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Forum Home  →  Discussion  →  Work capability issues and ESA  →  Thread

‘Switching off’ ESA re-assessments

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Andrew Dutton
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Welfare rights service - Derbyshire County Council

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Nearly a year ago, the Secretary of State said that :

‘ESA re-assessments would be ‘switched off’ for people who have already been placed in the ESA [and UC] support group ... and who have the most severe health conditions and disabilities (defined as claimants with severe, lifelong, often progressive and incurable conditions, with minimally fluctuating care needs, who are unlikely to ever be able to move closer to the labour market and into work)’

Consultation on guidance was also mentioned.

Has anyone seen any sign that this has been implemented at all? Has anyone been consulted?

Or………………

Vgriffith
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Benefits and Employment Adviser - Parkinsons UK

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Hi
As a disability charity we have been told the ESA reassessment criteria are expected this autumn. I believe we did submit information to be included in a “consultation”. No information yet on which conditions will be included.

Jon (CANY)
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Welfare benefits - Craven CAB, North Yorkshire

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For reference, from the minister’s written statement last October:

... The IT changes needed are expected to be completed by the end of 2017. In the meantime, we will be working to ensure these people are not reassessed unnecessarily.

Over the coming months we will work with key stakeholders, including disabled people, disability charities, our health assessment provider, the Centre for Health and Disability Assessments, medical professionals and others to develop a set of criteria, set out in guidance, to switch off reassessments for those that are eligible.

(As I read it, that isn’t a statement that the IT changes require over a year to be implemented, just that that is the timescale they intend to work to.)

Andrew Dutton
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For the IT, yes, but the statement implies that the consultation would begin soon after, and criteria would be agreed - and in the meantime efforts would be made to minimise unnecessary re-examinations.

The statement generated a lot of headlines at the time and many people assumed it was a done deal. I’m looking for evidence that anything at all has happened between October 2016 and now.

Jon (CANY)
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Sorry, didn’t mean to imply that the IT timescale is all that matters. From digging around, it looks like there was consultation done within the large ‘Work, Health and Disability’ consultation, see para 148-152:
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/work-health-and-disability-improving-lives/work-health-and-disability-green-paper-improving-lives

I don’t know when anything is expected to come out of that.

Andrew Dutton
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No details as yet, but from a conversation I just had with DWP I think there may be some action coming on this - possibly a new SI.

If I have understood it correctly, the restriction on re-examinations will apply from 11/9/17 but DWP may not be able to put anything in to action on this until mid-November owing to - guess what - the IT.

I put in a FoI about this last month , so one way or another we should hear something soon.

Benny Fitzpatrick
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For what it’s worth. Won an ESA appeal on Monday. Cl placed in SG with recommendation he is not re-assessed.

Andrew Dutton
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DWP has refused to provide a response to my FoI request, citing exemption from disclosure as ‘the severe condition criteria, as to how and how this will apply to, is currently in development’.

‘Guidance and IT changes are currently in development as we are undertaking evidence gathering from interested parties and meanwhile it is business as usual until that process has ended and decisions made’.

They also say that ‘we have consulted a range of organisations ...through a stakeholder representative group.’

As a matter of interest, has anyone been part of this consultation? is anyone being consulted now?

 

 

 

John Birks
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I’d guess you need to wait until 22nd November (or the Sunday before) for some details to be clarified.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/autumn-budget-2017-date-philip-hammond-chancellor-conservative-government-november-22-a7943196.html

stevenmcavoy
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we attended a stakeholder meeting this week and were advised that as of 29/09/17 that there would be a “severe conditions criteria” introduced.

if someone is placed in the sg and they are unlikely to get better i.e. mnd, learning disability etc and they can get evidence of this then re-assessments would be switched off.

i am certain i heard them say info on this would be on .gov (as did someone else who attended the meeting i subsequently met later that week) but it isnt on there. 

i have contacted our dwp rep for the meetings and she is looking into this for me.

John Birks
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OK could come sooner.

Mind your eyes ;-)

https://conservativepartyconference.com/index/

Daphne
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John Birks
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It’s very ‘lite.’

Presume more detail and guidance to be published?

Daphne
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It certainly is! I’ll ask if we can expect more guidance…

John Birks
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From the Westminster Briefings

http://dmail1.westminster-briefing.com/q/13YloH7cbDgFt92Nqdnup/wv

This bit is interesting….

….and will focus on those most able to find a job within 12 months.

So maybe the future will be something like…?

is there any prospect of improving/managing the condition? No i.e. Parkinsons/Huntingtons/MS then ESA SG

If yes-

Will this take longer than 12months? If yes SG with specified reassessment date

If Less than 12months WRAG? (or Intensive Detailed Support into work.)

 

Damian
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If its happening from today presumably HCPs have already been given guidance on this