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Esa assessment

Posted , 5 users are following.

barbara51733
barbara51733

I am so so stressed and my anxeity is at its worst. I had my esa assessment last week and the lady wasn't very nice at all I left feeling the worse ever she wouldn't let my son speak who is my carer she made me feel like I was telling lies. I get enhanced pip and standard pip. I felt like she was watching every little move I made. I don't feel confident at all.

0 likes, 15 replies

15 Replies

  • meme31
    meme31 barbara51733

    Posted

    Hi Barbara,

    I'm sorry to hear that you had such an uncomfortable experience at ur assessment. I understand that it's hard enough dealing with the extra anxiety having to go to the assessment I also have anxiety and I was meant to have mine tomorrow but got a letter yesterday saying they had cancelled it till the 16th it doesn't help at all. No one has the right to make u feel like that and at the end of the day they wouldn't be in a job if it wasn't for us so they shouldn't judge and assume. Don't let it knock ur confidence hun u can see yourself that it was unfair the way they made u feel and to not even consult your carer is a joke. Maybe get your son to put the facts in writing to support your claim and get your doctor to sign it aswell to support what is written. If it was me I think that's what I would do. But don't let it knock u try to turn the anxiety into fight and determination. Easier said then done and I wish I could take my own advice lol.

    keep me updated hun xx

  • les59996
    les59996 barbara51733

    Posted

    They don't have to be your friend. They were not assessing your son so why would you have expected them to address questions for you to answer to him?

    Personally you were honoured in my opinion that they even allowed someone to go into the assessment room with you. When I had my ESA assessment back in early 2010, they made my wife sit outside in the waiting room whilst I had to go in on my own - they cited that the room was not big enough.

    Yes they watch you from the moment you arrive in their car park to when you leave.

    I received 0 points for my ESA assessment and was told to go back to work. Like you I had already been awarded DLA - High Mobility/Middle Care, but none of that matters - it is a tiotally different benefit. 

  • barbara51733
    barbara51733

    Posted

    Well got the letter this morning and there saying I am fit for work. I got 0 points for everything when iI read it all she manipulated everything I said and put stuff down I didn't say. I can't beleive some of the stuff she put. Glad my son was with me when I went he can back me up when I appeal.
    • meme31
      meme31 barbara51733

      Posted

      hi hun,

      ​sorry to hear that that was the decision that you got from your assessment. u going to go for the appeal tho yeah?

    • barbara51733
      barbara51733 meme31

      Posted

      Yes my son bullet pointed everything that was wrong. Can't beleive some of the stuff the woman put iI have no mobility issues but then went on to say I would be better with a wheel chair doesn't make sense.
    • anthony97723
      anthony97723 barbara51733

      Posted

      Hi Barbara

      Don't get me wrong I'm not sticking up for the DWP just trying to explain their thinking with regard to the wheelchair. What they mean is that you could use a wheelchair as an aid and that way you would have scored you points.

      As you didn't use one then the assessor couldn't award any points because the discriptors are interpreted that way.

      It may make no sense to you (and anyone else for that matter), but it makes perfect sense to the DWP and at the end of the day that is the only thing that matters.

      The brutal truth is the Health Professional is there to assess you as they see fit. To challenge them you are going to need some gold plated evidence and that means evidence from other Health Professionals. Your GP is the best bet but again his letter needs to be targeted to the issues you are challenging.

      It's not an easy process and your son is going to need help as his statement of what happened in the consultation will unfortunatley carry little weight.

      Contact your local CAB and get one of their benefit specialists to help.

