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advice needed esa wrag help

Posted , 7 users are following.

beverley85293
beverley85293

Hello This is my first post so please bare with me.

I was awarded Esa approx 6 months ago after a fight appeal and tribunal, i was also awarded Pip after a face to face assesment which was horrific for me i cried and shaked my way through it. I suffer with extreme anxiety and depression it has not been given a proper name but i think its more a social phobia and possibly PTSD but im know doctor. Anyway i am in the wrag group and i have recently had a letter from job centre asking me to attend interview i wrote to them with a copy of my tribunal letter where it states i have difficulty going out and dealing with people and strangers it causes me extreme anxiety. Well the lady from local jc called me and was a little rude in my opinion telling me i have to attend as the letter only says i have difficulty going out and not that i cant go out, i proceeded to have a panic attack while trying to talk toher on the phone she eventually said she would leave me until feb but i must make the effort to get better as i have to attend.

my question is can i ask to go in to support group and being awarded pip would that count as additional evidence to help change my group also i have hypothyroidism which i have never used in my claim would that help. I hope that makes sence and thankyou in advance xx

1 like, 20 replies

20 Replies

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  • nadnad
    nadnad beverley85293

    Posted

    Hi, go once and they will see that you have a panic or depression.then they will move you to support group ,but don't ignore them take care 
  • connor44158
    connor44158 beverley85293

    Posted

    I agree with nad nad.....u only got to go once and explain your situation they will u cannot work....

    i had this years ago asking me to go back but I couldn't due to have two disable children and one of the was diabete had to go school and do the injection etc 

    i couldn't go back to work at that time and they said that was fine until I had two more times that even I show them the proof of their disabilities. 

     

    • beverley85293
      beverley85293 connor44158

      Posted

      Thanks for replying but is it really that easy i have been awarded esa until 2017 the interview is part of being in work related activity group. If i want to go into support group i have to have my whole claim reassessed its not something the local job center can do. Also i dont go out i cant not without being over whelmed with anxiety paranoia and stress i do need my claim reassessing to go into support group but im worried i will lose everything as it can go either way and i had to fight for what i have now they will ask how my condition has changed and it hasntbits always been this bad thats why i asked about my hypothyroidism would that help
    • dawn82680
      dawn82680 beverley85293

      Posted

      Im the same as you with worrying. I have my esa assesment on 3rd december its at home because i can only walk about 5ft and im in really bad pain.

      Im worried they wont see how painful it is for me and put me in the wrag group because how am i going to get to the jobcentre if i cant travel to get there and they will sanction me.

      Im on mobility and standard care pip, im getting no sleep worrying about this esa meeting. So here i am in pain totally worried and dreading this assesment.

      Everytime i read about the esa groups hardly any of them get in the support group that have bad back pain .

    • nadnad
      nadnad beverley85293

      Posted

      Hi, in this case call the dwp and ask what benefits you are on exactly if ESA or work r a . If it's ESA then you don't need to go ,but still sometimes even with ESA and pip or dla they ask to see the person ,nothing to lose and you didn't need to be reassessed or claim again till 2017 
    • beverley85293
      beverley85293 nadnad

      Posted

      Im on ESA work related activity group and pip standard rate the interviews are standard for ppl in work related activity group
    • les59996
      les59996 beverley85293

      Posted

      As a matter of interest, I presume you had a face to face assessment for both ESA and PIP and presumably attended the Tribunal to argue your case?

      How did you manage that seeing that you say that you can't go out?

      Unfortunately the system is what it is. You either comply or you don't. They can't alter the system for your benefit and then not expect thousands more to follow suit.

    • beverley85293
      beverley85293 les59996

      Posted

      Actually NO I did not attend tribunal i wrote a letter because i struggle to go out one should never assume!! and as i said the face to face assesments i had a panic attack and was extremly emotional
  • jayne03174
    jayne03174 beverley85293

    Posted

    hi Beverley,, i to have hypothyroidism,, ptsd,, anxiety, and high blood pressure,depression, i went for my pip assessment in july and was awarded enhance rate,, like you i was extremeley emotional the whole way through,,, i had ESA assessment  2 weeks ago today,,, im still waiting on a reply from dwp,, i have panic attacks when i go out etc, etc and had a severe panic attack during esa interview,, the lady was lovely and spoke to my husband and said i will hear back within 2 weeks and after that i wouldnt have to worry for 18mths then they would send me a pink slip,, whatever that is,, my anxiety is through the roof,, why do these things take so long,, its very easy to say GET BETTER,,but until you go through it other people just dont understand,, the lady at your job centre was rude in my opinion and i would complain,, he doesnt know if you will be well in FEB ,, ive been ill for over a yr and drs and therapist say another 9 mths at least,,, so i hope im not put in wrag group coz im gonna be like you,,, i hope you get what you deserve i dont think it would do any harm if you could ring DWP and ask them about support group,,, hope it all works out,, gentle hug jayne x
    • beverley85293
      beverley85293 jayne03174

      Posted

      Sorry one more question should i tell them about my thyroid as its still not stable and ive been diagnosed 2 year's i never mentioned it as i thought it was a trivial illness how wrong was i lol its awful xx
  • les59996
    les59996 beverley85293

    Posted

    It seems  that things haven't changed. When I applied for ESA back in Sept 09, I was first of all put in the Work Group. This lasted just over a month after I wrote to them explaining how wrong they were and they put me in the Support Group for 3 years.

    However in that month I was directed that I must attend a 'provider' - Royal British Legion. I duly attended. Even after I was put in the Support Group the RBL insisted (under penalty) that I must continue with the weekly visits. I had to look for voluntary work, prepare a CV and make enough applications to voluntary bodies each week to keep them happy. This went on for over a year. Then in Sept 10, I asked the DWP if I had to still go as the whole thing was making my medical issues worse. I was told that someone should have told me that I need not have gone since October 09 when I was put in the Support Group and then she noticed my age (I was over 60 when I appied for ESA) She then told me that I had been exempt from any 'provider' since the claim was submitted due to being over 60.

    I spent a year going through hell and back with the RBL and what they demanded off me on a weekly basis.

    I never did get an apology. 

  • anthony97723
    anthony97723 beverley85293

    Posted

    The answer to your question Beverley is yes you can ask to be placed in the Support Group. Being awarded PIP is not an automatic qualification for the SG but it is very good supporting evidence that your condition has got worse not better.

    Contact the DWP and explain your condition has regressed and you believe you are in the wrong ESA group. If you have your PIP assessment report send it as supporting evidence or ask the DWP to get a copy. Also contact the JC again by phone and mail explaining that due to your condition getting progressively worse you have made an application to be placed in the SG. End the letter by stating you are a vulnerable person and they should deal with you in a sympathetic and reasonable way.

    Please don't delay because if you get to February without doing anything the DWP might start sanctioning you. Follow the correct procedure and you protect yourself.

    • beverley85293
      beverley85293 anthony97723

      Posted

      The only thingbim worried about is i have read some where when i ask them to reconsider my group they can reconsider the whole claim and take everything off me
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