concern RE: deferral info for ESA

LMJ37 wrote: My apologies, I didn't phrase correctly, I meant my form always arrives exactly one month before the next re-assessment date that the DWP have on file.

No worried, we knew what you meant but I just wanted to clarify for anyone else who might read this

One of today's articles in the news section reports that the outgoing head of the body that deals with benefits tribunals has described the WCA process as in a state of "virtual collapse". He also refers to a huge reduction in the number of WCAs being carried out. While it's impossible to know for sure, that would appear to support the previous articles saying that reassessments are indeed being deferred.

Today's article does say that it's "most" rather than all reassessments which are being deferred, presumably because of the handful of forum members who have reported the unexpected arrival of an ESA50. However, this article, based on very candid comments by someone in a very senior position, surely discredits claims made by those DWP and Atos call handlers who told forum members that only a very small proportion of reassessments were being deferred. I don't see how that can possibly be true if Judge Martin's comments are accurate. Given the choice between Judge Martin and a DWP or Atos call hander, I know who I'd be inclined to believe.

Hi all,

With reference to The ESA Assessments/Reassessment backlog, see :

"The DWP said the total backlog stood at 712,000 people. Of these, 394,000 are new claimants for ESA and 234,000 are existing ESA recipients whose reassessments as to whether they are still entitled to the benefit have been delayed.

A further 84,000 are people still on incapacity benefit who have not yet been moved over to ESA."

From : This BBC News Article

See also, our : Associated News Article.

bro58

bro58 wrote: Hi all,

With reference to The ESA Assessments/Reassessment backlog, see :

"The DWP said the total backlog stood at 712,000 people. Of these, 394,000 are new claimants for ESA and 234,000 are existing ESA recipients whose reassessments as to whether they are still entitled to the benefit have been delayed.

A further 84,000 are people still on incapacity benefit who have not yet been moved over to ESA."

From : This BBC News Article

See also, our : Associated News Article.

bro58

So, hot on the heels of Judge Martin's comments reported just a couple of days ago, in which he describes the WCA process as in a state of "virtual collapse", we now have another article making it clear that the backlog is huge, and therefore presumably expected to take some considerable time to be significantly reduced. We now know that they're so far behind that they've even managed to miss the completion deadline for the IB to ESA transfer. And yet, on the other hand, we have suggestions that some areas might have already started reassessments, if only on a limited scale, and DWP and Atos call centre staff claiming that only a tiny proportion of reassessments have been deferred.

These things can't all be true. Is anyone else confused?