Now on ESA (From JSA) - No Compassion or Flexibility

[essexmat]

Being new to this process when do you do the ATOS form/questionnaire? When they send you notification or do you do it in advance?

[Mr.P]

I know full well I will get ZERO on an ATOS assessment but how long averagely does it take for me to be asked to attend one?

 

ATOS have pulled out of the WCA contract (or may be they were pushed). It is difficult to say how long the DWP will get up to speed on the backlog.

[fletch70]

On another forum someone applied for ESA 1st Oct and have just had their assessment.

As for the form , you fill it in when they send it to you

 

If you want to look at it then https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/esa-50-limited-capability-for-work-questionnaire

 

and for help https://www.facebook.com/groups/4UP.HQ/ although it s a closed group so you hae to ask to be a member

[Nystagmite]

It may be worth filling in the computer based form. Start now so you can do a little bit at a time. And try to get as much medical evidence as you can.

[essexmat]

Thanks. To date I have medical certificates from GP, a historical letter from GP from past problems that have resurfaced and also consultants letters about on going treatment and possible surgery in the near future. Also, not sure how much weight it holds as I live with parents and they are on DLA but I am not an official carer although I do a lot for them daily i.e. shopping, financial sruff etc

[antone]

Being new to this process when do you do the ATOS form/questionnaire? When they send you notification or do you do it in advance?

 

The questionnaire (form ESA50) should arrive a few weeks before you are notified of the date of your Atos appointment. If memory serves, you have about six weeks to complete and return it. It used to be the case that the entire WCA process (form and appointment) was supposed to be completed by week 13 of a claim, but that rarely happened in practice and the requirement was quietly dropped.

 

As Nystagmite said, include as much evidence as you can with your ESA50 (copies, not originals). Your caring responsibilities will not, unfortunately, be taken into account when deciding your ESA entitlement. It's based solely on your physical and mental capabilities.

[Nystagmite]

Are either of your parents on mid or high care DLA and does anyone claim carers allowance for them? Just thinking it could be better than having to go through the ESA process.

 

With mine, they didn't take long (10 days) to send me the ESA50. I took about 3 weeks to fill in and send the forms off. It then took them 3 months to make a decision and 2 months to decide to contact my GP.

[essexmat]

Are either of your parents on mid or high care DLA and does anyone claim carers allowance for them? Just thinking it could be better than having to go through the ESA process.

 

With mine, they didn't take long (10 days) to send me the ESA50. I took about 3 weeks to fill in and send the forms off. It then took them 3 months to make a decision and 2 months to decide to contact my GP.

 

Hi. My Father is on DLA highest rate for care and mobility and Mother is on lower rate. I have never thought about claiming for care as I did not think it was an entitlement whilst looking for work or even on ESA. To be honest, altough I am not 100% sure I think part of my Mother's allowance is a care component for my Father so as we are in the samehousehold I doubt I would be eligible.

[antone]

Hi. My Father is on DLA highest rate for care and mobility and Mother is on lower rate. I have never thought about claiming for care as I did not think it was an entitlement whilst looking for work or even on ESA. To be honest, altough I am not 100% sure I think part of my Mother's allowance is a care component for my Father so as we are in the samehousehold I doubt I would be eligible.

 

You can claim Carer's Allowance if:

 

• You provide 35 or more hours care per week
  
• For a person who receives middle or higher rate care component of DLA
  
• For whom no-one else receives CA
  
• And you earn less than £100 per week
  

It is acceptable to be claiming ESA or JSA while also claiming CA. It's also possible to claim Income Support on the grounds of being a carer if you receive or have applied for CA. But of course, if your mother already receives CA as your father's carer, then you would not be eligible.

[essexmat]

I have checked with my Father and my Mother gets CA for him so that is now a defunct area to explore