ESA reviews and covid

[Orangeblossom1977]

Hi does anyone know what the latest is about ESA reviews -they have been postponed due to covid from March but doesn't seem to be any updates online.

www.gov.uk/government/news/coronavirus-update-benefit-reviews-and-reassessments-suspended

Had letter from PIP saying reviews extended (mine was not due anyway) but nothing with regard to ESA. Thanks

They do them currently over the phone.

Reviews or original assessments? Mine was due for a three year review in September but didn't get a ESA50 in the post as usual, nothing since.

Normally you get your ESA50 to fill it first and then phone assessment within a couple of months as they don't do it face to face atm.
If you did not get your form yet,I would just wait.They probably have a huge backlog.

Don't usually have F2F assessments, they usually tend to do mine just with the paperwork. They ask the GP to send a form 113

There is a huge backlog at the moment and I'm not even sure many phone assessments are going ahead. People are waiting months.

Thanks. Yes thought I saw something about them putting them all back six months from the date due. Not sure though. I did wonder if they had finally caught up with looking at PIP and ESA together and extended both. Wonders might happen.

Happened to see this today online..

"...the DWP has issued an important update on these assessments that will affect everyone completing an ESA50 or UC50.

In a statement on the GOV.UK website, the Department said: “To protect vulnerable claimants during the pandemic, face-to-face Work Capability Assessments remain suspended.”

The DWP has been building its capacity and capability to do more telephone assessments since they were first introduced in June last year.

The statement continued: “We are now expanding the types of cases that can go through to decision which will result in an increase in the number of Limited Capability for Work and Fit for Work decisions.

“This will ensure claimants receive the correct benefit entitlement and labour market support as quickly as possible, and reduce the time those who may be entitled to a higher award have to wait for their assessment.”

Sounds like they may be trying to process more on paper perhaps...they have been talking about combining with PIP for a while now.

www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifestyle/money/dwp-issues-assessment-update-23460363

Mine's just been reviewed... I sent the questionnaire back to them mid January (including a couple of recent-ish consultant letters) and got my award letter a couple of weeks later. I've been chronically ill (Support Group) for a long time though and didn't have to attend an interview at my last review 4 years ago either. I'm in NI but our waiting lists are usually longer, not quicker

Me too (in support group for years) it was meant to be done last summer after 3 years, but just had a letter saying PIP will be in 2025 so hoping they may have reviewed it perhaps. Who knows. Don't want to ring them as it may trigger something

Also a letter saying ESA rate until next year but that could just be a standard one

I've been in the support group for 3 yrs. I had to speak to DWP about something completely unrelated and at the end of the call (December) they said I was due a review and sent me the form. I returned it with latest specialists and consultants letters and got my award notice about 2 wks ago.

Don't really have anything from consultants anymore as no cure etc here, but they have sent a form to the GPs last review and used that instead. Then the assessor said indefinite which the DWP put as 3 years. Maybe they will have used that, hopefully as not sure what else to add. Have been in SG over ten years. PIP for next 6 yrs.