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ESA and ASSESSMENT

Posted , 3 users are following.

jayne03174
jayne03174

OMG, the letter ive been dreading has finally come. After my 13 weeks were up i had a letter to say id got ESAtill march 2016,,,, My letter ive just got says assessment on 12th November,,,, will be on week 24 then,,, why say one thing and keep us all waiting then spring it on us. My doctor says NOT FIT TO WORK,,, so why do we need someone who doesnt know us to determine wether or not we can work,,,,, BUT ive been told at the end of the day if your told after assessment you are fit to work ,,, YOUR OWN DOCTOR HAS THE LAST WORD... Has any one got any advice on the ESA assessment,,,, and been lucky enough to hold on to ESA,,, if you can work does your money get backdated to week 13.... I already get enhanced rate on PIP so what is the difference between the 2 assessments,,,, any advice would help as my anxiety  over this assessment is through the roof. MANY THANKS XX

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • susan556
    susan556 jayne03174

    Posted

    Jayne i cant answer your question but everything you say is true, at the end of the day they dont care about what your doctor, specialist, xrays, scans ect show, if they want to fail you they will. Im sure if our grand daughter has the worst type of MS, the agressive fast debiltating kind gets refuseds PIP there's not much hope for most of us but you got your ESA till March 2016 so thats good.  From what ive heard the ones that seem to get through and left alone are those with mental problems and phobias. Both me and Hubby are waiting for that brown envelope to come through the post any day to say we have lost our DLA, i for one wont be applying for PIP as ive no hope in getting it with M.E. and not on any medication which seems to count a lot when applying too. I hope so one else comes on and reasures you, depends on what you have wrong with you at the end of the day i suppose.  Dont see why if you already have the enhanced rate of PIP why you have to apply for ESA  or is this compulsary if your of working age? Bith of us are retired, id hubby had been born 14 days earlier he woukd have been left alone, how annoying is that!  

    Sue x

  • anthony97723
    anthony97723 jayne03174

    Posted

    Hi Jayne

    The procedure is that everyone claiming ESA long term must have an assessment by a Health Care Professional. It is not just you it happens to everyone and can happen at anytime.

    Yes the opinion of the HCP can be overide the opinion of your GP or Consultant in the DWP Decision Makers eyes. The rational is Doctors are experts on medical conditions both diagnosis and treatment, whilst the HCP is the expert on how the condition affects you.

    Therefore at the assessment you must convince the HCP that you are unfit for work. The ESA assessment differs from PIP assessment as one assesses you fitness for work, the other assesses your care and mobility needs. Obviously some of the criteria does overlap both assessments but you are trying achieve different ends with each assessment.

    At your Work Capability Assessment (that is the assessment for ESA) you will be asked a number of questions about your ability to do simple tasks such as answering the phone, sitting/stand for an amount of time without pain or discomfort as well as bending down etc.

    What won't be explained to you is that these tasks would have to be repeated 8 hours a day if you were to work full-time, not just in a one off at a random assessment. Therefore when they ask can you do these tasks then answer as if you are capable of doing them repeatidly for 8 hours a day. If you believe you can't then tell the HCP that or included it in your paperwork under "how your disability affects you"

    The simple rule of thumb is the more you say you can't do the more likely you are to be awarded ESA.

    • jayne03174
      jayne03174 anthony97723

      Posted

      hi Anthony thanks for your reply,,, had my assessment yesterday and due to my mental health problems i totally went to peices,, didnt really focus on assessor my husband had to step in and help,,, i did at one point here the lady say,, listen sweetheart im not interested in your mobility its your mental health were interested in,, (ive already have enhanced rate on PIP for mobility) i have to say the lady was fantastic curtious and aware of my need but she did tell me she was a nurse working for Maximus RE:DWP,, SHE WAS PATIENT SOFT SPOKEN AND OVERALL A LOVELY LADY,,, i had exactly the same sort of lady when i had PIP assessment,, at the end of the assessment she shook my hand and wished me well and said to my hushand you will hear about the descion on my report and it should last for 18 months when i will get a( pink slip or something)im wondering now if i qualify for ESA will i be put in WRAG os SG ,, GUESS I WILL HAVE TO WAIT FOR THAT ENVELOPE TO DROP THROUGH THE DOOR. She was so considerate to my condition that she actually showed me and my husand the back way out so i didnt have to go through waiting area,,, i only hope that many others are fortunate to have the lovely lady i had,,, coz i cant fault her. Take care xx
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