or tax credits. In the last day or two I have seen a couple of news articles stating 'The Department for Work and Pensions is to review Universal Credit and Employment & Support Allowance claims where people have been ruled medically unfit for work'. 
 
Link
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/cost-of-living/dwp-universal-credit-esa-warning-27793800.amp

Link
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/cost-of-living/dwp-universal-credit-warning-thousands-27781995?int_source=amp_continue_reading&int_medium=amp&int_campaign=continue_reading_button#amp-readmore-target

Is this true? And if so do I fall into this category? Causing me a little anxiety, there seems to be a lot of recent quick benefit amendments being pushed through lately.

Thanks
«1

Comments

  • Grissom123
    Grissom123 Community member Posts: 43 Contributor

    The 'warning' from the DWP is just a notice saying that they're going to be starting reassessments again sometime soon.

    These articles are mainly designed to cause benefits claimants panic and distress with inflated headlines and inflammatory wording.

    I don't think it's anything to worry about too much. As Silver said, everyone gets reviewed at some point.
  • sunflower2
    sunflower2 Community member Posts: 69 Contributor
    So basically it means reviews are starting again for everyone is that correct @poppy123456?
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 59,054 Championing
    edited September 2023
    So basically it means reviews are starting again for everyone is that correct @poppy123456?

    No, not correct. Some were contacted a few months ago but they won't start back fully until at least the end of the year. The links above are newspaper articles... i'll say no more.
  • Creativechaos678
    Creativechaos678 Community member Posts: 7 Listener
    So basically it means reviews are starting again for everyone is that correct @poppy123456?

    No, not correct. Some were contacted a few months ago but they won't start back fully until at least the end of the year. The links above are newspaper articles... i'll say no more.

    Thanks, I guess that's what I was kind of asking.. They are both newspaper articles, I've not seen any official announcement that they are going to to reassess everyone on these types of ESA from the DWP.. Correct me if I am wrong? 
  • sunflower2
    sunflower2 Community member Posts: 69 Contributor
    So basically it means reviews are starting again for everyone is that correct @poppy123456?

    No, not correct. Some were contacted a few months ago but they won't start back fully until at least the end of the year. The links above are newspaper articles... i'll say no more.
    Thank you @p@poppy123456 so there still suspended for some?
  • bg844
    bg844 Community member Posts: 3,883 Championing
    @sunflower2 Some people still have their reviews suspended and have had their WCA referral dates changed, towards the end of this year claimants may hear something but the re-assessment backlog is huge and even if you are going through the process, it may be many months to even receive a decision (especially if they want to 'ramp' it up).

    Newspapers have appalling knowledge of the benefits system and 9 times out of 10 give the wrong information or stir the facts. 
  • apple85
    apple85 Community member Posts: 574 Pioneering
    https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/more-wca-reviews-to-be-carried-out,-dwp-warns

    I trust this site to actually dig up what’s true and what’s not (and they are seeking further clarification by the sounds of things)
  • apple85
    apple85 Community member Posts: 574 Pioneering
    edited September 2023
    And here’s a link to the actual newsletter sent by the dwp:

    https://hbinfo.org/newsletters/touchbase-8-september-2023/

    https://hbinfo.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Touchbase-15-September-2023.pdf

    Edit: (Okay I can’t find the quotes that benefitsandwork.co.uk quoted and I doubt that they’d lie - wondering if there is a even more recent newsletter)

    second edit: found it - it’s a copy and paste of what I presume is from the dwp original document onto someone website

    https://teacakeclub.org/2023/09/25/dwp-touchbase-fri-22-september/
  • apple85
    apple85 Community member Posts: 574 Pioneering
    Having read the source for myself I’d conclude that the newspapers didn’t make up the quotes, however they did add a lot of panic inducing padding to their articles which was in all frankness unnecessary.

    we always knew that the dwp were behind in assessments and would need to catch things up at some point (either by extending award lengths or getting through claims quicker)

    in all honestly I’m a little surprised the dwp aren’t just leaving those overdue a wca till the possible wca reforms come in 2025 or earlier and catch all of us out - esp whilst tribunals are still reversing a huge percentage of dwp decisions (which is expensive & time consuming for the dwp right now) - but that’s my logic only
  • Grissom123
    Grissom123 Community member Posts: 43 Contributor
    edited September 2023
    https://teacakeclub.org/2023/09/25/dwp-touchbase-fri-22-september/

