ESA - letter arrived but confused!!!

psyart

Hi - as many of you know I had my medical on tuesday and was left feeling really horrid, thought the lady's questions were not relevant etc.

had a meeting on thursday with pathways - she told me i was put on the work related activity group - was angry as felt this was wrong and felt they had rushed the decision!!

anyway had a letter today :!: :!: Yes i have been put on the work related activity group but they are putting my money up :!:

please can someone explain :?: i thought if you went on the WRAG then your money was stopped and you had to go on job seekers :?: :?:

a rather confused Louise xx

dorcas

Hi Louise,

I've copied a response that I gave to another peep that I hope will answer your questions about your letter and what it all means.

quote:

You are in exactly the same position as me. Maybe I can help with the awful bureaucracy of it all and mind numbing literature that surrounds ESA. Forgive me if I tell you what you already know. but it's easier to explain the whole process than just one bit of it!

so.. here's my beginner's Guide to understanding ESA & ATOS

1. When you first apply... if you meet the initial criteria for ESA then you are awarded ESA at the 'Assessment Rate'.. this is what we are all placed on while the dwp assess our medium to long term eligibility for ESA. The assessment period is 14 weeks.(I think?)

2. You then attend a 'Pathways to Work' Interview within 6weeks of being granted ESA ....and told at that interview that you will be called to attend a Medical Assessment in the near future. (some people don't have to attend a medical if they are terminally ill for example)

3. You will also be sent a Self Assessment Questionnaire to complete and send in to ATOS.

4. You attend the medical assessment at one of the ATOS medical centres. The medical assessment has to be done prior to the end of the assessment period of 14 weeks to determine whether you continue on one of the two levels of ESA ....OR are refused and told you are fit for work & to apply for jobseeker's allowance instead.

5. You then receive the decision letter from DWP.(can take 2weeks to get the decision letter)

There are 3 possible outcomes to an ATOS medical

5.1. That you do not fit the criteria for ESA (people who score less than 15 points in the medical assessment) and are 'Fit For work' and should apply for Jobseeker's Allowance or get a job.

5.2.that you have been assessed as having 'Limited Capability for Work' and will receive ESA at the 'Limited Capability 'Rate. (people who score at least 15 points in the medical assessment) The letter will tell you you have been placed in the 'Work Capability Group' and will be obliged to attend and to 'fully participate' in further 'Pathways To Work' interviews where you will have to show how you're managing your condition so as to work towards a return to the workplace. You do not have to hand in any more medical certificates.

5.3. that you have been assessed as having 'Limited Capability for Work' but it is of such significance that you cannot be reasonable expected to work in the longer term and so are placed in the 'Support Group. People who are placed in the 'Support Group'will receive ESA at the highest rate and do not have to attend any further interviews or hand in any more medical certificates.

People in the Support Group are those with a terminal illness or 'significant mental impairment or physical disability'

---

So... Louise, you are in the middle group! You will continue to receive ESA at the increased middle rate , do not need any more doc certificates but will have to attend and participate in the Pathways to work interviews etc...in the 'hope' that you will one day be fit to work through ...your own efforts to manage your condition... and the support offered by the Pathways Team.

Big question is do you agree with the decision? If you do.. then that's fine; you'll attend the Pathways Interviews and continue to receive ESA until/ if/ when you can work again.

I did not agree with my 'Limited Capability' decision and am asking dwp to reconsider their decision as I strongly believe I should be in the Support Group.

This is a hugely long winded answer.... but maybe it'll help others who like me and you get caught up in the terrible bureaucratic nightmare they call ESA.

Iris xxx

psyart

THANK YOU IRIS!!! xxxxxxx

I knew you would have the answer . I think I got myself into such a state the other day that nothing was making sense and then getting angry with the whole system didnt help :!: :oops:

that makes sense now what you have written - thank you - it is such a nightmare and there doenst seem to be an easy way around the whole thing :x

The decision they have given me is ok with me :!: - i just thought that WRAG meant 'get off your **** - you are not suffereing with anything so get a job' :!: :!:

I had made the decison a while ago that if the hospital can change my medicaition, and hopefully it works - then I would like to try and look for work :!: not sure where or what - but I suppose now that is what the meetings will be about :?:

I am on the 2nd year on my Fd degree and would like to finish that - hopefully to help my further :?: but I cant cope with too much at the moment and the stress of it all was really making me more poorly

Thanks again Iris - I hope you fight them and get the decision that is right for you. xx

Louise xxxxxx - who now needs to relax for a bit :!:

dorcas

Hi Louise

glad to have helped.

the system is designed to baffle us all.... and the so called information leaflets don't explain things at all well.

stress is big factor in making arther worse and the dwp seem to be very adept at stressing me/ us out!!

so, be kind to yourself now Louise do something relaxing and enjoyable...

btw.. I think it's really great that you are concentrating on finishing your degree... can't keep a good woman down!

