has anyone with fibro been turned dow... - Fibromyalgia Acti...
has anyone with fibro been turned down for employment and support allowance?
Hi misstitch, i went to tribunal after being taken off incapacity last september. Failed tribunal, was then left without any income for four and a half weeks (had it not been for my son's student bursary and food and support from family, don't know where I'd be). They gave me esa last week and backdated it from March. It's £70 per week, but along with payment, they sent out another medical form to be filled in and returned before 25th May! So back on the treadmill all over again., when I, like so many others with chronic conditions will be heaped on to the ever increasing mountain of jobseekers even though it' s obvious to those involved in decision making that so many of us just aren't fit for work. I wish you all the very best if you're going through any of this. xx
Thank you so much for experience. i got the letter through the post yesterday telling me im not entitled to esa as i have no points. This really hacked me off as i know i met the criteria 4 years ago and im much worse now. I now have to appeal and send them a medical certificate from the 16th of may. This has really stressed me out as they have not taken into consideration my other chronic illnesses and have basically lied about what i have said.
Thank you for your encouragement. I hope you get a quicker and better response this time round. xx
yes 2 yrs ago , was declared fit for work,so left with no benefits at all
omg im sorry to hear that. did you appeal?
yes i was also taken off esa my gp wrote me off sick and esa said i was fit for work im waiting for an appeal date and ive been waiting for over 12 months ive applied for dla and both have wrote to me and said im fit for work but im waiting for a tribunal date with dla hopefully i may get somewhere with them but all i can advise you is to keep going keep appealing and you will win it takes a lot of time but you will get there h
thank you. i had to go to the tribunal for dla last year but was unsuccessful. Hope you have better luck. Thanks for the advise. x
at the tribunal for dla ask for there doc to come see u at home.. it worked for me cause he could see how i live x
forgot to say I scored 6 points for being unable to walk
and you probably should of had alot more than that
i was on ESA then had aletter to say it was stopping as of the end of April as I had had it for 365 days and that was the law..... and that was that, so now I am totally at a loss as to what I can or cannot do.
xxxxx
Hi the first thing to do is get an DLA form take it along to CIB as hey know just how to fill these forms in also its not your illness its what your illness affects you every day i got knock back the first time as the doctor the dla sent made me out to be a lyerand was realy rude to me i got in touch with my MP and complained how i had been treated anyway it work they reverse there disition and i got it for a year then the dreaded brown envelope came tthrough my door and i had to go all over it again even though my doctor was on my side it still was not good enough for them so they sent there own doctor i dreaded him commingthe lady from theCIBwas going to be there on my behalf but he just turned up one saturday i live in shetland so i saw him because i had nothing to hide also i was haveing a bad flare up at the time with all the stress i was in bed when he came i couldnt beleive it he was so nice and understanding and he knew all about fibro i was lucky as some doctors dont he ws so different than the doctor i first saw anyway he gave me a good report and i got the top mobility and middle care for three years it was such a releaf so please dont gave up just applye for it again lots of love carol i will be thinking of youx
Hi soulsusie My hubby has been on it for 3 yrs and has had to fight by appeal each time and won. but if you havnt paid enough tax or you have anyone living with you earning then you would not be entitled to it. my advice would be to contact the CAB and also appeal their descition,
Hugs poppy xx
I've been taken off ESA and have reqested they look at the decision again. I was awarded 18 points but need 19 apparently in order to stay in the support group and hence be awarded the benefit. If I don't get anywhere with asking them to reconsider I will then take them to appeal.
I now can not manage financially. I'm a single parent of two sons and relied on this benefit to buy food, clothes and petrol.
What really bugs me is that the original injury that supposedly started all my hassles off was as a police officer on duty attending a burglar alarm. The Force have not stood by me at all. I feel terribly let down by them and the DWP and I know I am not alone. It certainly doesnt entice people to join the police force when they know they won't get any support if they get injured whilst carrying out their dutes.
Wishing everyone who is appealing against decisions of DWP the best of luck.
xx
If you was injured while on duty can't you claim compensation from the police force?
