Hello, so I have done my ESA health assessment on Monday the 4th of June. I know already that I am definitely going to court as will not be awarded anything. I thought I would give advice though for others. First of all, they lie about you being allowed to record the interview with your own material, it has to be theirs but of course, it's never available. Second of all, when you fill up your questionnaire, they ask who they should contact, specialist, consultant... they won't; they only contact the GP who is obviously clueless. I asked why haven't they contacted the person who is most qualified, they said that the GP receives all info and is doing the follow up:FALSE!!! but you all know this by now. Basically they review your questionnaire, ask you the same questions, ask what meds you're on and to see them; so much for having the medical file from the GP right. To summarise , it's all a "scam" and we need to play the system like the system is playing us. Try to delay the assessment as much as possible, that way you get benefits for another few weeks at least. As for the physical assessment, pfffff rubbish.
Good luck to all
16 Replies
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Thank you for the advice. I’m dreading it. I am only a couple of weeks into claiming and think you get the assessment at 3 months. (Might be wrong though). I have been called for a job centre interview next week. Xxxx
I found my esa claim ok .the lady was nice didnt even ask to c my meds .she could see how i was strugglin with everything .im now on support group with disabilitys added on .sorry yours didnt go well good luck
I am quoting the leaflet there:" your own audio recording equipment, if you are providing this yourself in accordance with the guidance on gov.uk"
And so I called many times about this but on the day, it was not possible. To be honest if they say I'm fit to work when I cannot raise both legs... well what can I say?
Thank for info I was given to understand thay had to provide equipment for ESA but for PIP it was the claimant who had to provide it .So interesting to find out this is not so
Hi, I was absolutely dreading my assessment for weeks and after reading all the comments on here and other forums, I thought the worse. However I must have got a rare sympathetic assessor because he appeared to be genuinely sorry for me. He did not do a physical , and just asked about my fibromyalgia and how it effects me. He said we’re not even going to touch on how this condition must be effecting your mental health and wrapped it up, saying he hoped I find a way to improve my health and wished me the best. I was put in the support group. I know this was probably a rare experience from what other have been through with appeals etc, but just wanted to share my own personal experience. Good luck to anyone who’s going through this system. Xx
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Oh they are always nice given how many people end up leaving in tears or are simply exhausted as to the way they are treated and lash out. But did you get your ESA or not? Because yes they are nice but usually when you request the report back, the things they actually wrote are far from the truth and how can you challenge them without a recording?
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Hi Choupinette, I do know exactly what you mean, as my PIP assessment was a shambles, and the report was full of stuff that I hadn’t said. but my ESA was a much better, experience.I asked for a copy of the esa assessment and covered everything that was was discussed. Yes. I was put in Support group. I guess, I was just one of the rare lucky ones who got a decent assessor!
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I remember asking if I could record, but they told me I hadn’t been given them enough notice. Yes it’s very unfair! Hope you don’t have to go to appeal. Best of luck with it. X
Like you fibroclaire, I got a nice assessor when I had my work capability assessment. The interview took about 10 minutes and no physical. She told me she was going to write a good report and she did. I got the support group as well. She even advised me to apply for Pip which would make it easier for me to apply for a blue badge. I guess it's luck of the draw for who you get on the day. I was dreading it too from reading about other people's experiences but the whole thing went smoothly. As someone mentioned, they provide recording if you ask well in advance of the assessment date but you have to provide your recording equipment for pip assessment.
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Apparently, there is no English Law that prohibits you, as a private individual, recording a conversation.
I'd say, if the Work Capability Assessment company is playing dirty, what's good for the goose is good for the gander.
Probably not advisable to play your recording to a Tribunal Judge, but use it as an aid memoir and jot down a few examples of precisely what was said. Nothing scares the bad guys more than hearing their own precise words quoted back at them.
My job entails remembering precisely what people say. It's like I have a tape recorder in my head. Very useful when you want to discredit a deceitful statement, such as a Work Capability Assessment.
In my case I don't need a tape recorder. But, I'd suggest that you're within your rights as a "reasonable adjustment" for coping with disabilities that prevent you taking notes, if you record the WCA meeting as your way of taking notes.
What are they going to do; sue us? People on benefits are so poor there's nothing left for them to take from us.
Also, if what you record proves that the WCA Report is anything other than an honest and truthful presentation of the meeting, there's something called "in the public interest", which is what journalists use. Tell the assessor you'll send a copy of the recording and their report to a national newspaper. I'll bet they soon back off. Their employers won't protect them. They'll want to disown the employee. Then it's the assessor's word against your recording.
In any case, if we ALL switch our mobiles to record, mass disobedience, what are they going to do. Strip search us before the assessment? I don't think so.
John
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actually what’s the support group all about? What I expect from the assessment is that they agree with my physio so that I can still get my benefits and permitted work but not going back full time and risk a few more slipped discs.
Hi. If you're placed in the support group, it means that you're not expected to look for work or take part in any work related activities. I hope all goes well for you.
So everyone, after scoring a whopping ZERO points, requested the report, full of lies as expected; big ones though, I didn't expect her to say there was nothing wrong with my legs given that I can't lift any of them either seated or laying down, AH! Also, apparently I'm prescribed gabapentin, I am not and don't even know what it is. Again, I am not surprised, as a French citizen living and working in this country for 16 years, most doctors,physios, consultants have all told me to go back to the best medical system in the world and they're right, especially with Brexit coming. What they fail to say is that up until recently British citizens too were entitled to the French NHS but obviously it was never really advertised as well no one wants to pay, such a shame when you get an MRI within 2 weeks and a physio within 6 hours. Anyway, after all those issues with PIP and ESA, I applied for Universal Credit and I advise you all to do the same, it's night and day compare to the DWP, you physically talk to someone, you always interact with the same group of people who ARE ON YOUR SIDE, one thing my coach said was:"don't do too much, we want you to get better" . On my first interview, they said the DWP systems were dysfunctional and absolutely not helping people, the aim of the Universal Credit is to get rid of them altogether as they really do not understand when you over work 2 hours a week and the following maybe 4 less, you lose your benefit. What kind of treatment is this?
So I started in August, no more going to the council to give my payslips, tirelessly explaining why they're not originals... all is taken care of by the Universal Credit.
THANK YOU UNIVERSAL CREDIT BIG TIME.
I'm definitely agreeing with John the Guy in terms of recording, what could they do?
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