ESA - Support Group without assessment

[split]

I am far from being a benefits whizz so a letter i recieved from DWP today has me confused. I have been wating for my ATOS assessment for 4 months, having filled out my questionaire in November and reached my 13 week point in February.

Anyhow, I havent had an assessment but have been told today via a letter that I am being put into the support group. I was wondering if anyone ion the know could tell me if this is normal. It is on mental health grounds that I am on ESA so it isn't as simple as having a physical disability that they can see... It isnt that I am ungreatful, just not used to good things happenning, especially not with the DWP.

Anyone got any insight?

Thanks in advance

[katj]

Am in the support group as well cos of mental healh problems and havent had an assessment either

[split]

Not sure whether to call up and confirm it isn't an error.

I haven't spent anything from the back dated money they have given me and I wont until I have confirmed it with DWP. I thought everyone had to have an assessment unless it was a pre-existing physical disability that cannot really be disputed...

It just has me really freaked out.

Thanks for confirming I am not the only one though KatJ. Did you call DWP and confirm what the letter said?

[unknown_member]

hi... just to let you know I'm in the support group as well and didn't have an assessment last year... they did phone my CPN though to confirm a few things but after that they left me alone...

If your worried it wouldn't hurt to phone and ask.. but I'm sure it's fine.. I know a few people who are in the same position as me.. xx

[hayley]

Not a mistake - if enough info on form face-face interview not necessary

Unless you want an interview best not phone dwp/atos

[split]

Thanks folks.

When I opened the letter I threw up then sat shaking for an hour. I am gonna get my link worker to call and check it on Monday with me simply so I have understood it all correctly, and also possibly to arrange an advice worker at the job center as I would like to be doing something, I think it would do me good to be doing something with my time.

I guess it is just a shock. I never planned to go on ESA. I was on JSA for a few months until November when I had a break down and my Job Center adviser refused to let me sign on because I wasn't fit for work. She wrote a supporting statement for my questionnaire. Last time I applied for ESA (2 years ago) they said I was perfectly fine at my ATOS assessment even though I was hallucinating at the time (my deceased granny was sat in the corner knitting and had taken the bus with me to my assessment) so I assumed it would be the same swings and round-about this time...

Thanks again for the insight. Feel a little less like I am about to vomit with fear that the DWP are gonna sweep down on me like Voldemort and chop off my head so as to look inside for evidence of the different diags I have had over the years...

[Hash]

Hun,

It will be fine, being in the support group for ESA is really good news not bad news.

I too am in the Support group and didnt need an assessment. I think you will find they did background checks on you.

Hash

[split]

briefly spoke with my link worker and she said to leave it. but it may affect my housing benefit.

and my millionth assessment with cmht this morning has basically ended in them saying i will be like this for the rest of my life and to get used to being on benefits, unable to work, becoming brain dead to jeremy kyle. fml

[Terri]

and my millionth assessment with cmht this morning has basically ended in them saying i will be like this for the rest of my life and to get used to being on benefits, unable to work, becoming brain dead to jeremy kyle. fml

I've had that said to me. In hospital, one of the consultants told me that I had to accept that I have a chronic condition and that it leaves me with a limited capacity to do things. I was told that benefits were to help people "like [me]" and that I was to accept that I had to claim them and not work, as that would cause too much stress.

Now, I am working (albeit part-time) and hold a variety of voluntary positions. They're not always right. Things can and do change.

[is_it_true]

Im in the support group and had no face to face assesment and like you thought it was a mistake.
That was 2 years ago.
Im thinking that because mh comes with so much complexity, just having written proof from psychs or cmhrs or even just the diagnosis is enough for them to know your difficulties?

X