Irene x
Hi. I was declared unfit for work in 2006, by the old system,but had to have an ATOS medical last Oct for the changeover and only got 6 points. But Im worse now than in 2006 as I now have got arthritis and high blood pressure, to add to Fibro,depression and asthma I already had.Ive had Fibro for about 25-30 yrs.I am getting ESA till the outcome of my appeal tribunal(no date yet). I dont have a clue what to do if Im not successful.I work 5hrs a wk now as a lollipop lady as "therepy" for my depression, but I know I couldnt manage to work any more, certainly not enough to live on. This system is a joke.We all know it,so why is the government punishing us for being ill?
Hi bumblebee57. i would also like to know why we are being punished for being ill. I also like yourself was declared unfit to work by the old system some years ago. And again like yourself i have asthma and high blood pressure. In addition i also have spondylothesis and have had since i was 15, ehlers danlos syndrone and ibs and for some reason 2 of my chronic conditions were not mentioned in the decision. Also half of what was in the report was a lie. I was reviewed a couple weeks ago which was so exhausting and then had a letter saying i scored 0. I'm going to ask them to look at the decision again and make sure they have facts. If no luck there i will appeal. I know i cant work as i find it really hard to do even just day to day activities like shopping, housework, looking after my child etc and have to get help.
All of this is so exhausting and really stressful. Good luck with your case x
The Atos medical professional lied about me on my second medical and placed me in the work related activity group even though I'm bed bound for weeks at a time and housebound the rest of the time.
He asked me if I suffered with panicked attacks, I replied yes I do, he asked me if I suffered incontinence, I replied yes I do, yet when I received the report some weeks later it said I didn't suffer with either and I was fit for work.
I wrote to them telling them about the lies but was just ignored, I had no idea what to do next, since then I've read up as much information and gotten advice off of this forum and now know my rights, next time I'm armed and ready with my voice recorder for proof, if they lie next time I'm going to seek legal advice with my evidence.
My first Atos medical was a joke they didn't even send me a report of the medical and I didn't understand it all as well back then so didn't do anything about it, it's wrong to treat people this way, if I was lying to them they'd have me in court on fraud charges but its OK for them to defraud us? The same people who have paid into the tax and national insurance pot for years.
I say we all should record our medicals and our appeals, gather plenty of evidence of the lies and deception and take it to the national press and show this county what our government really are, to pick on the most vulnerable people disgusts me and its about time all this deception was made public.
Irene x
Thank you misstich and good luck with yours.The more I read and hear about people being turned down for benefits they should be getting, and HAVE been getting, the more angry I get.Its like when Mars bars "shrunk" tho the price went up,they thought (or hoped) no one would notice. I cannot believe the powers that be are stupid enough to not see whats going on, or is it "Mars bar syndrome"? So many people have said that the assessors have lied or omitted info (conveniently).I, for one am SICK OF IT HAPPENING. Surely we can do SOMETHING about it?? Sue them for misrepresentation or some other legal term for RIPPING US OFF.I said in a previous comment to something, that Id been looking up the definitions of "assault" and "abuse", which to me, is what this amounts to. Good luck, and Power To The Sick & Disabled !!
u so sound like meeeeeeee.. we have to do something.... its not right xx
Back again. Id also like to know why people (idiots) can get NHS treatment after theyve been out on a weekend, drunk far too much,ended up in a fight or have collapsed somewhere, been taken to hospital by ambulance, abused the staff, involved the police, and NOT get charged (money). they are costing the NHS millions. Cut back on that sort of thing instead.I know its a different department, but that sort of thing is SELF INFLICTED. We didnt ask to be ill or disabled.OMG, Im getting SO angry...............................
Same for drug and alcohol addicts, they put that crap into they're bodies yet they don't have to fight for DLA or ESA because apparently it's an illness?.. they just apply and get it, its just madness, yet people with real genuine disabilities struggle to get what's they're entitled to.
