How long does it take to hear from DWP after doing a work capability assessment?

[haribo36]

Hi everyone,I filled out a work capability assessment going back April/may time and I haven't heard anything since then.I currently get incapacity and income support and DLA.I had a letter to say with the form that I will be changing to ESA but haven't heard anything,does anyone know why?Ive read loads of things on here about people's problems with ESA and it concerns me x

[Fibrofoggiest]

Oh dear phlebo, I fear it is a case of "how long is piece of string? "......... I think it different in every case, except to say that from your perspective it has already been a long time. You could give the DWP a ring and ask them how they are getting on with your case, I did that and got a response fairly quickly, I think it woke them up ! I think they are processing so so many cases and certainly as far as ATOS is concerned, they are to my mind extremely inefficient . Just a question though, you say you've had a letter saying you would be getting ESA, did that mention you being in what they class as the "Support group" ? If it did, then that is your answer, you have scored sufficient points to be placed there and should continue to receive the payments you were getting under the incapacity benefit - the alternative being the WRAG which is somewhat different, but let me know what your letter said, then we can work out a bit more from that.

Yours, hoping it said Support Group ! Foggy x

[haribo36 in reply to Fibrofoggiest]

Hi there,thanks for your reply.Iam not sure I still have the letter but I don't remember it mentioning any group.Will have to give them a ring I think x

[spiro]

I did my form end of March & heard back late April. They put me in the WRAG group & I asked them to look at it again & then appealed when they didn't change their minds. I think you'd best phone them in case your's has gone astray. Hopefully, if you're on income support now, even if you end up in the WRAG group, you should continue getting the income-related ESA after the 365 days, so don't panic!

[Fibrofoggiest in reply to spiro]

You may also be on contribution related which does not stop at the 365 day point, do ring and find out what the situation is....wishing you the best.

Foggy x

[Hidden]

Hi haribo, I phoned Atos yesterday, as I am still waiting to be put into a group from last march! I am still in the assessment phase. They got my form and evidence in June this year, and they are still deliberating on it. Atos said there is no time limit on how long they take to make a decision as to what group you go into.

[Offcut]

Average is 13 weeks took 15 weeks for me and 15 months for my appeal after that.

[michaelb62]

This is so strange I have sent my forms off and am waiting to hear from the lovely Atos even though i went through the supposed changeover a couple of years ago and they said i was unfit for work until 2015 i have had the forms again so filled them in sent them off etc. However a friend of mine had the same forms beginning of the year i helped fill them in with her she had her medical in may and was told on the day that she needn't worry. I couldn't believe that they told her there and then after reading some of the stories on here. She was flying to Australia for a month the following week (obviously they weren't told that ) she is able to do a lot more things than most. I am convinced they are going to just stop my money and put me back to work which if i thought i could do it i would as i get so lonely at home all the time. My depression is on a downward spiral the pain is keeping me awake all night and i just can't deal with it all. I have osteoarthritis along with the fibromyalgia and am due to see the knee consultant next month. So just waiting to hear from them now for my assessment.

[haribo36 in reply to michaelb62]

So sorry to hear that you are feeling so depressed.To be honest I forgot all about it and its only since I've been reading some people's stories on here that I thought about it and was worried.Sorry to hear that your pain is keeping you awake all night,that must be aweful.What meds do you take for your pain?Have you tried different meds to see if you can get some help to sleep at night?Sending you gentle hugs xx

[michaelb62]

I have tried every med going even a new drug over here called Palexia but the problem with that is that i was on MST slow release 60mg at night and morning and was told i would have to stop it which was fine but the new drug was taken 4 times a day so when i woke up in the morning i felt like hell I have been on MST for a very long time and wasn't happy when my gp upped it from 30 twice a day to 60 twice a day because i was taking oromorph for breakthrough pain which i prefer to do as then i am in a little more control (i have gone back to this now) after explaining to the dr that i didn't want to keep upping the MST. I take Amitryptiline, clonazepam, MST, Oromorph, Lansoprazole. I have tried pregabalin and gabapentin. zolpidem, zopiclone, topirimate along with practically every anti depressant going but i lie awake all night long and its driving me crazy i used to be on 250 mg of amitryptiline a night at one stage but not going back to that however it did help me sleep but nothing works now. I watch the clock all night then dose off around 5 or 6 and sleep until around 11 then start another day. I actually hate life at the moment i'm even finding myself gritting my teeth a lot. Its bad enough that the days are so long without the nights being long as well. I desperately need a new bed but cannot afford it that is also causing some of the pain i think as i stayed at my sons a few weeks ago and the pain wasn't as bad. I feel like i have been kicked around the room every morning or as if someone has beat me with a stick. sorry to moan but just so sick of it all

[spiro in reply to michaelb62]

Don't be sorry to moan. What else can you do? Have you been referred to Pain Clinic yet? I ended up there after bursting into tears in front of my Osteoporosis Nurse (none of the many GPSs I saw ever suggested it). It might make all the difference - it did for me.

[Amiiee]

Hello everyone, I'm currently receiving universal credit but i have been signed off on the sick with depression. I received a capability to work questionnaire at the beginning of February 2016. I sent it off a couple of days after i recieved it. I still haven't heard nothing back from this questionnaire and i don't understand why i have recieved one because i thought they were just for people on ESA. Can anyone tell me I'm confused 

[Davesplace]

I had my assessment in September and got my response in January , it was refused , I done a mandatory reconsideration, and the decision was reversed , I done this through citizens advice as I am waiting to go into support group , which they keep refusing so am now waiting for my appeal date to arrive foe appeal court, good luck