ESA health assessment

[rankin1st]

Any tips on how to handle this? Husband is employed but been on sick for last year due to ataxia and other health issues including epilepsy. He is very worried about this interview. Any advice would be appreciated

[suzie44na]

Hi rankin 1st, it is best to write things down, all symptoms and how it affects you. Then have all doctors and specialists letters to show them. It is very stressful I know. Hope it goes ok for you

Suzie

[rankin1st in reply to suzie44na]

Thanks Suzie

[FFNick]

Lay it on thick at interview. Get someone to drive you and accompany you. Use your walker. Insist on a chair with arms, and make sure it is high enough. Enquire if on ground floor. If not where is the lift. Who does food prep? Who plans a journey? Say no long journeys. Have fun with interview.

DWP put you in one of two groups. One group where they try to get you back into employment, other where DWP do not hassle you. Interview to decide which group should be within 12 weeks of start of claim. May not be interviewed for this decision. Enquire.

HTH

[rankin1st in reply to FFNick]

I brilliant thanks for your help!

[Amynah]

Hi and Thank you to all who relied.

The information about the groups is really useful for me to know.

I have an interview on 29th august, 2017.

I request ground floor, taxi to get there and someone is accompanying me.

They asked me to fill a form and send letters that are ONLY 2 years old. So make sure your letters are 2 years old. Plus take your filled in form.

Plus I work part time: ONLY 2 hours at a time - My employer can call me on Mon, Wed and Fri - between 11 am and 3 am. So decide something like this with your husbands employer.

Plus I am keeping a diary of falls and jerks. You should keep a diary of fits, etc. for your husband.

I forget things - short term memory problems - so I plan to write the questions down and then reply properly.

I will do my best to let you know what happened at my assessment immediately.

In the meantime ....... relax and enjoy the bank holiday.

[rankin1st]

You both enjoy the holiday too

[babygirl123]

Hi, I had my ESA assessment last Saturday, I dont think it went very well. I thought It did but then I rang the number for ESA to ask for a copy of the assessment report ( which every one is entitled to ask to see) and it came the other day and in report it said the evidence they have seen I do not have any restrictions with upper and lower limbs. What a joke,

Lets hope the medical letters I supplied, help. If not, its back on job seekers.

I hope things are better for you when you have your assessment good luck.

[Amynah]

Hi again

I had the ESA assessment this afternoon and it went well. fingers crossed.

FIRST - I went with a friend and today I felt 40% of a bad day - but I decided to behave like a bad day.

SECOND - I asked the assessor whether he had read my evidence and he showed me what he had read. So I knew that if I refer to evidence I was not talking to a wall.

THIRD - the questions were related to the ESA form and I highlighted my mobility and SLT issues.

FOUR - when he asked me to do the exercises - I performed as I would on a bad day.

FIVE - he asked me what aids I am using.

SIX – he asked me the last time I had worked – fulltime and part-time.

The Assessor was very respectable and considerate – SURPRISE.

All I have to do is wait for the report and see what it says.

Getting a good assessor is like winning a lottery – lets see what happens.

He said I would get a reply from ESA in 4 to 6 weeks.

Good luck to all.

Amynah

[Amynah in reply to Amynah]

Sorry I forgot to add - I had asked for a taxi to get to assessment centre and they agreed - so please ask for one

[rankin1st]

Thanks so much Amynah for your information glad your assessment seemed to go well today let's hopemy husbands does too. Take care L

[Amynah in reply to rankin1st]

They will get back to me in 4 weeks Now I have received papers for the PIP RE-assessment! fingers crossed

[Amynah]

Hi,

They got back to me in 10 days - I received the ESA letter on Friday. It was yes and they have put me in a support group.

I guess its all due to my good assessor.

Good luck to all

[babygirl123]

After having my ESA face to face assessment 3 weeks ago I have received my P45 to give to a new employer,lol. It stated my ESA ended on 3rd Sept. I have not even had a letter about decision yet, So rang ESA to find out what is happening (the clue here is P45) They said letter has not been sent out yet. They have done it wrong way round and not even informed me. So til I can do any thing about the letter I have not got yet, I have to go and apply for JSA. I can not believe the way they do things. I will be asking for a reconsideration WHEN I get the bloody letter. So good luck to all those having to go through the ESA and PIP stuff.

[rankin1st in reply to babygirl123]

thanks baby girl lets hope that someone puts a stop to this dehumanising treatment of people who are already suffering enough. Hope you get the answers you need soon. Have a good weekend

[rankin1st]

Hope your letter arrives soon! I am so upset and angry about the way my husband was treated yesterday at his ESA appointment I can't begin to tell you. The woman didn't hardly mention his ataxia focused on all his other conditions then had the nerve to get him to go up two steps to sit on a bench that was designed for a giant android some leg raising! I told him he didn't have to do it but he just likes to please even though he struggles to do it I bet they so say he can traverse stairs and.has no balance issues outrageous. I think having won our pip appeal successfully we are about to loose it and.not get support group!! She even made him cry in the assessment unbelievable don't know how these people sleep at night

[babygirl123 in reply to rankin1st]

Hi Rankin1st

I eventually got my letter, I didn't get any points awarded so I have asked for a mandatory reconsideration. Went to Dr's and have been put on sick for 3 months. so I don't have to go in to sign on Job seekers will get it automatically. The letter said I would be able to get to a work place and go further than 200 metres using a manual wheelchair. Assessor said in his summary that evidence suggests that significant disability with upper or lower limb function is unlikely. (So why would I need a wheelchair to get to work if there was no problems? ) Citizens advice are helping me and will help if It goes to appeal. So I think It will go that far, not looking forward to that. Hope your husband is ok after his assessment.

Take care

Marion