ESA assessment

Hi Mandy,

?I can only tell you of my own experience with these ESA assessments and I've been through 2 since 2014.

?I'll try not to bore you with the whole rigmarole but in brief, (sort of), my first assessment arose because I was being transferred from Incapacity Benefit to ESA and even though I'd hoped to avoid a face to face assessment, I wasn't so lucky.

?First assessment was done by a very nice doctor who did take 40 minutes but the only examination she gave me was to ask me to grip her hands since the arthritis in my hands doesn't give me a very strong grip anymore. At the end of the assessment, she told me that she would be advising the DWP to place me in the Support Group and I shouldn't have to go through another one of these assessments if the DWP read her report thoroughly. We later had a copy of both of my assessment reports to assist me with an appeal tribunal when being transferred from DLA to PIP, and the doctor had written that I 'looked tired and very unwell' but guess what......the DWP chose to ignore her report when, only 2 years later I was to attend another assessment.

?This time it was a nurse who specialised in Fibromyalgia, (result or what lol), and her first words to us where that she couldn't believe I'd been called in for this, having read through the previous report! She told us that we wouldn't be there long and at the end (10 minutes in total), she told me that she would be advising the DWP to keep me in the Support Group and that this would DEFINITELY be the last time I'd have to go through this because I will have reached retirement age before another would be due. Relief again.

?I'm afraid I can't remember exactly how long I had to wait for the official letter from the DWP informing of the decision that I'd be in the Support Group but it wasn't very long.

?Having been through another face to face assessment at the beginning of this year trying to transfer from DLA to PIP, I've had another very stressful 8 months in total before finally being awarded the enhanced rate for both components at a tribunal. The original decision maker had awarded me the enhanced rate for daily living with the bare minimum amount of points required for this, (12), and only 10 points for the getting around component which meant I lost my Motability car being those 2 measly points short.

?Eventually, after going through a Mandatory Reconsideration where the new decision maker made no change, we then put in an appeal for a tribunal and while they're not duty bound to allow you an appeal, we were lucky and got one. Took over 7 months for it though which was extremely stressful but turned out to be worth all the stress as I won the appeal and actually got awarded an extra 12 points for the getting around component so once again I've been able to get a Motability car.

?The whole point of going through the stress and trauma of the tribunal and getting there, wasn't so much about getting those 2 vital missing points to allow me to have a Motability car again, but more to try and discredit the assessor's report which had been a work of total fiction from front to back! He hadn't even recorded that my husband was there with me throughout the entire procedure and had needed to prompt me to answer questions most of the time! Thankfully, with additional evidence I was able to submit from my Consultant Rheumatologist and my GP along with copies of the 2 previous ESA assessment reports, the tribunal could see that they were all consistent with my condition and what I'd written on my PIP2 document and that the Physio who wrote my PIP assessment report was the polar opposite of everything else.

?With the tribunal we were also given the result before leaving the court. In fact, they said that my husband could go back in for the result once the report had been typed up by the clerk of the court and I could stay sitting down outside. The official letter from the DWP came about 2 weeks after the tribunal.

?Hope this has helped you Mandy? But don't forget, if you don't get the outcome you feel you should have, there's always the appeal route to go down, but be prepared for a bumpy ride.

Regards,

?Hippyginger

You have a perfect right to babble!! I am about ready to howl at the moon!! It is extremely frustrating when you do as you are supposed to and the "powers that be" drop the blasted ball!! I suppose I will die alone here with the cat, because i am so down on the entire medical profession right now! I don't do well on the phone and run on like an idiot, and don't do much better with them in person. My symptoms are so weird I feel like a fool trying to describe them and don't think they hear what I say anyhow! I will feel that I have stated things pretty well over the phone, then the phone person will ask some totally unrelated question that it makes me wonder if she has the right person on the phone! I did receive someone else's cholesterol readings through the mail. I had been there for blood work and already had my results, so I was puzzled to receive a notice addressed to me. it wasn't mine. I tried to do the right thing and called the clinic. They went into a tailspin and I swear, they acted like it was my fault, and couldn't I bring it in?? Hardly. Ugh. You needn't worry about messing up-they should!!

Mandy I’m sure your support worker explained what was happening to you to the ones that was there . I wish I could say all is well but I can’t you will have to wait and see , but having a helping hand there with you could have helped big time , good luck xx