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ESA50

kit
kit Community member Posts: 24 Connected
Hi again I wonder if anyone can help. I had already been awarded ESA over 3 year ago. I have recently been awarded pip after having dla for a number of years. So why now are they asking me to fill in this Capability for work questionnaire when they have already gave me the severe disability allowance. Is this because I have put in an appeal about my pip decision. This has got me so concerned that I am physically being sick. Why all this after such a bad time with the Atos assessor it feels like punishment because I put a complaint in about his report.

Comments

  • Sam_Alumni
    Sam_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,671 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @kit
    Try not to get yourself too upset, I hope the @BenefitsTrainingCo will be along soon to offer some support and information.
    Scope
    Senior online community officer
  • CockneyRebel
    CockneyRebel Community member Posts: 5,209 Disability Gamechanger
    ESA and PIP are unrelated, so it is unlikely that your appeal has anything to do with it
    ESA can be reviewed at any time from 1 year to 3 years for SG, although many reveiws are being defered due to backlogs.

    Since 29th september some claimants will not have to have repeat assessments if they meet certain criteria but this is only following a WCA. as yet little more is known.

    CR

    Be all you can be, make  every day count. Namaste
  • BenefitsTrainingCo
    BenefitsTrainingCo Community member Posts: 2,621 Pioneering
    edited October 2017
    Hi kit,

    Unfortunately almost everyone has their capability for work assessed a couple of years after their last one, some are only left alone for as little as six months before they are reassessed. It doesn't have anything to do with your PIP. I know it's a pain because it's a stressful situation but there isn't anything you can do about it I'm afraid apart from filling in the form and hoping for the best. Good luck.

    Lee
    The Benefits Training Co:

  • kit
    kit Community member Posts: 24 Connected
    Thank you Lee. I was reading on the disability rights group that a new law was passed about the esa on September 29th that if you were in the support group you would not need to be reassessed do you know anything about that please. 
    Kind regards 
    Kit
  • kit
    kit Community member Posts: 24 Connected
    Sorry Cockney just seen this. Would that not apply to me with it being passed in September as I am in that support group.
    Kind regards 
    Kit
  • CockneyRebel
    CockneyRebel Community member Posts: 5,209 Disability Gamechanger
    Being in the support group does not automatically qualify, only people in that group that meet certain criteria under the severe conditions guidance will not have to be re-assessed following their next WCA. If it applys you will be notified of this on your next decision letter.

    CR
    Be all you can be, make  every day count. Namaste
  • Boychris
    Boychris Community member Posts: 19 Connected
    Hi Kit, Do not get alarmed with the form, you must be in a support group now , if you are then the DWP has a new mandate were those whom are in a support group are no longer required to under go re assessment as from the end of September. if you are not in a support group, then you will be continued to be re Assest roughly 3 years or when they think is deemed needed you know what they are like.  But do not make yourself ill over it, 

  • CockneyRebel
    CockneyRebel Community member Posts: 5,209 Disability Gamechanger
    Just being in the support group does not mean you will not be re-assessed.
    For anyone interested

    https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/sites/default/files/pdf/Severeconditionsguidance.pdf


    Be all you can be, make  every day count. Namaste
  • kit
    kit Community member Posts: 24 Connected
    Hi and thank you for messages. I have been in the support group since 2013 and all my disabilities will only get worse. I just thought it was strange getting the form so quick after the pip form. It has my nerves frazzled and wish I just knew why now.
  • BenefitsTrainingCo
    BenefitsTrainingCo Community member Posts: 2,621 Pioneering
    kit,

    I'm sorry but the reassessment for ESA and your PIP appeal really aren't connected. It's just very unfortunate that they do reassess people for ESA quite often. 

    As you're in the support group, it's possible that after this assessment you may get told you won't be reassessed again. As CR points out, that isn't necessarily going to apply to everyone in the support group, but you'll see from the guidance they've posted that it could apply to you (I think!)

    Don't worry, a lot of things that happen with the DWP can leave you paranoid but I have lots of clients who are waiting for both PIP and ESA appeals :-( One reason is that the DWP are hoping to get everyone on DLA assessed for PIP soon, so that process is continuing. A good number of those people won't be happy with their PIP award (or don't get PIP at all) and so challenge the decision. At the same time, for now at least, most people get reassessed for ESA at some point, so these things are bound to overlap.

    Let us know how you get on.

    Will
    The Benefits Training Co:

  • kit
    kit Community member Posts: 24 Connected
    Thank you for that Will. I think I needed a little reassurance x

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