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esa assessment

Posted , 6 users are following.

lilmama1014
lilmama1014

my bf is going for his esa assessment on monday he has been approved for a taxi after months of fighting for it , the thing that worries me is that he is going for psiatica but has no xrays blood work or anything just a letter from his gp , what would you think are his chances?

0 likes, 18 replies

18 Replies

  • hypercat
    hypercat lilmama1014

    Posted

    Hi no one can predict that as ESA is given not on the illness itself but on the effect it has on you.   So it  depends on whether they consider him fit enough to work or not.

    Good luck to him with it.  x

  • david21258
    david21258 lilmama1014

    Posted

    the thing with esa is that esa is a disabled group, that people go in who the assessor thinks they may with support be able to find some work. by the sound of siatica which will effect the lowere movement of the buttocs and legs, even support was needed to get the lower part dressed. to me he could be put in the esa group. if this is a new claim the first time, he will only get the same as jsa, to new rules coming in. if he was put in the esa group, he would still need to attend work focus groups. assessers have a guide and they are trying to get as many people of this group into some work.. the answer to your question, is that it my own view, that  he has a resonable chance of getting in the esa, as he's not fit for work , however theres nothing guaranteed, people with multiple illnesses as well as severe mental hjealth are been put into esa group if the assessers and DWP think there may be however slight a chance they may be able to return to work. keep copies of everything. good luck and pleaselet us know how he gets on. thank you. 
    • hypercat
      hypercat david21258

      Posted

      I will just clarify that a bit more David.  There are 2 categories in ESA - the work group and the support group.  The work group is where you are considered fit enough to work part time with help.   Your bf will need to attend the Jobcentre and look for work.  However if the Jobcentre think he cannot work he might well be told not to attend the JCP or look for work.  They did this with my sister who was erronously put into the work group with severe osteoarthritis.   She was later,  after appeal,  put into the support group.

      The support group is for those who are not considered to be fit for any kind of work.   He would not need to go for work focussed interviews or look for work.   If he is put on either ESA types he would be reassessed in the future.   x

       

    • les59996
      les59996 hypercat

      Posted

      The support group is for those who are not considered to be fit for any kind of work.  

      Sorry, but not true at all.

      Whilst I was in the Support Group (3 1/2 years) I was also self employed under the permitted work scheme. The DWP knew what I was doing and agreed that I could work subject to the limit os what you can earn.

      There is nothing stopping anyone who is in the Support Group from working part time.

      Passing the ESA assessment has nothing to do with being unfit for work - all you have to do is qualify in one or more of their descriptor boxes and get over 15 points. + qualify for one the Support Group descriptors.

      Someone that has diificulty getting something out of the top pocket of a jacket with either hand goes straight into the Support Group.

      Someone with serious mental or physical health problems could well find that they are put in the Work Group.

      It is all about how the descriptors fit you and at what range.

    • lilmama1014
      lilmama1014 les59996

      Posted

      hes very worried because he was refused for pip and he has been waiting over a year for this assessement and is hoping to get the back pay which he is in desperate need of
    • hypercat
      hypercat les59996

      Posted

      Whether you choose to work or not (in your case self employment) being in the support group means you do not have to attend work focussed interviews or look for work. 

      Of course anyone can look for work and do it no matter what benefit they are on but the point about the support group is that you are not expected too unlike ESA WRAG or JSA.  That's all I was saying.  x

       

    • les59996
      les59996 hypercat

      Posted

      Hi & thanks

      I was only trying to correct your statement:

      The support group is for those who are not considered to be fit for any kind of work.

      Being in the Support Group does NOT make anybody unfit for work.

      Being in the Support Group is NOT just for those that are so ill and dsiabled that they could not work. Many work part time for their employer - they have just reduced their hours accordingly to fit in with the limit that they can earn.

    • hypercat
      hypercat les59996

      Posted

      Not saying it does Les,  will you stop nit picking please?  I stand by my statement as what I intended to say.   The DWP do NOT consider those in the support group to be fit for work.  If they did they would be in the work group.  

