ESA Rapid Reclaim?

[telemark]

Was just wondering if you've been on ESA for a few years and close your claim to move to a job you've been offered as it would pay more than the Permitted Work rules allow but then find you can't cope as the pressure of the job quickly starts to exacerbate your medical condition are you able to do a rapid reclaim and go back to where you were or would you be looking at going through the ESA system from day 1 again?

[antone]

A new ESA claim made within 12 weeks of the end of the previous claim will be "linked", so you would not have to start from scratch and would go back on ESA with the same status you had before. If the gap is more than 12 weeks there is no linking and you would start at the beginning again.

[telemark]

Thanks for the information Antone.

[tommy456]

Did they change the rules, just i'm sure if you had claimed IB and you decided you were fit enough to work ,and it didn't work out you had upto 12mths without having to go though the new claim process, ? I know they scrapped the back to work payments for work clothing and the 4 week payment of benefit following the start of employment

 

They did used to actually help people into work, they don't anymore

[telemark]

I had to do this in the end but after only a few weeks (much less than 12) of the claim being closed they took me through a fresh application, medical certificate requested, talk of medical etc. Is it possible they don't link claims anymore?

[telemark]

So I got an ESA50 yesterday.

 

 

Have been told to start providing fit notes again.

 

 

I did mention my claim had only been closed for a few weeks when I reapplied but I remember the person I spoke to really was not interested in that.

 

 

Are they just going to ignore linking my claim maybe to ensure that I don't get the WRAG element if I were to be placed in the WRAG?

 

 

I assume I'm heading for a WCA medical.

 

 

It doesn't seem to add up.

[Nystagmite]

Not everyone who is sent an ESA50 will have a face to face assessment.

[telemark]

Well that's weird. Now I have a copy of my claim which mentions 'Rapid Reclaim' along with an award notice that mentions 'it has been confirmed you have limited capability for work' and saying I go straight back on the original benefit amount I was on when my claim was closed. I wonder now whether the ESA50 was automatically spat out by the system because of my reclaim or whether it is just my time to be reviewed?

 

 

I returned the ESA50 with supporting documentation anyway along with a fit note as was originally requested. I assume I don't need to supply any further fit notes now?

[Nystagmite]

I'd phone up, ask what's going on and ask for a response in writing personally.