((((hugs))))

Iris xxx

ps.. loved your interpretation of WRAG you did make me laugh. :!:

skezier

Hi Louise,

Don't let them stress you flower!

Maybe you will get your meds changed the week after and just take each day as it comes.

Been out on the bellows, determined to get a good couple of days now, and can you hear this ..... its good for stress (or making it some people say) and not my usual thing as its from the '90's for a change...... Still electronic and a thumping beat of course but then...... Leaving you a ((( ))) and love Cris xx

woodbon

I'm in the Pathways to Work group, but I'm appealing as I've been told I am not fit to work and have a very small pension from the County Council, who have said in writing that they will not be able to employ me in any capacity! :roll: I also relised when I saw the report that they had made up answers without asking the question and they said I could do things that I am unable to. This was on 4th of Jan this year that I had the medical. I'm waiting the appeal. I had 9 points! :roll: I am now not so well as I was then either. Love Sue xxx

Rainbow77

Hi Louise

I am glad that you have been awarded ESA. Gosh, you need a degree to understand it - who comes up with all the bumf - they must of been told to make it as difficult as possible to understand. I think you will still have to attend interviews but that was the same with IB. So I don't think you have got much to worry about.

Take care

Fayann xxx

psyart

dorcas wrote:

Hi Louise

glad to have helped.

the system is designed to baffle us all.... and the so called information leaflets don't explain things at all well.

stress is big factor in making arther worse and the dwp seem to be very adept at stressing me/ us out!!

so, be kind to yourself now Louise do something relaxing and enjoyable...

btw.. I think it's really great that you are concentrating on finishing your degree... can't keep a good woman down!

((((hugs))))

Iris xxx

ps.. loved your interpretation of WRAG you did make me laugh. :!:

Hi Irs - glad I could make you laugh :!: do you think we should use that to discribe it from now on :?:

(((hugs)))

lousie xx

psyart

skezier wrote:

Hi Louise,

Don't let them stress you flower!

Maybe you will get your meds changed the week after and just take each day as it comes.

Been out on the bellows, determined to get a good couple of days now, and can you hear this ..... its good for stress (or making it some people say) and not my usual thing as its from the '90's for a change...... Still electronic and a thumping beat of course but then...... Leaving you a ((( ))) and love Cris xx

Hi Cris - that thumping music is catching - i am sat here in the kitchen with Kiss station on - plenty of thumping music from them :!: :!:

Let me know how you get on at hospital - shame not same day cause we could have met up at last :!: :!:

(((((hugs)))))) Louise xxxx

psyart

Sue and Fayanne

thanks for comments and support :!: you would think that someone would be kind enough to make the paperwork easier - life is a struggle as it is - but i do think they do it on purpose to make it hard for everyone :!: :!:

life is so harsh sometimes

take care both of you and ((((hugs)))) given for free :!: :!:

Louise xxxx

skezier

Hi Louise,

That Kiss as in the band or the radio station?

You remember when you see them to ask to see Doc H himself and just tell him whats going on for you. He is so good at listening and will go out of his way to help if he knows he needs to. I wonder if seeing the pain people could help you as well? I see Doc W and really do know she is very good.

Its not long now flower and with a bit of luck you will get some better tablets, some better understanding and feel so much better soon after.

Hey see the bellows do work ((((( ))))) ad a hope your getting a good day? Cris xx

rosyred

Hiya
Hoping that someone will be able to explain mine for me.....

Been of work 4yrs almost... every yr there abouts i go for a medical and then get a letter to say u have passed over 15 points and come back ina yr ??

Have no interveiw for jobs or anything else just this 1 medical once a yr ??

what that mean what group am i in?

oh it sucha farce and on top of my muddled mind i dunno .
thks Alli

psyart

rosyred wrote:

Hiya
Hoping that someone will be able to explain mine for me.....

Been of work 4yrs almost... every yr there abouts i go for a medical and then get a letter to say u have passed over 15 points and come back ina yr ??

Have no interveiw for jobs or anything else just this 1 medical once a yr ??

what that mean what group am i in?

oh it sucha farce and on top of my muddled mind i dunno .
thks Alli

HI - if you read the bit that Iris has put on here for me then it should help you - but i think that means you are in the group where they say you are unfit for work so am on the higher benifit and dont need to do anything!!

Louise

woodbon

Hi The way things are phrased on these forms are not just offputting they are almost impossible to understand. I'm not thick and yet when I was filling in the medical form, I found it hard to see what correct answer to a question was. Some of the questions too, are going from one answer that would only apply to a very, very ill person, to something that, with effort most people could do. Oh bother, I'm going off on one i'd better STOP IT!!! Love Suexxx