Good day, I am a new user on here. I need help on how to fill in ESA form to get into support group. I am diabetic type 2 with gastroparesis and the latter condition is currently the problem. I am unemployed (JSA contribution based stopped because of applying for ESA) was booked off by Dr for three months. The constant uncomfortableness, bloating of stomach, cramping and frequent diarrhoea and nausea is affecting me going to do shopping or visiting a friend. I always have to stay where it's quick to go to toilet if needed and this make it difficult to go anywhere, other than staying home.
Can someone give me advice on how to fill in the form please? I have all the specialist letters to prove my condition is genuine.
Many Thanks
Seasondry
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Seasondry
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You don't say if you have had a diagnosis of fibro or awaiting one, so I am not sure if I can be of help. If you do have fibro our Mother Site fmauk.org is very useful for further information.
There is also a Diabetic Forum on HU which may be of more help to you, and a whole list of other communities.
I suggest you make an appointment with the Citizens Advice for guidance on how to fill in the forms as they know what kind of answers the DWP are looking for.
If you scroll down several posts you will see another titled "benefits" where I have given details on what is needed.
Also if you look to the right in Topics, you will see a heading, Benefits and Work which has members questions and experiences.
Hi, thank you for your swift reply. I do not have Fibromyalgia however, I will contact Cab to hear if they can assist with the application. Once again, thank you for the information.
Highly endorse bluebell 99. Also try Benefits and work site. If you are a person that could go to a physical Fibro support group then go for that as well. Why? Some of support group might have names of specialist to help you and /or names at CAB best with whom to get appointment
Hi Skit, thank you for your helpful input. I genuinely appreciate all advice and definitely will make use of it. I will have to act asap because there is a time limit from the date one receive the form. I received my application form on 24/12/17.
Welcome to the forum and it is wonderful to make your acquaintance. As the others have said the CAB is a great place to start as they can help you fill in the forms that you need to do. I want to sincerely wish you all the best of luck with your claim and please take care of yourself my friend.
Thank you for the kind words and I definitely will get in conract with CAB. I hope you have enjoyed a wonderful Xmas and looking forward to a happy new year. Let us hope for a new year full of better prospects and better health. Take care.
I have been recently diagnosed with erosive gastritis, just to add to the list 😢. I'm having further tests also as suffer akin to your post.
Can't speak for ESA but pip ignored my bowel and bladder issues. It certainly restricted where and how I am out, when I can, hough I'm restricted mobility anyway.
Your medical evidence is very important to send but make sure the effects on travel etc are stated as its what you suffer that's considered, not the name of your condition. Also do explain clearly yourself how it affects you, your travel restrictions, why public transport may be impossible for you etc.
Thank you very much for the points you mentioned, will take note.
Be careful to not digest "heavy digestive food" because that aggravates the problem more. I am constantly feeling bloated and being full of gas most of the time, also makes it difficult to even socialise properly.
I wish you all the best with tests and hope that you will have at least a Happy new year with family.
Hi. Herod here. I cannot advise you about 'how to get into the Support Group on ESA" but l can say that when you fill out the ESA Questionnaire, answer every question negatively. Focus on your worst possible day and start from there; maintaining that stance throughout the form without deviation. Secondly you could consider joining up with the Benefits & Jobs website (*costs £20 per annum) as they can be very helpful and advise you (via their members forum and submitted relevant forms and paperwork) on a number of issues pertinent to your question (s). I hope this helps. Furthermore l hope that l have not overstepped my bounds or any boundaries of this website and forum.
Evening Herod, I was going to post my findings tomorrow but now that you have sent me this message, I will just update my case so far. At first, let me just thank you for your concern....I appreciate it. Well, I went to CAB for help to fill in my application but nobody was available at the time and my form had to be in by 21/01/17. At the end, I called DWP and they filled it in over the phone for me. Today, I received a letter from them to inform me they cannot pay me ESA but might get my NI contributions paid whilst unemployed. I have sent them a sicknote that I am booked off until 21 March 2017. I immediately contact them to ask to look at my application again because I genuinely cannot look for work while I am having this discomfort, so now I am waiting again on their decision. These past few days I also constantly experience pain in my arms, legs and back which I don't know where it comes from. However, I am trying to get an appointment with GP to refer. This benefit system is ridiculous, I told them that if I was able to go look for work, I would rather do that then to beg for a few pence! So it's the waiting game now again but I am sure they will let me know that they cannot pay me ESA. I will keep on trying though and I will have a look at that website, thank you and God bless.
Probably too late for your form filling but with toilet troubles it is likely best to concentrate on how it affects you mentally. They will want to concentrate on how often you poo yourself etc. Not yet? you don't have a problem. However, if your tum makes you anxious/depressed and winds up your symptoms to become worse, then being sent to work and worrying about toilets etc is likely to be bad for your health and damaging. Is your problem painful? before, during, after? Is it easy to plan for? If you can't get out of your toilet, you can't leave the house and therefore any mandatory appointments can be a stress. Do you spend an hour and more stuck? Are you shaking and sweating? Do you need to calm down, shower, change your clothes, redo your makeup? can you face telling the job centre or an employer you got stuck in the lavatory again and now you are exhausted, in pain, etc? If you can only go out having starved youself the day before, then that is not really managing.
Thank you for your concern. Still do not get a penny ( they only pay NI credits ) but, I received a letter two weeks ago to inform me they cannot pay me ESA because of insufficient NI contributions. They have used tax years 2013-2014 and 2014-2015. I sent copies of P60 for both tax years, 2013/14 I have a full year with 8 weeks credits and 2014/15 also a full year contributions. I have sent it off last Friday and now am waiting on reply from DWP. I am not at the stage of filling in a health record as yet.
Thanks again for the points you made which I have noted. I do get all the symptoms already you've described, having a third gastric emptying study test again in due course. Will wait and see what happens.
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