Where I live, there are drug addicts, alcoholics and just down right lazy people who screw the benefit system for everything,
They live better than I did when I earned a full time wage, its disgusting!! these are the people who the government should be looking at to save they're 20% in benefits, these people should be getting the basic rate of job seekers £64.50 per week, not top ups of another £40 and some even get £70 extra a week to feed they're addictions, what is this government playing at? Plus a lot of them are claiming DLA because of the medical problems they have caused to them selves.
I live right near a pub and every summer they place tables and chairs outside the pub like a lot of pubs do, all the smack heads and alki's congregate outside on hot days, what are the government doing about that? It really does upset me to see them bums sat on they're arse's spending the money us taxpayers payed in for all them years to keep these parasites in drink and drugs and we get ZILCH!! For our hard work.
Why would they want to get a job or come off drugs or alcohol when they get it all paid for from us?
Irene x
Well said Irene.Im with you all the way. I know there are people who become addicted to Prescription drugs and maybe they could be helped as long as they keep to the bargain of getting/staying clean. But cocaine, heroine and all that crap is self inflicted.Illness...my arse. I think it could be petition time.Anyone know how?? I think there more than enough of us "victims" of this farce/coverup now x
no 10 has a mail address will have to get it.... x
hi i totaaly agree o watched a programme last week called the estatre in it a man on there had his own flat /dog/ and guess what the best bit is he gets £200 a week as he is an alcohpolic !!! yes thats right he is ill so they give him all that as he needs it mmmm i think i will tell my gp i am now drinking a 2 litre bottle of vodka a day and 8 cans of cider and then all be ok i can get the lot so why dont we all do that we are all so depressed with fibro that the meds dont hit the spot so we are all now turning to alcohol to numb the pain we will be showered with all the help we need then
yet i know a person who 6 year old has lost the sight in one eye is abpout to lose the sight in her other eye so will be blind and she has 2 or 3 other syndromes whilst in great ormand street last week having all tests etc a letter dropped on the mat at her home her sister opened it and guess what they are stopping her disabillity money !!!!! arghhhh how is that right the dear litttle girl is going to be blind and need care and medication for the rest of her life as she has baffled doctors as ashe has so many little things wrong with her her heart has a defect too what more can that mother cope with bless her she has all that going now she has to appeal for her daugjhter to give her the best life possible
so all what everyone is saying does not surprise me if a 6 year old going blind with a heart defect and 2/4 other syndromes does not qualify for any benefits what chaance do we have ?????
love diddle x
Hi its me again i forgot to tell you with my doctors help they have put me a wet room in as i cant sit in the bath also OP have put me an a electric chair as i cant get down the stairs also an electric recliner chair in the front room its been a god send so there is help if you know how to aske for it if you need any help at all i will help you all i can love carolx
I went to an Atos medical and was deemed fit for work. I am now on job seekers allowance and 'half heartedly' looking for work. Just keeping up with signing on and all the other appts they give you like cv writing and 'job skills' is leaving me exhausted.
Right now i cant manage to keep my family and house going. What right do they have to call me a fraud.
Hi Tiddlyf,
you should of appealed straight away, If you'd gone to your doctors and got a sick note they would of had to put you back on ESA but you would of only got the basic rate which is exactly the same as job seekers, until your appeal comes through which can take months they have to give you the basic rate, this is the problem none of us are told any of this, we have to find out ourselves, go and see your doctor and get a sick note, I'm housebound and spend many weeks in bed at a time but im supposedly fit for work too lol its a joke!
Irene x
Oh and never trust an Atos medical professional THEY LIE and have lied about many people (including me), a lot of people believe they receive a bonus for every person thats deemed fit for work or put into the work related activity group, I believe this is true too, theres a benefits page on fibroaction and it explains that when you go for an Atos medical your within your rights to have a medical professional thats knowledgable about fibromyalgia and if its not a fibro doc/medical prof you can cancel the medical till a later date, also take a voice recorder with you and then if they do lie you have the proof on your voice recorder.
