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Re-assessment confusion
nsaeon
Member Posts: 5 Listener
Hello everybody.
I've been on ESA for several years (in the support group) but received the dreaded re-assessment letter in May. After sending the form back, I finally received a letter on 16 September that I was being moved to the WRAG.
This morning, I called the DWP to clarify this and to let them know I would requesting a mandatory reconsideration. I'd even prepared a letter to send them, as well as an additional sick note from my doctor confirming my conditions. But the woman I spoke to said that I was still in the support group. Unfortunately, she wasn't very helpful. She put me on hold twice, and did nothing to clarify what was happening. She's passed the case on to the benefits centre, who will be contacting me in the next few days.
Has this happened to anyone else? If it has, what was the outcome? And which was right: the letter I received, or the DWP woman?
This whole process is so stressful. I can take disappointments; it's the not knowing that's the worst.
Thanks in advance.
I've been on ESA for several years (in the support group) but received the dreaded re-assessment letter in May. After sending the form back, I finally received a letter on 16 September that I was being moved to the WRAG.
This morning, I called the DWP to clarify this and to let them know I would requesting a mandatory reconsideration. I'd even prepared a letter to send them, as well as an additional sick note from my doctor confirming my conditions. But the woman I spoke to said that I was still in the support group. Unfortunately, she wasn't very helpful. She put me on hold twice, and did nothing to clarify what was happening. She's passed the case on to the benefits centre, who will be contacting me in the next few days.
Has this happened to anyone else? If it has, what was the outcome? And which was right: the letter I received, or the DWP woman?
This whole process is so stressful. I can take disappointments; it's the not knowing that's the worst.
Thanks in advance.
Replies
Can you categorically confirm that I can't be moved to WRAG without a F2F? Also, thank you for your prompt reply.
"You have moved from the Support Group to the Work Related Activity Group". My rate of pay went down as well, so the letter definitely indicates a change of status.
Just a quick question about the sick note. I saw you said that it wouldn't be helpful in terms of evidence. However, for my mandatory reconsideration, I was going to argue that I more-than qualify for descriptor 13, and what my doctor wrote on my sick note supports this. Are you sure that wouldn't be useful?
In any case, hopefully I won't need to do that. Should I call the DWP back and ask to speak to case manager? Or should I just wait?
This time, I got through to a much friendlier and more helpful gentleman, who actually took the time to look over everything.
In short, he confirmed that the letter I received was sent in error.
The decision made was to keep me on the support group and to keep everything as it is. He made a phone call on my behalf to another department (I assume), and they confirmed it was an error. He's going to send a new letter to me to confirm that I'm going to remain in the SG, and hopefully my payment on Friday won't be affected. Even if it is, he told me just to call them back on Friday and they'd rectify it for me.
All-in-all, a great result. I wouldn't have made the second, much more useful phone call without your help poppy123456, so thank you once again!
Scope
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