ESA waiting times.

Can any of you tell us how long after sending the medical forms back you heard from ESA again.
We sent the form back on the 22nd february. We are now into week 14 of the assesment phase.

Robert wrote:

Can any of you tell us how long after sending the medical forms back you heard from ESA again.
We sent the form back on the 22nd february. We are now into week 14 of the assesment phase.

Hi,

The timescale should be a maximum of thirteen weeks from date of claim to either being awarded ESA or not. However it seems that ATOS and/or the DWP are getting further behind in some areas.

You can make a formal complain using the DWP complaints procedure as per their website:

www.dwp.gov.uk/contact-us/complaints-and-appeals/

Making a complaint should have no bearing on the outcome of your claim. Alternatively make use of your MP to complain.

Pete

Hi robert. I started esa claim on 12th july 09. got med forms august 09 had medical october 12th 09. still waiting for outcome! so-much for there 13week charter, they have been flooded out with people who have found this route easier/ better ie; not having to sign on . just get a medical cert from doctor and your off! its just clogged it up for genuine claims as ourselves.

Hi all.
been out today to my parents. On arrival home letter on the mat from DWP about ESA.
We have looked at your claim again following a recent change, this is because of a decision on your capability for work. You have been placed in the SUPPORT group.

No medical at all and just in the 13 weeks at date of letter.
No to date given so assume it is indefinite like the DLA she gets.

I'd say worth calling DWP in case something has gone wrong like I had!
I first claimed last June (09), by telephone. Got a form through to check, sent it back and heard nothing for 4 months! I didn't realise there was a time scale as I'd had no information and if I'd had any, I hadn't understood it!
I rang DWP finally when I plucked up the courage and got a girl who ummed and erred and finally said, "oh there's been a mistake here, I'll get someone to call you back".

A manager rang me back later - he apologised but didn't say what had gone wrong but just said there's a letter going out to you today and you'll get a back payment of - it was over £1000 which was music to my ears as we were getting desparate!

I then started got a letter to attend a medical - I wasn't able to walk at this point and was only going to and fro the hospital in an ambulance, so I rang them to tell them this and was told I couldn't have an ambulance but I could have a taxi to the medical if I got my doctor to fax them as to why this was needed! They insisted on making an appointment.

My doctor doesn't send faxes, she asked for them to write to her, rang them, they don't write to GP's, I had to get a letter and would have to pay £15 for this, which we couldn't afford. I just didn't go to the medical as I couldn't cope with it all. Later got a letter asking why I hadn't gone. Sent a long letter of explanation back, telling them that DWP had been sent my hospital discharge showing that I had a broken kneecap and shinbone, had had an operation and could not weight bear on my right leg - I could hardly get anywhere!!

I got no reply (no surprize there!) but yet another you need to go to a medical letter and ring this number. I didn't (wasn't up to it) - got a phone call the next day asking me to make the appointment!!!! whew! So I did.
So finally in feb I had my medical - part one!

One month later I had to go again for part two!
After part one I got a letter very quickly telling me I'd got enough points to go into the work related group and telling me that I'd receive more money now and also a back payment for the time I'd been waiting from week 14 - Aug 09, so that was good.

It's a complete nightmare going through all of this and I'm amazed at just how incompetent it all is, but nothing new there with anything government related I suppose!

Good luck with yours - but do chase them up if you are up to it!