1. Community
  2. Bones, joints and muscles
  3. Polymyalgia Rheumatica and GCA

Letter to ask for ESA tribunal

Posted , 8 users are following.

Gone_Girl
Gone_Girl

Thank you all you lovely people.

I was encouraged to go on and it took 2 afternoons to fill in the form to beg for an oral hearing at tribunal stage.

I cannot remember what i said exactly...tried to fire in the buzzwords and be succinct but i fear that went off at a tangent.

So its sent and i have to wait for a reply.

Its awkward as live in scotland but at the mo am at my aged parents house in a village in England. Having mail forwarded hear by good neighbour.

Plan is if a hearing is approved and date set then i will go home to see GP and try again to prove myself.

Am not in Scotland as have no income since july.

Aged parents rock!!!

Felt euphoric when the letter fell into royal mail. Was glad to get that stage over with and have wee break from the process.

Later on that evening fibromyalgia brain fog, i think, descended and couldnt remember some words.

All your lovely virtual hugs and thoughts did and DO give me comfort and hope. 

My, what strange people we are eek

 

1 like, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • andypolly
    andypolly Gone_Girl

    Posted

    Hi Gone Girl,

    I did reply to your previous thread, but I don't think you read it. I'm a volunteer at Citizens Advice and have experience of the appeal and tribunal system. You should phone Citizens Advice and ask for advice. 03444 111 444. While you are appealing against an ESA work capability assessment you CAN apply for JSA and should. Your Job Centre should take into account the fact that you have sick notes and put that into the terms of your agreement about seeking work. Citizens Advice should also be able to assist you in how to present yourself at the tribunal. It's a bit late now, but you should phone and tell them your situation. 

    • EileenH
      EileenH andypolly

      Posted

      Andy - I wonder, if you wrote a post about HOW to go about it, who to contact and things like you getting JSA during an appeal, that sort of stuff, in plain English like you have here, we could get the moderator to either add it to the resources post or get it pinned like a couple of others are. Then any of us can refer people to it and they can ask questions that you maybe could help answer????

      I don't live in the UK so haven't a clue how it works (or doesn't) these days!

    • EileenH
      EileenH

      Posted

      You did say before about starting a thread didn't you but I thought it might "get lost" - this way it wouldn't. Why didn't that occur to me before...

    • andypolly
      andypolly EileenH

      Posted

      If only the answer was simple! I can only repeat to people that they should contact Cit A or look at the website. The website leads you to: What to do if your not awarded ESA and the following text:

      What to do if you're not awarded ESA

      Challenge the decision

      You can ask the DWP to rethink their decision. This is called mandatory reconsideration. You have to ask within one month of getting your decision letter.

      Other benefits you could get

      You may be able to claim Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) instead of ESA. You’ll need to meet the usual rules for people who claim JSA, for example you’ll need to be actively looking for work. If your condition or a disability means you can only work or look for work a limited number of hours each week, you can try and agree this with the Jobcentre.

      You should tell the Jobcentre that you’re able and willing to look for work, otherwise you won’t get any JSA.

      Worth remembering

      Claiming JSA during a mandatory reconsideration shouldn’t affect your ESA reconsideration request .

      It's always a good idea to check you're claiming all the benefits you're entitled to. Find out what benefits and extra help you could get using our simple and quick online tool. 

      Other help with living costs

      You can:

      ask friends or family if they can help with essentials

      find out if there are any foodbanks in your area and what other help might be available locally

      find out if you can get more help with your living costs

      consider asking a charity for help - the Turn2us website tells you about charities that might be able to help you

      talk to an adviser at Citizens Advice to find out what other help is available in your area

      The punchline is: Talk to an advisor at your local Citizens Advice!

      It's always the same answer! I think you know the problem!

    • EileenH
      EileenH andypolly

      Posted

      I do - but a post like this one is something people get the hang of - they are terrified of the websites but I think a post like this might help them overcome that initial fear. And the rest of us who are regulars can send them to this - even if we can't remember the rest!

    • EileenH
      EileenH Emis_Moderator

      Posted

      What about simply putting the post this link takes you to up as a pinned discussion on our forum? 
  • FlipDover_Aust
    FlipDover_Aust Gone_Girl

    Posted

    Glad you found the strength to get it done - well done you!!

    Now we wait....... smile

Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.