hope this helps
Irene x
Hi Irene
I do believe what you are saying is true. unfortunately i didnt read the page on fibro action until after my assessment : ( however i am appealing on those grounds. Also bringing a recorder and recording without their knowledge is meant to be illegal. However if you do let them know they will refuse to do the assessment. So if you do record its at your own risk and you need to make sure they dont find it. I made the mistake of doing that because of my memory being so bad and for some reason it started crackling so i had to hurry and turn it of. think it started over heating because i was in the waiting room for almost 2 hrs and it was on from then. next time im just going to bring someone with me. xxx
Yes I've got my tribunal on Monday after waiting over 12 months for a date , im so scared as I really don't know what to do if they say I'm fit for work, I do receive low rate mobility and care DLA so they are aware of the restrictions I have
i got refused esa and in october last yr had my dla stopped with no explanation i went to a appeal on 27/04/12 and i lost considering i have chronic fibromyalgia, had a stroke,raynauds disease,diverticular disease(severe) and asthma plus i wear surgical stockings and have many aids and adaptions in my home. I have come to conclusion its either if your face fit u get it or if your virtually on deaths door.
I have requested my paperwork on the decision they made and have told i gotta wait up to 8wks for it considering i only have 12wks to go to upper tribunal what a joke i think?
Hi, I have worked all my life and was diagnosed eventually two years ago, iv tried claiming everything possible but was told in a rounabout way, if I can see, i can work, if I can walk, even a little, I can work, If I can do buttons up, I can work, if I can make it to the toilet without having an accident, I can work. If I can talk and write, I can work. BUT try and get someone to give you a job when you have this delibitating illness, is more or less impossible!! I wish you all the luck in the world.
I applied to be a foster parent as I live alone and thought it would be something that both parties would benefit by, but after the interview I received a letter to say that because of my condition; Fibromyalgia they could not consider me.
I feel outcast.
I lost my claim for DLA again this year, not one point, and I had to have a medical with ATOS. I also have been diagnosed with Sjorgen's Syndrome.
I haven't appealed as last years tribunal nearly killed me. I was so ill and also had my cat diagnosed with kidney trouble.
A year on and nothing has changed apart from my darling 16 yr old cat being put down in November.
I now have a foster cat of 14, as I could not afford to keep a cat now my IB is all I have to live on.
Best wishes from Plumcake and Tibby xx
awwwww : ( sorry to hear that.
thank you! and i hope you do apply or appeal again as you deserve to have your benefits.
xxx
Thank you misstich, I will consider what to do.
I have got in touch with a local 50+ project, but was unable to speak to anyone, but Ieft a message with my number.
Will try the other disability information service who has helped in the past.
Citizens Advice are impossible to get hold of here.
xxx
Plumcake If you really want to be a foster carer dont let one knock back stop you, there are lots of local authorities and private agencies out there so try some more they wont all turn you away. A lot will depend on how your Fybro effects you on a daily basis, I am a foster carer and have Fybro I have said I will take children 5yrs to 18yrs because I cant lift, dress and bath little ones etc. Good luck xx
Hi Kasha
Thank you for your message, but somehow I think that I would be less likely to be accepted now than then as my condition has worsened and also have Sjogren's syndrome now diagnosed.l am also suffering from anxiety and depression now.
But you maybe right It's worth trying again elsewhere.
That was a private agency that I was interviewed for the fostering.
i have been a foster carer before many moons ago when i was with my husband, and it wasn't at all easy.
It was complete mess up on the social workers part.
It began to drive a wedge between myself and my husband,but they were a particularly difficult pair of children we took on..
Are you doing long term or short term fostering?
Cheers from Plumcake x
I had to grace the presence of Atos back in October. I got no points. I appealed, still nothing. It has not been forwarded onto the tribunal. This could prove interesting.
I had the medical report sent to me AFTER the first appeal. I have been through it with a fine tooth comb (known as my brother) and that report has more holes in it than swiss cheese. One of the best ones was: 'Appeared to have no difficulty opening the door with right hand and pushing the pushchair'
Now, I am a single mum and I am more or less on my own (no family or friends near by) and I know my memory is not that great at the best of times. But, I know for a fact most the doors were opened for me, and if I was to open a door, I would be using my left hand. The 'Nurse' who assessed me opened the door's for me going out and the sercurity guard opened them when I came in and when I went out the main door.
