I want some advice on surpport group form ESA seetac,jobcentre How to claim it ETC

[pamela62]

I am on ESA and get£100.00 a week .I had my medical Two Months ago .I'm on a Two year course at Seetac. I have

Chronic Pain in my Knees and my Feet due to Osterarthritis and pain in my Thumps,Wrist and lower Back.. Asthma.and Stress and Urs inconitence .I have a Wheelchair because i have a lot of weakness in my legs.but it is so hard to used.I'm so slow in it and can't manage it.So my Daughter help me get to seetec. ANY adive would be helpful

[TheAuthor]

Hi pamela62

I sincerely hope that you are feeling as well as you possibly can be today? I am so sorry to read that you are having such a difficult time at the moment, and I hope that you can find some resolution and relief to these issues.

I have pasted you a few links relating to contest being in a support group and keeping hold of your benefits and disability rights, so I hope that you find these useful:

cvsnewcastle.org.uk/assets/...

dls.org.uk/advice/Factsheet...

adviceguide.org.uk/wales/be...

I was also wondering if you claim PIP / DLA? If not, you can claim the new PIP even though you are receiving ESA. I have pasted a link below on how to claim PIP:

gov.uk/pip/how-to-claim

I want to wish you all the best for the future and please do not hesitate to post if you have any questions?

All my hopes and dreams for you

Ken x

[pamela62 in reply to TheAuthor]

hi there, I am in a work related activity group on ESA..I have claim pip in september 2013 . I am still waiting for appointment its pending at the moment.My Legs and Feet /incontinet give me more problems than the other illness i have.My Daughter help me mostly to seetec .She is ill her self with sleep apnea. Fibro.obesty.because she has push me in the wheelchair from my doctors yesterday .She in pain.I was thinking a wheelchair would be so easy to get around by myself.has i'm bored and upset of sitting alone everyday.thank you for your kind help. I can do thinks for myself at home but i need to rest and i tired myself out. and sleep for hours.I don't know what illness it is.? I am advice by seetec. to do some courses in my area but how do i get their becauce i can't push the wheelchair with my hands anymore than 4 pushers.BASICYthe jobcentre want me to do things i can do myself. what can i do?

[TheAuthor in reply to pamela62]

Hi pamela62

I am so sorry to read that you are struggling in this way, and I was wondering if your GP would give you a referral for 'Rehabilitation / Occupation Health' at your local hospital? As far as I am aware, they may be able to arrange a 'basic standard electric wheelchair' for you to get out and about?

I would discuss this issue with your GP and see what can be done just to give yourself more independence, and hence a better life! I have pasted you a web page link from NHS Choices pertaining to 'Rehabilitation / Occupation Health'.

nhs.uk/conditions/occupatio...

I want to wish you all the best of luck with this.

All my hopes and dreams for you

Ken x

[TheAuthor]

Hello again,

I just had another thought and this was relating to your daughter, as there is a benefit called 'carers allowance' that she could try and claim? Since she helps you out so much? I have pasted the link below:

gov.uk/carers-allowance/how...

I am very sorry but I was also unsure from your post if you claimed income support? So I have pasted you the link on how to claim this also:

gov.uk/income-support

Please feel free to post me if you have any specific questions or if there is anything that you would like to know.

Take care

Ken x

[Artyrosie]

Sorry to hijack, but this has worried me. I was awarded ESA in 2012 and placed in the support group for 2 years from October of that year. So do I understand from the links you supplied that in October this year my benefit will stop? And if so what should I being doing about it? Sorry if I am being dim - Fibro fog - but I've only just realised this isn't an indefinite award as my IB was. Should I be preparing paperwork with a view to a new claim in October, or will it inevitably be reviewed, or do I have to fill in the forms all over again? My condition is worse if anything.

Sorry again to hijack but you've got me in a panic now!!

[Mdaisy in reply to Artyrosie]

Hello Artyrosie,

As far as I am aware from Benefits & Work website most people are assessed regularly ie; 1-2 years, here's some information;

benefitsandwork.co.uk/emplo...

I am sorry this has worried you but at least you can start collecting letters from appointments & evidence for your next assessment form, it also says that there is not always another medical.

Best Wishes

Emma

FibroAction Administrator

[TheAuthor in reply to Artyrosie]

Hi Artyrosie

I sincerely hope that you are feeling as well as you possibly can be today? I am so sorry if I have given you cause for alarm? What I would suggest is what 'Mdaisy' has already advised, and start collating all your inform via letters, reports etc ready for when you are assessed again!

Please do not be unduly worried by any of this as it is just standard procedure. Since, as you say, that you are in fact worse, I would just recommend that you go through the motions and give them all the evidence that you can collect? The links say that there is not a second medical once documentation has been presented.

I was also wondering if you were claiming the new PIP (Personal Independent Payment)? If not, it would be worth submitting an application for this? I have pasted you the GOV.UK link for this below:

gov.uk/government/publicati...

I want to wish you the best of luck with this and your renewal of your ESA.

All my hopes and dreams for you

Ken x

[Kirby in reply to Artyrosie]

Your ESA won't stop if you're in the Support Group. You will just be reassessed. But they are way behind on the assessments at the moment and are concentrating only on those people who've not yet been migrated from IB and also those who are already stuck in the backlog. The others have ben suspended for two years from January 2014 until they find a replacement for Atos. There was a big announcement about it and someone may already put up a link?

[TheAuthor in reply to Kirby]

Thank you Kirby, I did not know this, so people who are up for assessment will keep on getting their money until they do manage to get assessed, whenever this will be?

That is really useful to know, as I say, I did not know this?

Thank you

Ken x

[Kirby in reply to TheAuthor]

If they are in the Support Group, yes. It's only if they are in the WRAG group that their money will stop after two years. Artyrosie is in the SG so she will be OK and I'm assuming as she was on IB she is now on contributions-based ESA. Some people will also be able to claim income-based ESA after contributions based has run out depending on their circumstances and finances

This link might help explain it better:

gov.uk/employment-support-a...

K x

[TheAuthor in reply to Kirby]

Thank you Kirby

Take care

Ken x

[Kirby in reply to TheAuthor]

My pleasure, Ken

[shasbat]

Hi have you claimed pp it is personal independence payment from disability payment you can not walk so you might get the higher rate do not quote me on that but I know you can claim for it all so this leaflet gives you other things like claim and get a blue badge if your daughter is looking after you she might be able to get carers allowance just look up online if you can the blue badge is done by your local council its an independence payment for people with disabilities it used to be called disabilities allowance hope this helps good luck

[Kirby]

Pamela, I am appalled what you are going through. I think it is too much for them to expect you to do all this and I personally think you should be in the Support Group. A lot of sick people are harassed by these work providers and it's wrong. If you can get support from your GP and other people then maybe you should report a change of circumstances in that your health has got worse and you need to be in the Support group. Supportive evidence is crucial and you would need to fill out an ESA50 again but it might be worth it in the long run. You should still be able to do courses and other things but without the pressure. Best wishes. K

[pamela62]

Thank You. I am going to see my doctor next week. I will asked for a letter for the Support Group.If they don't give me a letter then what do i do? As when i talked with the doctor about me feeling very tired and sleeping like after , visiting the doctors.(short jonuary) She said i should do more stuff. to loose weight ,I know is but my legs and feet hurt. so confused. pamela