    This came up when I searched for wca/touchbase

    Edit: I just saw someone else beat me to it, sorry ha ha 
  • Creativechaos678
    Creativechaos678 Community member Posts: 7 Listener
    apple85 said:
    Having read the source for myself I’d conclude that the newspapers didn’t make up the quotes, however they did add a lot of panic inducing padding to their articles which was in all frankness unnecessary.

    we always knew that the dwp were behind in assessments and would need to catch things up at some point (either by extending award lengths or getting through claims quicker)

    in all honestly I’m a little surprised the dwp aren’t just leaving those overdue a wca till the possible wca reforms come in 2025 or earlier and catch all of us out - esp whilst tribunals are still reversing a huge percentage of dwp decisions (which is expensive & time consuming for the dwp right now) - but that’s my logic only
    Thanks, the newsletter doesn't specify which benefits they want to reassess, they seem to talk from a broad spectrum of benefits?! I see what you mean with the 'unnecessary padding'. It's basically scare mongering. How long is the backlog exactly? I'm personally well overdue for an reassessment. How realistic do you think the reassessments target dates are.. 2024/2025? 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 59,054 Championing
    The links confirm what we already knew anyway and the reviews are planning on starting back up soon. One member already confirmed this a few months ago that they are likely to start back by the end of the year. This isn't far off as we are almost into October.

    When they do start back properly then it's clear to me that there will be backlogs so there will still be a wait for a lot of people.

    In my opinion the newspapers are just scare mongering again.


  • Creativechaos678
    Creativechaos678 Community member Posts: 7 Listener
    The links confirm what we already knew anyway and the reviews are planning on starting back up soon. One member already confirmed this a few months ago that they are likely to start back by the end of the year. This isn't far off as we are almost into October.

    When they do start back properly then it's clear to me that there will be backlogs so there will still be a wait for a lot of people.

    In my opinion the newspapers are just scare mongering again.


    Thanks, How long have the reassessments been suspended for? 
  • Creativechaos678
    Creativechaos678 Community member Posts: 7 Listener
    poppy123456

    Sorry yeah, just read this. Thanks. 

    'I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.

    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.' 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 59,054 Championing
    poppy123456

    Sorry yeah, just read this. Thanks. 

    'I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.

    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.' 

    No worries, it's fine, you didn't tag me, other than quote what i commented, which is fine.
  • carbow32
    carbow32 Community member Posts: 134 Empowering
    https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/work-capability-assessment-activities-and-descriptors/work-capability-assessment-activities-and-descriptors .. this was updated a couple of days ago but I can't work out how .. sorry not completely on topic but relevant. These lot make me want to shrivel up and die 
  • Creativechaos678
    Creativechaos678 Community member Posts: 7 Listener
    carbow32 said:
    https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/work-capability-assessment-activities-and-descriptors/work-capability-assessment-activities-and-descriptors .. this was updated a couple of days ago but I can't work out how .. sorry not completely on topic but relevant. These lot make me want to shrivel up and die 
    Thanks, The title of the link once opened says 'Open Consultation', does that imply everything mentioned below is a proposal rather than set in a stone plan?

  • carbow32
    carbow32 Community member Posts: 134 Empowering
    yeah but it is still quite nasty proposals that keep me awake in fear at night 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 59,054 Championing
    carbow32 said:
    https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/work-capability-assessment-activities-and-descriptors/work-capability-assessment-activities-and-descriptors .. this was updated a couple of days ago but I can't work out how .. sorry not completely on topic but relevant. These lot make me want to shrivel up and die 

    I'm sure i've seen parts of that link pon a previous thread quite recently. Though i see it's been updated a few days ago.
    carbow32 said:
    https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/work-capability-assessment-activities-and-descriptors/work-capability-assessment-activities-and-descriptors .. this was updated a couple of days ago but I can't work out how .. sorry not completely on topic but relevant. These lot make me want to shrivel up and die 
    Thanks, The title of the link once opened says 'Open Consultation', does that imply everything mentioned below is a proposal rather than set in a stone plan?


    They are considering changes. Nothing is set in stone yet.