Passed ESA med, so why still need sick note?

Never believe the DWP when they tell you it was a system error.

The "system" as they call it, relies on direct clerical intervention, so for system error read clerical error.

It's based on the GIGO principle which is garbage in equals garbage out!

On 11th August I attended my ESA medical and was then placed in the work related activity group. When I then recieved a sick note reminder letter, and explained that I had already received a letter informing me that I was not in the WRA group. The person on the phone said that until I received a letter telling me not to send in any more sick notes, that I still had to. Two days later I spoke to a different member of DWP staff who told me that as I was not in the WRA group, I no longer needed to send in any more sick notes and his advice was to 'ignore the reminder letter.' This concerned me because I had a letter from the DWP telling me I should send in a note, and another member of staff telling me to sending in a note, but now I was being told to ignore the reminder. I have to say that the second person I spoke to did not know I was in the WRA group until I told him (I had assumed that when he went into my details on the computer it would have flagged up that I had been placed in the WRA group). He was very rude and said 'you don't have to believe me if you don't want to, but you can ignore the reminder letter.' So I did. Imagine how frustrated I feel today, Saturday, when the DWP is closed, to have received yet another letter fro the DWP telling me to send a sick note in or my benefits would stop! This is so frustrated. The fact that I have recently been awarded the higher rate of DLA for care, just goes to show what difficulties I have and this is just adding to my stress levels. What should I do?

There isn't a gap in the notes between when you sent in your last note and when the decision maker decided which group to put you in, is there?

If you've had a letter from the DWP telling you that you've been awarded ESA and the sick notes you have already submitted run up to the date of the decision (not the date of the medical) then I cannot see that you are obliged to submit any more sick notes.

However, you say that you "explained that I had already received a letter informing me that I was not in the WRA group". Is this a typo on your part, or have they sent you a letter saying that?

Hi, yes that was a typo. I have been placed in the work related activity group and no, there have not been any gaps. My problem is that one member of DWP staff said I had to continue sending in the notes until informed otherwise, and yet another member of DWP staff told me that as I am in the work related activity group I no longer have to send in sick notes and can ignore the reminder. NOw that I have two reminders, I cannot really ignore them. The reminder letter is just a standard 'you must keep sending in sick notes or will not receive benefit.' My sick notes actually were covered to at least two weeks after the decision was made to put me in the work group. It just so frustrating to deal with incompetance when you are so stressed.

<<It just so frustrating to deal with incompetance when you are so stressed.>>

Agreed. I think it's going to get worse with more pressure on the DWP with the migration and with cutbacks in staffing.

I can see no reason at all why you should send any more sick notes. What about writing a letter to them enclosing copies of their request and their decision letter and saying that you are not sending in a sick note because of their decision?

Experience dealing with my local BDC has taught me always to enclose copies of anything that might be relevant, even where they ought to have a copy on the computer or on file. It's a pain, but for the sake of making a couple of photocopies, I think it's worth it.

Hi Jellybean,

Can you imagine how frustrated I was to receive yet another sick note reminder in the post today, Saturday, when the DWP office is shut! Surely they could not be to system errors? I just do not know what to do. I have received my first benefit at the WRAG rate so hopefully this will not stop. What really annoys me is the fact that the department that send out the sick note reminders, do not have it flagged up on their computer that we are now in the WRAG group. I have to attend a community day therapeutic group on Monday which lasts all day and will have to wait till Tuesday to ring them again. Not sure whether it would be better to just get it all down on paper with copies of the letter confirming that I am in the WRAG group.

Hope you are having more success JB,
best wishes

Melxx