New style esa

[dottielotti]

Has anyone had the new esa work appointment if so what is it like please ? It says an hour and 20 mins 😩

[Badbessie]

Is this for the work related group Dotti? Or ESA assessment?

[Reykua]

Hmmmm. I think the 1hr and 20mins is just a way to cover themselves.

Much of the time is apparently taken up in waiting around to be seen with the actually face to face appointment itself being only about 30 minutes!

[Badbessie in reply to Reykua]

Lol....My ESA assessment was 0900. Seen 1045...Left 1150. Of my 5 chronic conditions only two was mentioned in the report. Lol...They only assessed the top half of me as the nurse felt it was too unsafe to do the bottom half. I kept asking about various things and they reply was we have the evidence for that. Or we know about that. The most maddening aspect was that I was placed into the support group mainly due to the evidence provided in the paperwork I sent not the assessment.

[Hidden in reply to Badbessie]

that is crazy-why send you for an assessment if paper based,?and to take a whole morning which must have exhausted you,

[Badbessie in reply to Hidden]

The letter of complaint was upheld.

[Reykua in reply to Badbessie]

Brilliant. Looool! Hopefully, they won't be daft enough to call you in anytime soon to examine the bottom half of your body!!!

Seriously you couldn't make it up!

Have as good a day as possible and thanks for the laughs - much needed.

[dottielotti in reply to Reykua]

Exactly right , just my luck the woman had fibromyalgia and still managed to work 🙈🙈🙈

[Reykua in reply to dottielotti]

oH Noooooooooo!!!!!!

Hard to prepare for that one. I hope she was professional and objective.

One of the Assessors at the PIP face to face interviews was clearly struggling with a mobility disability herself and walked with crutches!

[sueshepy]

Hi, I had an ESA work appointment and my husband came with me. The Examiner asked me how I got to the appointment and went through the questions I had already completed. She asked about a typical day and I described my worst day in pain and constantly tired, hypos etc and then how I manage my illnesses (I have a few) and how I do things like getting down stairs to making a cup of tea.

She did a quick examination and asked me to follow her from raising my arms to bending over in which she told me if I cant do it due to pain then dont in which I followed her advise.

The assessment may have taken about an hour but on the whole she was very nice and did not make me feel uncomfortable. A few weeks later I received a decision to say I have been put in the Support Group for 2 years.

In the Support Group you get extra benefit about £111.00 a week (depending on income and NI paid in the last two years etc) and I do not have to attend any work interview. Hope this helps,

[Hidden]

Yes I had one to try to get me out of retirement and back to work,,,they failed...my local M.P got involved after I wrote to Amber Rudd who was then health Minister,,just ensure you get your point across how your illness affects your daily life NOt just "sometimes" which will fail you straight away.. I have all my things written in a word document because i know the brain fog will prevent me from bringing to mind a good answer, they do try it on some assessors. Put across the worst case senario and leave no stone unturned like needing help to go the loo, no stairs, cannot pick up feet to step up,,inability to take onboard any new information or learnings due to brain fog or cog. impairment, getting dressed a nightmare, using public transport not possible,,, pain in various places, medication, treatments if any (like physio or hydro).. good luck.

[dottielotti in reply to Hidden]

Thank ubxx