support esa group

Hi all,
after 2.5 years of misery , my 2nd medical ended today with me being recommended to be placed in the support group.
Result.
My relief is enormous and yet, I am still unsure exactly what the differences are between the support group and the work related esa group?
Can anyone please tell me , in idiot-proof language,what exactly this means and WILL mean to me?
I know that the meetings with the Work Related activity, 'Return to work' stuff will stop; my own advisor there will be most grateful because she said, after 4 meetings, that she felt terrible seeing me crying with pain and pouring sweat etc... or indeed, having incontinence problems and having to be taken to the toilet every eight minutes or so!
But what else does it mean please? can anyone help me?
Thank you
knotty

Knotty,

Congrats!!!, basically if your in the support group the advantages are, No WFI's as you stated.

An extra £5 or £6 pound in benefit.

You may also be entitled to extra disability premiums.

You should get a longer prognosis, that is review date you can request your prognosis review date if you don't have it.

You should get 12 months peace but check this.

Basically they are accepting that you are unlikely to be fit for WRAG or Work in the foreseeable future.

All attendance to WFI's etc is entirely voluntary.

Further depending on your report criteria, it could aid you in an application for DLA Care or Mobility , or both if you don't already claim it.

I don't know if any one can add to this.

bro58

Hi Bro 58,
thank for this... for the congrats too!
YET I almost keeled over to learn that all this will be repeated in a years' time!!!
The irony of all this is that I am trying to preserve all my energy to
a) get my chronic and incurable pain disease under more control
b) return to my career.
THIS HAS BEEN MADE IMPOSSIBLE BY THE STRESSFUL, FULL-TIME-JOB FIGHT needed to begin to get even some grasp of ESA and how it all works; to fight my last tribunal and then it all began again.
ALL my energies go into these 2 things... so after my good result today, I thought 'thnak heaven for that! I can focus on returning to work as soon as i can build up stamina, work with my pain clinic consultant to lessen the chronic pain etc etc.'
Reading that I have a year to do this is already daunting because this has all brought me very low indeed, I am shaking with tiredness and feel spent and shocked; blood in the urine also after an agonising wait of 65 minutes, and can't stop crying even now.
A year? Does it all start again after that?
Once you are in the Support Group, do they make you get straight back into that fight - or do they, more productively, allow you to try to recover control of your life and aims, and get on with it?
SCRRREEEEEEAAAAAAAAM!
BUT yes, I am certainly not ungrateful for this wonderful, wonderful medical-woman who actually cried with me with her arms around me, (they DO EXIST!!! it helped that she was a neurological expert) who threw me this most significant of life lines. I have to add, also, that due to PC problems, I couldn't much benefit from the site here as could not access the advice herein until 5.30 am yesterday. THIS SHOULD ENCOURAGE ANYONE ELSE WHO WENT IN ON A WING-AND-A-PRAYER...
So. What I am left with is this...After one year, does all the hell start again?
SO appreciate your speedy and courteous answer. Thank you, bro58

KNOTTY

Good news for you.

Now that you are in the support group, logically I feel you can relax for at least 4 four years.

Reason is a possible 2 year limit for those on the working related group WRAG but you're in the support group.

I can honestly say I've read hundreds if not a few thousand sources of information and I have not once seen anything to suggest a limit on those on Support group or even having them reviewed.

My interpretation is that on the new system, as screwed up as it is, once in the support group, you basically WILL be left alone UNLESS the Government change the rules and move the goal post again!

So Congrats on getting on the Support Group and now you need to take a breather, relax and try to enjoy your life and have a little fun if possible. We only have one life and I for one REFUSE to have it controlled to my detriment.

Have a rest, you've earnt it Knotty.

Thumbs up lol

Hi King Al

I'm sorry but I think that is far from correct.

People in the WRAG are often summoned to a medical within 3 to 6 months. I think people in the support group are reassessed less frequently and it varies depending on the prognosis on the medical report, but I'm afraid claimants in the support group are not left alone as far as reassessments are concerned. They just don't have to worry about WFIs.

Regards

Derek

DEREK4

I respect your views, of course I do, however I have aspergers syndrome so for me that means I rely heavily on facts and logic. It's how I beat unlawful discrimination and people becoming indignant.

I truthfully have not seen/read/heard of any restrictions to those on the Support Group.

Logically if there is a 2 year limit for those on WRAG, then surely it would be morally and unethical, even for the Government to put any restrictions on those put on the Support Group? If there were restrictions/limitations on the Support Group then surely it would be great/longer than the 2 year limit on those on the WRAG?

I don't wish to offend you but I do believe I have a logical point, do you concur Sir?