ESA at enhanced rate....when/how does it stop?

[Part 2]

My son is on ESA in some kind of special group where he gets approx £125/week. He started getting it last May and thinks he had a letter at the time saying it was for a year and during that time wouldn't need to provide sick notes.

He's now panicking that it's just gonna end and he'll need to reclaim.

Does anyone know if this is the case or know what process will be followed? Might he just get called in for medical or what?

 

[Puddy_Tat]

This sounds like the 'support group' ESA rate - has he had to do any 'work related activity'?

My understanding is that ESA is not for life, and can be awarded for 1, 2 or 3 years - more here (CAB) so yes, it will need renewing some time.

Not knowing your son at all, I don't know if he has the sort of illness / disability that may change over time. If not, it's probably worth keeping a copy of whatever forms you / he fill in so that you can pretty much repeat the same stuff each time.

Common sense would say that if someone has a condition that's never going to change, there's not much point calling them in for a 'medical' every year or so, but we're talking DWP and whatever private sector bunch of twunts who have taken over from ATOS, so common sense doesn't necessarily apply.

I think there is a process for dealing with people for whom going for an assessment is likely to have a particularly bad effect on their physical or mental health, but I'm a bit fuzzy on this.

There is quite a bit of expertise on ESA on this site - someone more up to date that me will probably be along soon.

 

[Part 2]

Yes I thought it was the support group. He's not had to do anything over the past year. He was homeless for a time so I think the forms and letters may be lost.

He's on for anxiety and depression so I'd hope he'll not just have his payments stopped but like you I wouldn't put anything past DWP or those who they charge with running things.

He does have a support worker and they'd planned to ring last week but I can imagine my lad wouldn't want to rock the boat and will just be hoping for the best.

 

[Greebo]

ViolentPanda

 

[ViolentPanda]

Hi Chip Barm . I suspect that his award is for 2 or more years, as if it were for only a year, they'd have sent him a renewal form 4 months or so before end-of-claim, and be badgering him every couple of weeks about returning the form.

That said, their admin is a clusterfuck, but they don't usually mess up renewals.

 

[Part 2]

Thanks.

Maybe it's worth him ringing just to ask when the claim is due to end.

 

[Greebo]

Thanks.

Maybe it's worth him ringing just to ask when the claim is due to end.

If he's prone to worrying (most people with anxiety/depression are) I'd agree that it's worth ringing to check this up - preferably get his support worker to make the call.

 

[Part 2]

Apparently the letter didn't say how long it was for but he had someone ring at the time and thinks they were told 12 months.

I've read its possible to ask for a copy of the ESA85 which gives the reasons and decision so hopefully that would put his mind at ease without alerting anyone to anything.

 

[longdog]

Apparently the letter didn't say how long it was for but he had someone ring at the time and thinks they were told 12 months.

I've read its possible to ask for a copy of the ESA85 which gives the reasons and decision so hopefully that would put his mind at ease without alerting anyone to anything.

If he was awarded ESA after a medical there will be an ESA85 or without a medical an ESA85A which he is entitled to have a copy of and they can come in very handy when he has to 'reapply' at some point down the road.

He is of course entitled to do a Subject Data Access request which will give him and you more information that you'll know what to do with.