I handled my daughters dummy without any problems ... Yes I had to do that because she would have been screaming the place down due to her being tired. It was like they were picking to fill in the blanks. It is what I have to do, it is called looking after my daughter.
My first medical since I was diagnosed (in 2007) was alot different. The doctor that saw me could see he was putting me through agony and stopped. He was teh one to sign me off in the begining. There was no way I could manage in a workplace. He understood that my fatigue was bad as well. You can sure tell things have now changed.
I was severely tired and in pain at the end of this last medical. They pointed out that I walked to get the tram and then walked 15/20 mins (including stopping) to the address. They missed out the stopping part on the medical form. I can't afford a taxi, and somedays I have to get to places etc. I am lucky if I can get my 2 yr old to nursery most days. I also told them this. Nah, it was not mentioned.
I am having to send in monthly sick notes to these jokers where the doctor is stating that I am not fit for work. So, does this mean the doctors are lying as well? It is one big farce.
Hi Kaige.
I hear you on everything you've said. They also used the fact that i walk my son to school against me. When i told them that most times i have to take the bus 1 stop when im in alot of pain to get my so to school they decided to say im fine on public transport (bulcrap). Its not that im fine, it can be just as painful on public transport as it is walking but you do what you need to do when it comes to your children. And i've already been in trouble with my sons school because he has been late so many times due to the pain i have and the cognitive dysfunction i suffer with on a daily basis.
I too don't have that many people to help me out and the ones that are around me are not always available. But i feel like however we explain it to atos they will take it, switch around what you have said and use it against you. And these people are seriously like robots, no feeling, no compassion and no heart.
This morning i went to the advise centre and the person that has written up my appeal decided to use what Chris Grayling said regarding fibromyalgia, atos and the DWP against them. She put something like "we are appealing as both atos and the decision maker have failed to operate within the dwp guidance."
Basically where a diagnosis has been made both of them are meant to take into account the disabling affects of fibro as it is a very real and can be disabling condition.
Hopefully they will take my other conditions and fibro into cosideration after the statement my Representative has made and also take the EVIDENCE into consideration too. But i wont hold my breath!
I swear atos get me so mad. The don't look at medical evidence you provide them with, they dont talk to your GPs or consultants as for what we say it doesnt matter because they will make it up as they go along and put what they want.
Your right it is just one big farse. x
Hi Kaige
They lied at my tribunal too. They ask questions and then put words into your mouth.
First they stated that this tribunal was only to discuss how my health was at the time the GP wrote on the review. I took my diaries with me and read out, "Ill in bed, too weak and in pain."
Then they started asking questions about how I was since then and at the time of the tribunal.
If I had someone with me they may have been able to pick up on that, and if I hadn't been so stressed I would have brought it up.
It was a nightmare.
The letter I received after they made their decision was all lies.
I never want to put myself through that again. It was a foregone conclusion.
I was alone at the tribunal as I have no one to go with me.
misstitch: Another thing they put down in my report was the fact that 1. I sat on the chair for 24 mins and 2. Got up unaided twice. They really have NO clue as to how stupid they look and sound.
I couldn't get up as I had walked from the tram to the building and was in pain and shattered beyond all recognition, but I was stretching my legs under the desk (which she could not see) and as for getting up unaided twice - Funny that, I used the table in front of me to get up, like I always do.
I remember going to see my doctor and she said that she sympathized with me because they had pulled me around so much I was hurting to hell and back. Also, when I had to go in to see the senior nurse at the practice, she is disgusted by the wat Atos and the DWP are treating sick people.
If the Government want to save money, and if the Atos workers are getting 'bonuses' for every 'fit for work' person, then why are they paying these bonuses in the first place? Saving money my backside. This is a witch hunt. They are all not all savvy .
