nav[aria-label="Primary Navigation"] { padding: 0; & ul { list-style: none; width: 100%; display: flex; flex-direction: row; justify-content: start; align-items: start; gap: 30px; padding: 0; & li { margin: 0; } & ul li { list-style: none; } } }

We want to hear from you: please tell us about your experience of the online community.

Esa mandatory reconsideration for support group

HONGKONGPHOOEY

Can any body help me I got a phone call for a mandatory reconsideration for esa support group I was told they would send me out a form to fill in but I would not need to send it in as everything I said was being typed out and it's going through under mental health so I would not need to full the form out but then she said it would help if I did but not to worry if I can't also she would be writing to my doctors for all the medication I was on
So they sent out a form twice and a reminder for the form
I did not fill the form out as I couldn't make any sense of the questions as I am so stressed out most of the time and I just trusted her she was telling the truth
The mandatory reconsideration interview started 16 weeks ago and so far I have not heard anything about it I have rang the DWP a few times but to no avail
Why is it taking so long 😩

Find more posts tagged with

Comments

poppy123456

You don't have to fill out a form for the Mandatory Reconsideration (MR) you can just write a letter. In the letter you should state why you think you should have been placed in the Support Group and which descriptor you think applies to you.

You should include a couple of real world incidents of exactly what happened the last time you attempted that activitiy. Adding detailed information such as where you were, what exactly happened, did anyone see it and what the consequences were.

You can see the descriptors here. https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/employment-and-support-allowance/esa-glossary/support-group-descriptors

HONGKONGPHOOEY

@poppy123456
I just got a telephone appointment
The woman at the other end said she was typing everything down and said a form would come out but I don't need to fill it out and return it
I never sent any letter back explaining anything as all I said to the woman from DWP was typed out word for word so she told me
It's taken just over 16 weeks and I still have not been given a decision yet
Why is it taking so long g ?

poppy123456

It wouldn’t have been a telephone appointment. You would have spoken to someone from a call centre. This is the reason why the MR should always be put in writing because you don’t know if that MR request was put through.

There’s no timescales for any decision. Sometimes it can take 12 weeks and longer.

All you can do is ring ESA and ask if the MR request was received.

HONGKONGPHOOEY

@poppy123456
When I rang up about it before i spoke to someone from the centre for health assessment they did say its not been processed yet they did ask about the form so I told them what I was told about not having to send the form in as it was a telephone assessment and it was all typed down they said that was OK
I know it got that far as the women i was speaking to asked about the form not being sent in before I even said anything about it

poppy123456

Are you sure this is a Mandatory Recommendation because it’s got nothing to do with the health assessment providers. DWP decision makers deal with MR decisions.

Have you had a work capability assessment yet, if so has a decision been made?

HONGKONGPHOOEY

I've been in the work related group for about ten years I got a phone call asking me about my mental health I answered all the questions she asked me she said that a form was coming out to me for the support group but she said I did not have to fill it out and send it back if I was not able to so I didn't send it back that was 17 weeks ago
A couple of days ago I got sent a letter telling me they want to give me another phone assessment for some reason with another health care professional
I just don't know what's going on here
I asked for mandatory reconsideration 17 weeks ago and so far this is the second phone call from a health care professional

poppy123456

Best thing you can do is ring them to ask why another assessment is needed. It’s impossible to even guess what the reason could be.

Tori_Scope

Hi @garyaustin

It's good to hear from you!

Hopefully they'll just want to ask you a few questions. Please do let us know how it goes.

How do you feel your mental health has been lately?

HONGKONGPHOOEY

@Tori_Scope
My mental health has taken a nose dive
I was quite bad before the pandemic but in January I got the covid 19 lurgy and I have had long covid ever since and looks like it's not getting any better soon
I can't get out unless someone goes with me my friend takes me to do the shopping a couple of times a month
I got barred from Iceland as I can get really over welmed if I try to go by my self and I had a proper melt down in the shop so frustrated my head was spinning I just couldn't handle being out so I got barred but since that happened about a year ago the people that barred me don't work there any more so as long as I keep a calm head on I try to get a bit of shopping there once in a while I did go yesterday to Iceland but I thought I was going to pass out fortunately I got home OK not going out on my own for quite a while now best not to Just in case I get overwhelmed again
Life's ot easy and quite a struggle at the moment

Tori_Scope

Thanks for getting back to me @garyaustin

It sounds like things have been pretty tough lately. I'm sorry to hear that you're having to manage physical health issues on top of your mental ill health.

Are you receiving any support to help you manage your mental health at the moment?

If you haven't already, I'd definitely encourage you to speak to your GP about how you've been feeling in regards to your mental health. You could always bring a friend with you to the appointment, or request a telephone appointment.

I'd also encourage you to take a look at Mind's website, as they have lots of helpful information and advice pages. They also have a helpline you can contact by calling 0300 123 3393, or emailing info@mind.org.uk

Have you ever had a needs assessment from your local authority? I'm wondering whether you may find that a helpful way of accessing some additional support to help you with daily life, including getting out and about. You can refer yourself for one through this NHS page.

It's lovely that your friend takes you out shopping. Are they a good source of support for you? Could they support you with feeling more comfortable getting out of the house more generally, do you think?

I'm sorry that you've been affected by long COVID. Have you been referred to a long COVID clinic?

HONGKONGPHOOEY

@Tori_Scope
i started to see the psychiatrist through my doctors but i couldnt handle the interview with him i just got up nd walked out in the first 5 minutes he did ask if i was coming back for another appointment i said no he sent me the same letter same as he sent the dwp he said i suffer with acute anxiety and depression that was about 7 years ago nothing has got any better only worse
i have spoken to the mental health team a couple of times but they said the same thing twice they cant put me through any treatment as yet because of the ongoing stress i have where i am living i am on a home swapping site waiting for some one to answered my add
i am on medication which sort of helps i got 2 neighbours here that pop in from time to time
i am waiting for some one from the nhs to come and asses my bathroom to have the bath taken out and a wet room put in
my doctors sent me to have chest exrays a few weeks back and now i am waiting for a check up appointment from my drs for the referral to the covid 19 pandemic team
ive had long covid for about 6 months now i spoke to someone else who has long covid they told me they've had it for over 15 months

Alex_Alumni

Hi @HONGKONGPHOOEY how have things been since you posted last week?

HONGKONGPHOOEY

@Alex_Scope
not to good my doctors increased my medication

Ross_Alumni

HONGKONGPHOOEY said:

@Alex_Scope
not to good my doctors increased my medication

Thanks for getting back to us. Sorry to hear that your medication has been increased, but hopefully it can help to support you more. How are you finding the increased medication?

HONGKONGPHOOEY

@Ross_Scope
its only day one it takes time for me to know the difference they take about 4 weeks to kick in as they change the chemicals already in my brain
i am now on 45 mg mirtazipine and co-codomol and i just started on amitriptyline quite a low dose and not working the doctor said ring him in a couple of weeks if i need to change the dose of amitriptyline and it looks like he is going to have to significantly increase it as they are not working i am still in considerable pain :'(

Alex_Alumni

That must be frustrating @HONGKONGPHOOEY and as you have mentioned, these things take time. It doesn't change the fact that you're still experiencing pain now, and I hope that you're able to manage that with support around you.

Hopefully over the next few weeks you'll see some positive changes

HONGKONGPHOOEY

@ Alex_Scope

thank you

L_Volunteer

You are welcome @HONGKONGPHOOEY . It is the very least you deserve. Please don't hesitate to let us know if we can do anything else to support you. We are all here for you