      Whether anyone is fit enough to work is a different matter,  and like I said if you can work then fine.   It doesn't make anyone unfit to work but you have a free choice which is the point I was trying to get across.  This is true so can we drop it now please?  x

  • ChrisA15
    ChrisA15 lilmama1014

    Posted

    The problem is trying to prove how the condition affects, this is where doctors reports come in handy.
  • nadnad
    nadnad lilmama1014

    Posted

    Hi, just a letter from the Gp is not enough does your friend have any letter from any consultant from a hospital , if he suffering from sciatica that means he got a medical report or even a letter from the hospital and about the letter from his Gp does this explain his case and how his sciatica affect him ,on his daily life ,still good luck and if you can go with him for moral support .you said he fighted for a taxi why he didn't get the assessment at home ? 
    • les59996
      les59996 nadnad

      Posted

      It is extremely rare for a consultant or a GP to go to the length of offering an explanation as to how the condition affects your daily life.

      They are there to diagnose and treat.

      I've got a list of illnesses. conditions, disabilities as long as your arm but no one including my GP has any idea about how I cope with life - they don't live with me so how can they be certain? I could tell them but that then would be third hand evidence - my patient has told me.....

      The best evidence can be obtained from Social Services when they come to the home to do a needs and capability assessment.

    • ChrisA15
      ChrisA15 les59996

      Posted

      A GP or consultant doesn't need to write a detailed report, they can just state a limitation that someone has as a result of thier condition. Say someone had a condition that made it extremely difficult to grasp something in thier hands, it would be reasonable to state the the patient has difficulty picking up objects, writing, etc. While this may be tested at the assessment, it would be extremely helpful to have a letter from a doctor and it would hold more substance in case the claimant has to go through the courts.

      Also consultants send reports, which can explain someone's problem, to a patient's GP, usually they would also send a copy to the patient as well, but it is also worth checking the medical records with your GPs to see if they can print off copies of old and recent reports.  

       

    • nadnad
      nadnad les59996

      Posted

      Hi,not all the disabled have evidence from the social services and not a lot have telecare , some disabled just got a letter or medical report from the hospital and at the end of the day it's up to the person and how their disability affect them on daily basic , all we know even with the meds you can have a good day and bad day , sometimes the meds don't even work and you have to change to higher dosage because of addiction. And the Gp if they do home visit they know very well your disability and how this affect you, 
    • les59996
      les59996 nadnad

      Posted

      I too don't need Social Services to get involved in my care. Yet my wife had to have Social Services involved simply because I could no longer physically look after her. She was assessed by their OT and a social worker/case manager who kindly arranged for quite a lot of equipment to be installed. 

      When the social worker helped my wife to apply for Attendance Allowance it was granted within just a few weeks at the highest rate indefinitely. I was surprised given my previous history with the DWP (continually having to have face to face assessments for renewals of (ESA, DLA & IIDB). I asked the social worker why it was done so quick with no evidence being supplied other than their assessment - to be told that it was because of Social Services involvement!

      Which goes to ptove, in my mind, that to get a good result it is best to have Social Services involved.

  • kevin53196
    kevin53196 lilmama1014

    Posted

    Howdy Lilmama

    Has other people have said, its hard to predict what will happen. There does not seem to be any rhyme or reason to some of there reasoning.

    I had a home visit, it was evident that I had a problem, but with me, it was the fact that everything I told them was backed up when they got in contact with my doctor.

    The first time I had to go to Southampton to have a valuation. That time,well they might as well told me to p*ss off. I had to take them to court through the  appeal system, that time the court agreed with me so I won.

    What I am trying to say, is that, if he does not do well he must appeal it. Thankfully most appeals go your way, not all, but most.

    Best of luck and let us know how it goes.

    I would be interested to know what he has got if that is not intruding to much.

    Kev  (UK)  cool

    • lilmama1014
      lilmama1014 kevin53196

      Posted

      if you mean his illness he suffers from sciatica , you got your descision the day of the assessement? and also how long before you won your appeal , he has been waiting for over a year now for this first assessment
    • kevin53196
      kevin53196 lilmama1014

      Posted

      Hi lilmama

      On the assessement at home, it took around three weeks.

      The first assessement, about the same time. When I appealed the first decision, I was told straight away by the court.

      Thankfully, they do have to back-date all payments if you get it from the date of the original form was sent in.

      If there is anything else you would/need to know, if I can, I will answer it.

      Kev  (UK) 

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