    • barbara51733
      barbara51733 anthony97723

      Posted

      I understand that but she twisted everything I said and didn't put down what exactly was said like she put I have no vision and hearing problems when I wear glasses and I have 2 hearing aids. She put I parked in the c arpark and walk in ok which is a lie i parked right outside and what would take a normal person 30 seconds to walk in it took me 10 mins due to the pain I am in and stopping and starting walking. she put that I was ok through the whole assessment which I wasn't I had a panic attack and was crying. I just don't get it.
    • les59996
      les59996 anthony97723

      Posted

      That just about hits the nail on the head!!! Couldn't have put it better myself.
    • les59996
      les59996 barbara51733

      Posted

      As far as I know, there are no points for wearing glasses. Secondly, having two hearing aids means that you have the necessary equipment to improve your hearing thus there are no problems with hearing. I wear glasses (always have since a small child) and have two hearing aids prescribed by the NHS. I have never considered that either is a disability as I can see and hear. Consequently I have never thought it appropriate to mention them on the previous ESA forms or even the DLA ones.
  • anthony97723
    anthony97723 barbara51733

    Posted

    Barabra

    We are trying to help you and we won't do that by just telling you what you want to hear, but we will help you if we tell you how the system works.

    Les is correct you get no points for spectacles and as it was an ESA assessment rather than a PIP assessment your hearing aids make you fit for work from a hearing and sight prospective.

    The ESA assessment is actually called a Work Capability Assessment and it assesses you for fitness for work. It is different to PIP which assesses you for care/mobility needs and you would have scored 2 points for your hearing aids under Communicating Verbally descriptor, but even in PIP you get nothing for wearing spectacles.

    You wouldn’t be the first person ever to think that the WCA is flawed and unfair and just about everyone apart from the DWP is of that opinion, even claimants who have been found unfit for work and placed in the Support Group have found the whole experience baffling.

    Just to clarify is the reason you can’t work due to Depression/Anxiety or some other mental health or physical disability? If you can put up an explanation it might give us a better understanding.

    • barbara51733
      barbara51733 anthony97723

      Posted

      I know that you are. I know you don't get points for glasses and hearing aids. I have severe osteoarthritis in both knees I have to have a double knee replacement but the surgeons reluctant to do it because I am 43. walk with crutches I can only walk a couple of steps without stopping because of the pain. I have neroupatic pain severe anxeity and depression have panic attacks daily. I have an over active bladder which causes me to have accidents because I can't get to toilet quick enough.
    • anthony97723
      anthony97723 barbara51733

      Posted

      OK I'm convinced that you are unfit for work and this is a puzzling one. You have to challenge the decision and the points raised. Unfortunatley having disabilitating disabilities does-not give you an automatic right to ESA.

      You have to show and explain why you are unfit for work. Don't get bogged down with irrelevant issues such as glasses and hearing aids.

      I urge you to contact the CAB ASAP and make a formal appeal.

  • katie22749
    katie22749 barbara51733

    Posted

    Hi! Guys I'm new to all this I don't know what I should be doing  any help welcomed I suffer from Fibromyalgia , Osteoarthritis in the knees ,Anxiety attacks , Panic Attacks as well as severe headaches and suffered from depression well over 10 years  these 1 more thing as a child I was sexually abused at the age of 6 no one knows but my GP  or you guys today no family member know I don't wish to go into detail don't mind.  I've just applied for PIP don't know if I should mention what happened to me as a child this has destroyed my life as I can sleep wake up screaming  as I can see his face before you ask it was my uncle I'm turning 41 on the 24th this month I've really tried to keep this to myself  but now I'm unable to cope don't know what I should do should I mention this or not to PIP my GP has referred me to healthy minds can anyone please help.  

    • denise15811
      denise15811 katie22749

      Posted

      HI Katie,

      Well it certainly can't do any harm. PIP is all about how your conditions affect you daily and not about a disagnosis. Have you had a look at the PIP descriptors? There's a PIP self test online that you can do, this will give you a little idea what you could score. Just don't take it as face value, if you know what i mean. Just google PIP test and it will come up. I can't post links here, sorry.

      You'll need some evidence to support your claim and a face to face assessment will most likely be needed. It's rare to have a paper based decision. Good luck.

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