Can anyone help explain the above to me please. I received a letter from DWP a short while ago after my long standing claim was re-assesed (firstly i had received a phone call from ATOS confirming my re-claim had been sucessful but that it was being "renamed" ESA" from August but that the amout of benefit i received would be the same). I received a P45 parts 1,2 & 3 and then a letter for me to go along to the job centre for them to maybe find me work. I have phoned the jobcentre and they know nothing about me, my medical history or medical condition - they also said they have no medical knowledge also. This seems all rather bizarre to me! I have WG, which i've had for quite a few years now but since january 11 my condition now has deteriorated so much after a massive and life threatening flare - that i now require fornightly visits to hospital.
Any comments, help, anything....would be greatly appreaciated.
mandi
Coincidentally I had confirmation by letter today too, that my IB had been renewed but was now going to be called ESA.
As with all of these DWP letters, you have to dig for the information to try and make sense of it all (deliberate do you think??).
It would seem to me after reading the (long & conveluted) letter (and I am no expert) that the offer of ESA benefit is split into two distict groups. ( See below in no particular order).
Group 1 - Work Related Activity Group. This means that as a condition of getting ESA benefit you MUST attend the work focused interviews, with a view to getting you into work
" IF YOU ARE ABLE".
Group 2 - Support Group - This means you can VOLUNTEER to attend the work focused interview, with a view to getting you into work.
The difference between the two groups is obvious: Group 1 - getting the ESA benefit is DEPENDANT on you attending the interviews. Group 2 - you don't have to attend the interviews if you're not up to it, to get the ESA benefit.
I hope all this makes sense!
Good luck!