ESA BENEFINT DOES NOT STAND DOR LONG TERM ILLNESS

[Danik89]

Hello, I suffer from liver chirosis, arthritis and bone sclerosis. I was discriminated at my job around my disability and dismiss. I was under ESA but they decided I am not having a disability of working but I suffer from extreme fatigue, back and all body pain, throwing up. I do understand that has to be done a mandatory and appeal and then taking them to court. What ESA BENEFIT stand for if not for long term illness that affect not only your work but your life in general? I am waiting some answer for the peoples who confront whit same issue I confront.

[Danik89]

I would like to mention that my liver condition does not have anything to do with alcohol. I have hep B and D and together create chirosis

[AyrshireK in reply to Danik89]

Hello Danik, you need to get some help to take this to appeal - you must contact your local Citizen's Advice Bureau or your Council Welfare Rights Officer. It's all to do with how you present the information to PROVE the difficulties you have.

My hubby has been on ESA for cirrhosis due to auto-immune liver disease since 2012 - he too has chronic fatigue and also symptoms of mild HE (confusion, memory issues, difficulty at staying on task), medication causes urgent and frequent toilet need (and indeed incidencies of bowel incontinence). There is no way he could hold down a job, he can't travel alone and can't predict how his health/energy levels will be from hour to hour let alone day to day. He worked as a welder in heavy engineering and it's the only job he has done since age 16 (now 57 and with HE symptoms he couldn't possibly learn something new and he certainly couldn't return to welding). Last month we got a form for a Work Capability Assessment - the first since 2013. There is no way hubby could complete this form himself so I filled it in for him and it took from about 10.30am to 9.30pm for me to do it all plus photocopy it and include all the medical reports and results since 2013.

Just this last week we got the 'dreaded' brown envelope and it was actually ok - it felt like a win. With a continued award of Support Group ESA. Hubby is also on PIP (Enhanced Rate Daily Living and Basic Rate Mobility) which was renewed last year - they acknowledged his issues for PIP like the inability to go out alone due to his fatigue, unable to cook a meal from scratch etc.

I use the advice from the Benefits & Work website to complete the forms and submit the necessary proof - we also were lucky in getting hubbies hospital consultant to write a letter explaining medically why hubby has the issues we said he had.

Get help to take this further, if you are unfit to work then you need to prove it in the WCA form or appeal paperwork. Got to CAB or Welfare Rights as I said and get the assistance needed.

All the best, Katie

[Danik89 in reply to AyrshireK]

Thank you so much for your answer. I do not have problem with my memory but my fatigue stays in a way of concentrating. I have a child and my husband help me a lot otherwise it was very difficult for me. Is already hard to cope doing the day to day activity at home, how I suppose to also have a job? I feel like a veegie due to my health condition. I wish I was able to accomplish all I propose to do but I never can get all done. Is so fustrating for me and my family and I am sure that only the peoples who suffer from the same illness would really understand what I am saying. The way those people do thei capability assessment does not reflect at all with my disability. They are saying that if you collaborate and stay on a chair that mean you are good to go for work but they should live with me in order to have a better understanding what I am doing through. Is upsetting me the fact that liver illness peoples are discriminated because they don t have a cut leg or hand or a eye taken out and people don t understand that the fact our energy level is so low Is worker or equal to other motricity problem.

[AyrshireK in reply to Danik89]

My hubby has never had a face-to-face for ESA as I must have provided sufficient detail on paperwork - 3 Work Capability Assessments decided on paper basis. He's had 2 face-to-face for PIP with mixed results.

Get help to take it to appeal - sometimes it is better to get someone else to do the forms other than yourself as with difficulty concentrating it might be that you missed off the detail needed.

Wishing you the best of luck. Have you tried applying for Personal Independence Payment - it isn't means tested so if your partner works too it won't matter.

You need help to get the right benefits you deserve.

Katie

[carmik]

I dont understand my husband had cirrhosis and was accepted for benefits.

We sent copies of all consultants letters from his different clinics and had no problems.

[suzylincs in reply to carmik]

Hi,it all depends where you live unfortunately,I asked my Dr for a letter for pip renewal and he refused saying he didn't know me well enough.!.and it wasn't in there remit as a NHS physician..in the end I paid £30 for an a4 piece of paper with 2 lines on it stating my conditions.,yet my friend in Derbyshire has a really supportive doctor who writes essays for her.!.