Renewal help

Thank you both Gordan and Bro58,

I read over the your post from the other thread bro58 and it now makes sense to me that i must have been awarded the 1 year prognosis last year because i got my renewal form 9 months after that.

I will request the esa85a form Gordan like you said it would be nice to know what they scored me on to land me in the SG as i have multiple health problems and give them a call tomorrow and and have my carer use the words "prognosis?"

What would be a good way to ask for the reassessment date on the file? Can anyone speak from experience how my carer should word it on the phone to ensure that there is no misunderstanding again?

total recall wrote: Thank you both Gordan and Bro58,

I read over the your post from the other thread bro58 and it now makes sense to me that i must have been awarded the 1 year prognosis last year because i got my renewal form 9 months after that.

I will request the esa85a form Gordan like you said it would be nice to know what they scored me on to land me in the SG as i have multiple health problems and give them a call tomorrow and and have my carer use the words "prognosis?"

What would be a good way to ask for the reassessment date on the file? Can anyone speak from experience how my carer should word it on the phone to ensure that there is no misunderstanding again?

Hi tr,

The correct term is "The Prognosis" of the SG Award.

However, as Gordon has stated, you will only be speaking to a Call Responder in a DWP Call Centre, and they are infamous for having very sketchy knowledge of the benefits system.

To clarify it for them, you could add that you wish to know The Prognosis / The recommended date for reassessment/review of your current ESA Support Group Award.

bro58

Thanks guys, just to clarify one thing. It only took 2 weeks for a decision to be made by the ESA after i had sent the ESA50 renewal form back in. I thought that there was a huge backlog and was never expecting a renewal form for a long time to come never mind a decision letter within 2 weeks.

The letter i got was presented like this:

YOUR CLAIM FOR EMPLOYMENT AND SUPPORT ALLOWANCE

A CHANGE IN THE THE EMPLOYMENT AND SUPPORT ALLOWANCE RATE PAYABLE.

We have looked at your claim again following a recent change. From 11 April 2014 your employment and support allowance will be £123.70 a week.

Is this how the decision letters are presented these days along with a 4 page breakdown? Recent changes has to be the renewal right? I mean there is no other changes that are obvious to me as the money of £123.70 remains the same as it was previously and I am on income related ESA just as i have been for a long time. Why couldn't they have simply stated on the letter that the response was in relation to the renewal instead of leaving us worrying about whether we should contact them or not. I can't tell the difference between a decision letter and an update if they both look the same.

total recall wrote: Thanks guys, just to clarify one thing. It only took 2 weeks for a decision to be made by the ESA after i had sent the ESA50 renewal form back in. I thought that there was a huge backlog and was never expecting a renewal form for a long time to come never mind a decision letter within 2 weeks.

The letter i got was presented like this:

YOUR CLAIM FOR EMPLOYMENT AND SUPPORT ALLOWANCE

A CHANGE IN THE THE EMPLOYMENT AND SUPPORT ALLOWANCE RATE PAYABLE.

We have looked at your claim again following a recent change. From 11 April 2014 your employment and support allowance will be £123.70 a week.

Is this how the decision letters are presented these days along with a 4 page breakdown? Recent changes has to be the renewal right? I mean there is no other changes that are obvious to me as the money of £123.70 remains the same as it was previously and I am on income related ESA just as i have been for a long time. Why couldn't they have simply stated on the letter that the response was in relation to the renewal instead of leaving us worrying about whether we should contact them or not. I can't tell the difference between a decision letter and an update if they both look the same.

Hi tr,

There is definitely a huge backlog.

However, there do seem to be some regional variations.

We have heard from several members where they have received similar letters to the one that you mention.

This is not really a "Decision Notice" as such, which you could ask for as a legal right.

The DWP do not like to make it easy to understand now, do they ?

If you are sure that you are still in The SG, it is up to you on whether you push for a formal Decision Notice, or not.

bro58

Thanks again bro58,

It must be a regional thing then. I will have my carer call on my behalf tomorrow again to make sure that the renewal has been successful/put through.

There is no reason for them to be so vague in their letters, it just shows how little human decency they have if any at all.

I am certain the 4 page breakdown letter is a reflection of me remaining in the support group because the last page states "Extra money because you are in the support group £35.75" etc but I am also aware that the letter could also be just one of those automated letters and the timing was just coincidence.

It is too bad that the person on the phone from DWP didn't make things clear enough the first time because i am just as clueless about my situation now as I was before the call was made lol. I should have asked for advice here on the forum before calling first but we live and learn.