Long time waiting for assesment

For a number of years I have been periodically claiming Sick benefit / ESA, for depression and anxiety. Whenever I have felt well enough I have worked.
On the 18th Sept 2013 my doctor prescribed antidepressants and gave me a sick note for three months and I claimed ESA. She has continued to give 3 month sick certs up to date and continuing.
I have a periodic back problem and have also been having heart investigation's, these things ad to my anxiety.
My question is this.
I believe after 13 weeks the rate of benefit should increase, since I am way past the 13 week stage and have not been to a assessment.
How does this affect my entitlement to the higher rate of ESA
Also if it is deemed that I am fit for work when the illusive assessment arrives, will I be able to get the back dated difference between the lower rate and the higher rate ESA

Mark wrote: For a number of years I have been periodically claiming Sick benefit / ESA, for depression and anxiety. Whenever I have felt well enough I have worked.
On the 18th Sept 2013 my doctor prescribed antidepressants and gave me a sick note for three months and I claimed ESA. She has continued to give 3 month sick certs up to date and continuing.
I have a periodic back problem and have also been having heart investigation's, these things ad to my anxiety.
My question is this.
I believe after 13 weeks the rate of benefit should increase, since I am way past the 13 week stage and have not been to a assessment.
How does this affect my entitlement to the higher rate of ESA
Also if it is deemed that I am fit for work when the illusive assessment arrives, will I be able to get the back dated difference between the lower rate and the higher rate ESA

Hi M,

Welcome to Benefits and Work

Although the Assessment Phase of ESA should last no longer than 13 weeks, and you should be assessed within that period, unfortunately many claimants are kept in the Assessment Phase much longer than this.

Unfortunately, there is little that you can do to speed up the assessment process, other than to contact your M.P. to complain if the period of the Assessment Phase goes well over the 13 weeks.

Contacting your MP

Once you are assessed, if placed into The WRAG or Support Group (SG) of ESA, payment of the extra WRA or SG Component should be backdated to the start of week 14 of your claim.

If you are found fit for work on assessment, payment of ESA assessment rate will cease within a week or so, and you can either sign on for JSA, or request a Mandatory Reconsideration/Appeal of the fit for work decision.

If you have not yet received, (By post) filled in and returned an ESA50 Questionnaire, you might want to consider :

Using The PDF Version Of The ESA50 Questionnaire

Whilst referring to the guides on this page :

ESA Claims Guides

See also :

How long do I have to complete the ESA50?

ESA50 too big for the envelope

&

Sending Documents to the DWP or ATOS

Whilst on this page :

ESA Claims Guides

It may give you a better understanding of how ESA works if you read :

"Understanding Employment and Support Allowance Our 42 page introductory guide to ESA."

Second link down.

See also :

Qualifying for the WRAG

&

Qualifying for the Support Group

From our :

ESA FAQ’s

Please reply to this topic if you have any further queries.

bro58

Thanks for the reply .
As best as I can recall The esa50 was sent to me completed and returned within a couple of weeks of the original claim. I have phoned the DWP (Local) to enquire about the assessment, they say that all is in place and that I will be assessed in due course.
My real concern is, if considered fit for work when the assessment happens, I am then put back onto Job seekers or go back to work. But what of the period between week 14 to the time of appraisal. Surely My doctor would not have given me certificates for this time had I not been unfit for work. So the benefit should be paid at the higher rate from week 14, that's 22 weeks to date. This is a considerable sum and I am wondering if I will be able to challenge it should this happen.

Mark wrote: Thanks for the reply .
As best as I can recall The esa50 was sent to me completed and returned within a couple of weeks of the original claim. I have phoned the DWP (Local) to enquire about the assessment, they say that all is in place and that I will be assessed in due course.
My real concern is, if considered fit for work when the assessment happens, I am then put back onto Job seekers or go back to work. But what of the period between week 14 to the time of appraisal. Surely My doctor would not have given me certificates for this time had I not been unfit for work. So the benefit should be paid at the higher rate from week 14, that's 22 weeks to date. This is a considerable sum and I am wondering if I will be able to challenge it should this happen.

Hi M,

If you are assessed and found fit for work after the 13 weeks period, there will be no "higher rate" of ESA owed to you from the beginning of week 14.

You are only entitled to a "higher rate" (WRA or SG Component) if placed into The WRAG or SG on assessment.

Until you are assessed you are payed the Assessment Rate/Personal Allowance only, which is currently :

£72.40 for a single over 25 year old.

If you are placed into The WRAG, the extra WRA Component is :

£28.75.

If placed into The SG the extra SG Component is :

£35.75.

From :

Benefit Rates

When a G.P. issues a "fit note" you are deemed to have Limited Capability for Work. (LCW) (Unfit for work)

However, if on assessment you are found fit for work, this assessment decision supercedes the LCW deemed by way of the fit note.

As I have said, if you are found fit for work on assessment, you could challenge this decision by requesting an MR/Appeal.

bro58

Ok, Thanks for the Info,
It seems that the system is keeping people in a queue, so that DWP can avoid paying the higher rate to qualifying people if their situation is not a long term one, and yet is considerably longer than the 13 week start period. This in itself is crippling in financial terms for the claimant who can periodically try to fit into the workforce.