ESA ( LENGTH OF AWARD TIMES )

teejays1617

A  few years ago ESA AWARD letters would give a claimant an idea when their claim is up for renewal. For example a claimant if successful would receive a letter stating which group they had been put in and the date awarded like say March 2014 to March 2017 as an example.
Over the last couple of years DWP do not put how long the ESA is awarded to in your letter you have to telephone the ESA department and ask when you are due to be re-tested at the next FACE TO FACE.
I recently had a FACE TO FACE and after the phone call today to the ESA part of DWP they said
" Your current AWARD is in the SUPPORT GROUP and ONGOING and you will need to be 
reassessed at your next Face to Face in 18 MONTHS time  .May or June 2020 "
The LENGTH OF THE AWARDS even if you have an Incureable medical condition seem to be
shorter in length ALL THE TIME
Are there any fellow readers and bloggers on here experiencing the same problems ?
Also I am being left on Old Style ESA until Transisitional Cover is in place from DWP
INTERESTING ? 

poppy123456

Hi,

I've claimed ESA since the start of 2013 and been in the support group since middle of the same year. I've been re-assessed 3 times since then and all of my award letters have never had a length of time on them. Yes, you can ring them to ask when your next re-assessment is but this will always be just a guide because they can re-assess you anytime from 3 months.

Each award can either go over the time or be under that time until your next re-assessment. Which means we never really do know what that ESA50 form will come through our door. I do know that for each time i'm assessed i go over my time recommended.

Not sure what you mean by "Also I am being left on Old Style ESA until Transisitional Cover is in place from DWP"

When we are eventually transitioned over to UC we will be placed into the relevant group we are in for ESA but the transitional process could be years ahead of us. For me, it's the last of my worries right now and i don't even intend on starting to think about that yet.

jarvo40

Hi teejays..I had a tribunal last month and got reinstated into the support group with a recommendation by the judge of not having another assessment for 24 months..then underneath it said only a recommendation and not legally binding..just says it all (not worth the paper it’s written on) we are just puppets for when they want to pull our strings..

poppy123456

jarvo40 said:

Hi teejays..I had a tribunal last month and got reinstated into the support group with a recommendation by the judge of not having another assessment for 24 months..then underneath it said only a recommendation and not legally binding..just says it all (not worth the paper it’s written on) we are just puppets for when they want to pull our strings..

Yes, even from a Tribunal it's just a recommendation. DWP can still assess you anytime from 3 months. It's a constant worry for everyone!!

teejays1617

Hi Poppy and fellow readers,
                                              Thankyou for your valuable comments on the subject.
I hope you are right when you say the transitional process could be years away.
When you say its the least of your worries ,is there anything we as a community can help you with or myself.
I love this Scope community we are in 

poppy123456

@teejays1617 thanks, that's extremely kind of you and means a lot. I will ask if i need some help and support but i deal with things gradually. My way of coping Thanks once again!!

worried33

Some of us never ever got the dates on the letters, it seemed to be only certain offices that added them to the letters, like it was also the case only certain offices correctly sent ESA3 form's to IB migrants.

Information posted on the yourable forums which comes from a DWP sourced document states that when the decision is made the DM puts a review date of in between a minimum of 3 months and maximum 3 years (if support group).  The only exception is if its deemed under the new severe condition category in which case a much longer date is entered (a special fixed date is used but I Forgot the date now off hand) to avoid an automatic review from happening.

The computers will then send out a referral to maximus at 2 months before or earlier than this review date.  This is automatic.

The DWP can choose to overide the date and send an earlier referral (anytime after the 3 month period), if they choose to.  Some people have managed to go a lot longer than 3 years without an assessment which I think is because some people are getting deffered and having an extended reviewed date put in without a WCA.

You can ring up and ask for the review date, the date they tell you expect the ESA50 a couple of months before it.

Also for the curious, the same document states a DM is supposed to honour recommendations from tribunals for reassessment dates if the tribunal makes a recommendation, they can overule but it states they must have a very good reason.

CockneyRebel

ESA awards are open ended unlke PIP which do have a deffinate end date

worried33

Yes on ESA if you hit the review date and have not yet had a new decision then your claim is not terminated, it carries on until a new decision replaces the old one.

Government_needs_reform

I had my last ESA Support Group for nearly 6 years, even though the Support Group is usually upto 3 years or earlier. This is when the problems come, if people think they have say a 3 year award before an expected review.

If not heard anything say at the 3 year point people begin to panic and wonder why they've not recieved a new form, I know I was think whe  do I have to go through all this again. So in affect waiting nearly 2 and a half Years over the 3 years waiting for a new form it dosent do ones mental health much good. As mentioned people can get re-assessed after 3 months.

edited to add. Yes I could have phoned the DWP but choose not to. Anyhow I've just gone through it again and Support Group for 3 years again, but may be 3 months or 6 years. This is the question ( when )... Tender hooks for many.