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E.S.A. WRAG NEED HELP!

justg72

Hi all
I have just had an ESA assessment review and have gone from the support group of ESA to be put in the WRAG of ESA. The doctor who assessed me had said I was not fit for work as I have daily grand mal seizures and severe depression , however the decision maker disagrees and has put me in the WRAG group for ESA. The specialists who are involved with me have said I should not have been placed in this group and I have a fit note and letters to back this up. Does anybody know if you can be paid the support group rate when waiting for an MR appeal decision? also do you have to attend the WRAG appointments?
I would be greatful if anybody can answer this please as I dont think I can take anymore! I have lost my PIP and have my tribunal coming up in May and now this!
I am also losing my home I have had it with what DWP have done.
I have worked all my life up until my health has prevented me to do so.
Its got that bad a mental health crisis team are assessing me tomorrow because of my depression.
Any advice would be appreciated please.

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Comments

lizbam

Hi If you're challenging the DWP's decision to put you in the work-related activity group, you'll continue to be paid WRAG rate ESA while awaiting a decision. You can ask your work coach at the Jobcentre to defer your work focussed interviews for a period of time due to your health. Tell them about your involvement with the MH crisis team. Good luck.

Antonia_Alumni

Hi @justg72 welcome to the community. Thank you for sharing this with us. I am sorry to hear this. How are you doing today?
I think you will but I'll tag @BenefitsTrainingCo about being paid the support group rate, as I am not sure.

On the Citizen Advice website it says:

If you’ve been put into the work-related activity group, you’ll be asked to go to a work-focused interview. This will be with a personal adviser at the Jobcentre.

At the interview, your personal adviser will try to get a better understanding of your situation and your abilities and your limitations. They’ll look at what you can already do, what you might be able to do in future and what help you would need to be able to go to work.

If you have a long-term physical disability, illness or mental health problem, the work-related activities you’re expected to do should be adjusted to account for this - these are called ‘reasonable adjustments’.

Your personal adviser should talk to you about what is manageable for you in your circumstances, eg if you’re a wheelchair user you might only be able to attend training venues that have wheelchair access. This should make your work-related activities more manageable for you.

If you don’t feel this happens, or you’re pressured into agreeing to carry out activities that aren’t realistic for you, it could be discrimination. You can make a complaint. You can go to your local Citizens Advice for help with this.

Please keep us updated and I hope your assessment was okay today?

madquasimodo

I would advise if you can attend all appointments if they call you, the DWP/JC love putting sanctions on people, so it would help if you gave them no option to sanction you. I take it the MR is for the ESA? many people have been wrongly placed in the work group rather than support, the DWP planned for a steady stream of people coming from support back into work, the keenness to do this has put a massive load on the system as people appeal and then get placed back into support.

Good luck I hope you can get this sorted.

BenefitsTrainingCo

Hi Justg72

I'm afraid you can't be paid the support component whilst waiting for the MR/appeal. But it is worth continuing with the challenge as you will be paid the amount retrospectively if you are successful. I hope you are getting some good help with this as i'm sure it will increase your chances of success and aid your recovery.

Best wishes

David

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