Hi all, I found this on the GovUk website, it gives detailed descriptions on ESA, guidance to the Medical Professionals who carry out the Assessment, the decision makers who decide yes or no and describes how the medical assessment is carried out. At the beginning it says that it is aimed at the Professionals but can also be read by claimants.
So far it is the most detailed account of ESA that I have come across. I hope you find it helpfull!
Was i just lucky getting my ESA, after having to sign on for job seekers, they realised that i would probably never work again, ( have worked solidly for 45yrs) , so after nearly a yr of sending in sick notes, i suddenly get a letter out of the blue saying i was going onto ESA, but the work group,and they backdated it from my first sick note,,no medical was needed, I am doing this through Prospect house,, because of the hot weather, was a struggle to get there,so i got a phone call once a month, to see how i,m coping, apart from COPD i suffer with RA in my hands and wrists,,maybe they think cos i,m heading the right way for retiring they are not going to bother with me,,( i like to think thats the case),,i truly hope they don,t force me to find a job after the esa finishes,,although i do have it in black and white i will get this for 2yrs,,bringing me only a few months before i retire,,,,breathe easy all
If it is Support you may have a review form to fill in but if you are contribution after 365 days it will cease and you will have to appeal or apply for support ESA or Income related ESA which is means tested
Thanks for that Hertsguy. I`ve had a little look and it looks very helpful. I`ve been on the assessment stage for 17 weeks now. I phoned DWP this week and told them I was expecting the dreaded ESA50 form arriving but they said there is a backlog at the moment.
You're all welcome and I hope you find it useful. I was put into the work group after my Assessment but my Doctor said that this was unreasonable so I appealed the decision, after waiting for more than 3 months I was then told that I have now been put into the Support Group. If you feel that their decision is wrong, appeal, too many people accept what they say at face value when the decision makers may give the correct decision but only if the claimant says "That's wrong!"
Doesn't this mean that anyone in receipt of higher rate mobility automatically falls into an accepted ESA group as this confers 15 points?
As indeed I am! 
Another form for my ESA File
If you're classed as terminally ill, in the support group and the 365 days of contribution based ESA ends you should still get it - appeal if you don't! (of course it's not good news being terminally ill but it's just your doctor's opinion and I know people who's lived more than 3 years after the doc signed the form so don't treat it as a "death sentence" because actually no-one knows how long anyone of us are going to live)
I' not sure Atos would see COPD as a terminal illness after my dealings with them I would put nothing past them they were given a very lucrative contract and the more people they get off ESA & DLA the richer they get.
Keeps coming up 404 page not foud
Same for me too Mick63, but I did post this four years ago, it's probably been changed and moved since then!!
A Funny PIP assessment tale!
ESA then JSA, Reinstated back to ESA, now date for tribunal
PIP Assessment now done and out the way
Had phoned call about my ESA reconsideration, was on phone for over hour and half. Is that a good or bad thing???????????
