Need some help with ESA Benefit. Been placed in the wrong group.

[BA Author]

Hello, this is my first post here. I was late diagnosed in January and have since been on a long stretch of trying to get some help and support.

I have been awarded ADP (Scottish version of PIP) for 3 years but the ESA benefit is being really tricky for me.

I have been on ESA benefit for 3 months. Since then I had a health assessment on the phone to determine if I should be placed in the support group or work related activity group.

I got a letter yesterday saying I've been placed in the work related activity group. I think this is a mistake but don't know what to do next. I called up DWP and the woman on the phone said because I work part time (under 10 hours a week and less than £150 a week) that means I cannot be in the support group. I questioned this with her a few times but she got snappy and said she was repeating herself. In the end she said she would post the health assessments to me to see why I wasn't accepted into the support group. She said in the work activity group I'd have to attend meetings at the job centre and group interviews to get a job but I already have a job. (I'm part time self employed doing food delivery. it's a crap job but the only one I've been able to find where I don't get fired after a few months and can choose when I can work any time during the week at a moments notice.). The idea of this has freaked me out as I can't do anything social and the idea of this is terrifying. I can't believe because I have worked a few hours a week I can't be placed in the support group. The woman on the phone said they can go over what any fit note a doctor has sent as well and make their own mind up about me. It seems so wrong and unfair.

 

[Alexej]

Sorry to hear this.

With most of these forms you often need help to get them filled in correctly. Is CAB (Citizen's Advice a good source of support)

 

[BA Author]

Sorry to hear this.

With most of these forms you often need help to get them filled in correctly. Is CAB (Citizen's Advice a good source of support)

Thank you. I thought they might be my best bet. It's a shame their hours are so minimal now. I left them a message yesterday so hopefully they will get back to me next week.

I was most surprised the person said I wasn't allowed to work even 1 hour. It didn't sound correct at the time but she insisted she was right.

 

[Angular Chap]

Hello and welcome, I'm also in Scotland.

I've helped a few people over the years navigate the paperwork, websites and contacting involved with this kind of thing. Sorry I don't have any specific experience regarding the ins and outs of ESA though. The last person I helped was regarding PIP and a disabled parking permit, but it's all the same patterns of incompetence and ignorance about health.

My best advice is document everything.

-Record all phone calls if your phone supports it.
-Keep and archive all e-mails. If any e-mails have the option to download any .pdf or other document files, download and save those as well.
-Take screenshots of any forms you fill out through websites. If given the option to download .pdf other document files, do that and save them.
-Keep all paperwork. Make copies if asked to post anything.
-Keep all your documentation both physical and digital neatly organised and ready to be referred to at a moments notice. You never know when you might get a surprise phone call and need to access relevant information fast. Know where everything is stored and practice accessing it quickly. Consider changing file names and renaming files to something more readable if they have long or confusing names, or taking notes of what filename is what piece of documentation, both for your own convenience and also the convenience of anyone else who might need to see it.
-Take notes of the process in general as you go. Be as detailed as you like with dates, times, people you corresponded with, anything you feel is relevant.

It is possible to appeal or request a redetermination.

See if you can fact check what they told you on the phone.

https://www.gov.uk/employment-support-allowance
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/b...-and-carers/employment-and-support-allowance/
It can be a long and time consuming process. I know it takes a lot of effort. It can feel like a full time job at times. People on the phone often contradict written procedures. It helps in the end if you can demonstrate you did exactly what you were asked and document yourself doing so.

Good luck and all the best.

 

[BA Author]

Hello and welcome, I'm also in Scotland.

I've helped a few people over the years navigate the paperwork, websites and contacting involved with this kind of thing. Sorry I don't have any specific experience regarding the ins and outs of ESA though. The last person I helped was regarding PIP and a disabled parking permit, but it's all the same patterns of incompetence and ignorance about health.

My best advice is document everything.

-Record all phone calls if your phone supports it.
-Keep and archive all e-mails. If any e-mails have the option to download any .pdf or other document files, download and save those as well.
-Take screenshots of any forms you fill out through websites. If given the option to download .pdf other document files, do that and save them.
-Keep all paperwork. Make copies if asked to post anything.
-Keep all your documentation both physical and digital neatly organised and ready to be referred to at a moments notice. You never know when you might get a surprise phone call and need to access relevant information fast. Know where everything is stored and practice accessing it quickly. Consider changing file names and renaming files to something more readable if they have long or confusing names, or taking notes of what filename is what piece of documentation, both for your own convenience and also the convenience of anyone else who might need to see it.
-Take notes of the process in general as you go. Be as detailed as you like with dates, times, people you corresponded with, anything you feel is relevant.

It is possible to appeal or request a redetermination.

See if you can fact check what they told you on the phone.

https://www.gov.uk/employment-support-allowance
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/b...-and-carers/employment-and-support-allowance/
It can be a long and time consuming process. I know it takes a lot of effort. It can feel like a full time job at times. People on the phone often contradict written procedures. It helps in the end if you can demonstrate you did exactly what you were asked and document yourself doing so.

Good luck and all the best.

Thanks for the reply. I have kept every piece of paper and letter I've received and noted all my phone calls and meetings as well, although I forgot to ask the name of the woman yesterday as I was on hold for an hour and by the time they answered I forgot.

I was awarded APD after asking for a re-determination and the company that carried out my autisum assessment helped me with 13 pages of answers and evidence that made me go from 4 points to being awarded for 3 years. The whole thing is such a con rally. Its all down to using buzz words and saying things in a certain way to get points to be awarded.

I thought I would be able to do the health assessment for ESA support group on my own but it looks like I messed it up. I had the health assessment recorded as well and they sent me a CD with the recording on. The health assessment is being posted to me so I can see what points I was awarded and why the put me into a different group.

They said I need to look for a job and attend interview meetings at a job centre even though I already have a job, hence why I think I should be in the support group not the working one. It's all so purposefully confusing.