Hi, I have just recieved a letter this morning from ESA (I'm in the WRAG group) saying I have to go in for an interview for support to help me find work and stay in work, my doctor has previously sent them a letter saying under no circumstances am I able to work.
At the moment I'm quite ill and pretty much bed bound, I havent been outside for over 2 months and in bed for 3 weeks, my question is... does anyone have any advice for me and what do I do next if I can't go because I'm still stuck in bed? I'm worried they will stop my money.
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nuttytartuk2003
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Hi, tell them exactly what you have said on here, they should be able to send someone out to you, telephone them and tell them there is no way you are able to work!! i hope they sort it out for you x
What is WRAG Group ? sorry im no good at abbreviations lol
I am so sorry to hear that you are going through this. It would be worth phoning ESA and explain your situation and about the letter and ask what you need to do to get them to realize that you are too ill at this time to work. Tell them that your dr has sent them a letter already and ask what the chances are of your money being stopped. Its best to contact them instead of worrying so much as that stress will make you more ill. I find that the unknown is the most stressful thing for us. I did not work for a few years at the start but I manage to now half a week. It will get better for you! But you need the support of your dr and the ESA people. Try to take control of the situation and if you call and speak to someone who is not helpful ask to talk to someone else until you get someone who can help you. Also it might be helpful to contact Social Work in your area for some extra clout. They will be able to give you advice on how to protect your income. Hope this helps, hang in there xxx Ann-Marie
WRAG means i'm in the work related activity group on ESA which basically means I'm able to work, the Atos medical I had put me in this group, when I recieved the report from Atos is was a pack of lies, questions he'd asked me had totally different answers than I'd given
Thanks for your answers, i'll certainly look into your suggestions, I cant afford to lose that money and hopefully i'll be able to find someone to back me up, thanks again
Hello you nutty tart! I think you should call them and thank them for their nice letter, telling them how much you wish you could attend, but you are unable to get there as you are currently bed-bound. Offer them your GP's contact details, so that if they need any more information than was contained in the letter he/she sent them on ............, they can contact him/her directly to confirm what you are saying. Then ask them whether your inability to attend through ill health will affect your benefits. That way you are showing willing, playing their game nicely and with a bit of luck, if you have fibro friendly GP, he/she will give them both barrels, not you. Don't forget to note the name of the person you speak to, the time, the date and what is said. Good luck!
unfortunately my GP hasn't got a clue about fibro, the letter I refered to in my question was a very short letter that just stated that I can't work, it didn't say why or anything about my illness, my doctor is a firm believer that alot of fibromyalgia is in the mind :/ so to be honest I dont get much help from him or the rhumy I saw in 2010 that dx fibro and m.e but as i've been reading more blogs and questions, I think i'll look into the advice of getting an occupational therapist and get social services involved, i'm the type of person that doesn't like to make a fuss but i'm fed up of being fobbed off and told fibro is all in my head! I feel like i've just been left to rot! my condition has deteriorated in the last 12 months although I've had this illness for a good 20 years, I will take all of your advice on board.
Thanks for the link and yes its unfair, the health care professional at Atos only examined me for 2 minutes and decided I could work, I couldn't even stand up without losing my balance and was in terrible pain, everytime I tried to speak about my illness he spoke right over me, my mother tried to tell him what It was like for me on a daily basis but he asked her to be quiet!! in all I was in that room for about 15 minutes, how they can tell if your capable of work from a few questions and a 2 minute examination is beyond me, they kept me waiting for over an hour in chairs that were hard and so uncomfortable I was almost crying because of the pain, the heat in the waiting room was horrific and the receptionist was rude when I asked how much longer I'd have to wait she tutted, rolled her eyes and said as long as it takes! like I was a piece of s**t on her shoe!! they all made me feel like a lying scrounger! It wasn't a pleasant experience from the second I walked into the building, the health care professional that I saw filled his own answers in on the computer, when I got the report back there were very different answers than I'd given, for example... he asked if I suffered with panick attacks and I replied yes, he asked for how long and I replied 10 years+ but on the report it said I'd never suffered with panick attacks, they just put in the answers they choose, the Atos medical examination in my view should always be recorded because these so called Trained professionals lie!!!
I suffered quite badly to get to that ESA medical and it was obvious to a blind person that I'm unable to work and in very severe pain, that man who examined me in my opinion had already decided to put me in the WRA group before he even examined me and I believe they have been told to do this or they receive a bonus for every patient they put into the WRA group, I won't put myself through that experience again without recording it as last time I had no proof that he lied. as for the back to work interview, I'll record that too because I dont trust any of them, it seems this government only care about saving money and have no compassion or thought to what disabled people go through day in day out and the only people thats going to fight for our rights is ourselves.
I had my interview at the job centre they seem to think there's going to be a cured, I have also been put into the WRAG without having a medical. Disabled people like us need help and support as fibro is a long term disability and there is NO cure.
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