It doesnt surprise me that they put you got up unaided as they done that to me to but i used the arms of the chair. When i went to the doctors a couple weeks ago she was saying she is not amused by the way the assessments ago. She feels alot of people are suffering due to the incompetence of atos and the DWP.
All this is not surprising though as my adviser yesterday said the nurses at atos see 8 people a day and there aim is to fail as many of those people as possible which is why they a picking at certain statement we make or movements we make during the WCA. But then this is what happens when you decide to pick money over doing your properly and honestly. They will do whatever is necessary to get that money which is telling lies about clients so they can fail them.
Its so messed up!
I found a blog published by the ATOS Outsourcing staff union. And in part of the blog they say this: ?'Qualification or competence of examiners is questioned: 17 hours of training for nurses, a few days for doctors, and attractive salaries: £ 32,000 for nurses for a job from September to May hours without penalty, no work on weekends, etc.. ' - Says it all then doesn't it!
It went on to say about the whole system they use:
'A particular question is: do you watch "Eastenders" and "Coronation Street"? (two very popular television series in Britain). If the answer is yes, that means for the software that the person is able to remain seated 30 minutes, even though it noted that it looks at these programs lie.
Multiple errors in the records, some very coarse, were found.
There is also a refusal to accept other medical documents, including specialists. A score of 55 examination centers Atos have no disabled access, and some are over 5 minutes to 15 minutes from the nearest station.
It is truly disgusting. Really is. And I am going to play hell with these if they mess me about with the tribunal.
its disturbing that we cant trust our own government and cant trust the health professionals either.
we need to make sure we are armed with the correct information and play them at their own game.
I intend using what info I have from that blog against them. Of course what 'errors' they have made in my medical report also.
I am going in alone on this one as the CAB etc around here are more than useless.
Plus, what medical training do the 'decision makers' at the DWP have? Made me laugh that in my report the 'DM' put that she agree's with the nurses findings. Yes, how exactly can she agree when she was not there and has never met me before? Gave me a giggle at least.
hi all , my 1st effort ,although i've had fybro for 8 years,...i put in a new claim for esa on the 3rd april and have been getting £71 per week until my claim is assessed, this is my 1st benefit since 15th aug last year, when the powers that be decided i was fit to sign on to work, i was turned down last year with 0 points awarded after my atos "day out"..strangely enough with the same "doctor" as i had seen the year before when they reassessed my income support awards at which time i managed to score 14 points,of course the second time i did have the cheek to say he had misrepresented almost everything i had said the year before , he asked if i would prefer someone else, i asked would it make any difference, he said no, so not wanting to go through the days of stressing out again , i went ahead, big mistake , he sat with the same false smile on and asked the exact same questions word for word , wasn't interested in a word i had to say , which made me so angry i asked him if he was an actual doctor , to which he replied "i used to be"....???? hence nil points ...i should have fought it but had no fight left in me .....as i went to tribunal the year before with my cab support worker and 14 points , was told to stop interrupting ( not easy when they are taking utter tripe about my illness) my supporter tried to get a word in and he was met with " do the 2 of you not understand what do not interrupt means" which he never recovered from and didn't offer another word up in my defence ( great support thanks) and they continued to bully me all the way through..i sat and sobbed thru' the whole thing.....but couldn't fight their decision (failed btw oops) as they had not made any legal mistakes ,i don't ever want to feel again the way i felt that day , i'm 56 years old ,and i felt like a scolded child,idiot, sponger and a criminal rolled into one,my doctor then advised me to apply for dla,but they turned me down flat for that without contacting anyone , based on my form and my previous medical, you just can't win , i have since then aug 2011 been living on £40 a week donated by my ex hubby ,( we've been separated for almost 5years after 27years together , mainly because of my fibro,) so to cut a long story short haha!!!!..my doctor has now diagnosed me with depression , i'm seeing a mental health doctor next week, hence the new claim for esa...and i'm terrified to go through it all again, i've lived my life being nice to everyone i meet , i've always believed if you tell the truth you can't go far wrong ....thats why i won't sign on as fit to work coz it's just not true, i just want to be fit to live ...xx
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