Hi, anyone been put in the work related group for ESA? What happens at the interviews of this group?

[Fibromum]

[bobbin]

I was in the work related group, your advisor will look at what work if any you are capable of doing, they may also offer options to do training for different things. You can only claim this for 365 days then you get nothing, so if you have fibro and its is bad appeal to be put in the support group of esa now..This is where i went wrong and i am appealing it now, you will be asked to attend their medicals which are intended to make you fail(my belief)You just have to make sure you go in as if it is your worst day, because they ask the most stupid of questions. I only ever attended one of my meetings as i was to unwell to attend the others. They do telephone meetings/interviews which i also had as i was to unwell to attend, but they dont broadcast this option. Hope this little bit of advise helps, and stops your worry.Good luck

Carrie x

[Fibromum]

Hi, thanks for replying, so do you think I should appeal now? I'm really worried about going to interviews as I might not be well enough on the day, my husband cares for me but until I'm awarded DLA he can't get carers allowance, it's such a long winded process x

[Dexter2009]

Hi, I agree with bobbin. I was put in the work related group and asked them to revise decision because as stated you only get any money for 1st 12 months then it becomes means tested. There are 16 support group descriptors and if your condition means that you satisfy the criteria for any of these 16 you are put in the support group. You can ask the job centre plus for a copy of your medical report form and also a statement of reasons why placed in the work related activity group. The reasons why placed in work related activity group has a list of the 16 support group descriptors on and tells you what the medical decided for each.If you think their decision is wrong I suggest you write asking them to reconsider their decision and put you in the support group as you do not agree with their decision. Let them know which(can be more than one) of the support Group criteria you meet and give reasons why you do meet the criteria.

I did this and the decision was revised within a week and I am now in support group. Good luck xxx

[Dexter2009]

Also I had really good advice from goodadvicematters.co.uk when I emailed them which really helped me.

xxx

[Fibromum in reply to Dexter2009]

Do you know if you still get paid while having a reconsideration? X

[Fibromum]

Thank you guys I will talk to my husband and get onto the bandwagon, do you know if you get paid while waiting for a reconsideration?x

[Dexter2009]

Have you already been assessed, if so were you awarded ESA and put into work group or were you not awarded ESA at all? Also how long ago was the decision letter sent to you?

[Fibromum]

Hi I received my letter this week just gone, I was I was awarded the ESA and put into the work related group!! X

[Fibromum]

I had a medical with atos x

[April414 in reply to Fibromum]

Hi Fibromum, How was the medical with Atos conducted? I have an appointment with them at the end of this month. I've read some scathing reports about them, and it's said they get a bonus for every fail they get!

I rang them and requested that my interview be recorded, ( which you have the right to request but they don't tell you!) My concern is that Fibro fog will take over and I wont answer their questions correctly!

I was signed off work buy my GP back in March after I collapsed and he said I was not fit enough to work there. My contract ends in June and so he signed me off to that date. As yet I have recieved nothing from ESA despite the fact that I do not get any SSP from work.

[Dexter2009]

Hi, that was same as me, you will continue getting the money whilst you ask them to reconsider. The easiest way is to complete the appeal form GL24 and send them a letter asking them to reconsider their decision and put you into the support group rather than the limited work group but state that if after consideration they do not put you into support group then you wish the matter to proceed to appeal.When you phone them up to ask for appeal form ask them for a copy of your medical report form and also reasons why you were put in the work related activity group instead of the support group.

I think the main thing I learnt from doing loads of research is:- decide which of the 16 support group descriptors apply to you, look at what they said about how that affected you (on statement of reasons for being put in work related group)and put down why you think assessment was wrong i,e, because it found xxxxxx whereas it should have found xxxxx , the reason why it should have found xxxxx is because of this xxxxx

For example:- The main areas where I think the assessment was wrong are:-

Assessment stated cannot mobilise more than 100 metres on level ground without stopping in order to avoid significant discomfort or exhaustion when it should have found I can't repeatedly mobilise 50 metres within a reasonable timescale because of significant discomfort or exhaustion

Reason is: - I suffer from constant chronic pain and this has resulted in me suffering from chronic fatigue. All of my energy is drained just dealing with my pain. I am totally exhausted, If I am having a good day then I may be able to move around my house for a short while but then the chronic fatigue means I have no option but to collapse in a heap exhausted and it is physically impossible for me to do anything other than sleep.

The other argument that could be used to be placed in support group is if being placed in limited work related activity would have be a substantial risk to your mental or physical health , then give reasons why.

Hope this helps

Good luck xxx

[Dexter2009]

Remember that you need to request all of this information and the appeal form now because your request for reconsideration should be sent in within month of you receiving decision letter xxx

[Fibromum]

Thank you dexter, really great full for the support. X

[Fibromum]

Hi just to let you know I rang for the gl24 form today and a copy of my medical record and the other thing. not got long cos date on letter is 4th may x

[Dexter2009]

While you are waiting start keeping a record of how it effects you, I did this and kept adding things as I thought of them because it is really hard to think of all of them in one go.Good luck xxxx

[DeeNJai]

Like many of you I am waiting for an appeal date as I was put in WRAG group of ESA. My medical form stated that all I had was BACK PAIN which I wish it was. I have the fibro confirmed in 2004 after 23 years of major problems with pain. I am only 40. I also had my first interview at JCP on 11 May about my ESA. He stated that because I was appealing that I couldnt be offered anything becuase of the appeal. Good Luck to everyone going through this too.

It also dismissed my other problems like my doubly incontinence issues it stated that it was unlikely that I would have an episode of bladder or bowel incontinence, I have at least 2 accidents a day with the bladder that is even with doing the self cathing every few hours. The bowel is less likely as I have to do a bowel washout twice a day. If I have an upset stomach then I can have many bowel accidents a day until it clears up.

I struggle to clean myself up because I cant reach a lot of places around my body. I also get very sore with weeping sores because of the pads that I have to wear to protect me from the accidents. My mobility is effected badly and cant walk more than 50m without sereve pain and I cant do more than once because of the fatigue and pain. I can walk very short distances in the house but some days I have to use my crutches to get around because my hips are so painful at times. I cant use the crutches for long because of the major problems with my hands I have problems with my wrist, thumbs and hands due to RSI I do wear splints to help with the pain.

I take loads of different medications at the moment and means I take nearly 30 pills a day without adding the other one I can take on top of the 30. I have just had to go back on to anti-depressants because of my depression getting severe again. I came off anti-depressant last July and was hoping that I would never have to go back on them but I have had too. It's still early days its only been 10 days since I started them but I have noticed that my spasms are back as Gabapentin had them undercontrol so I need to speak to my GP about this and I have a telephone consultantion today as he wanted to find out how it was going. My pain levels arent good today.

Dee

[flowerfairy]

If you need to appeal, do so as soon as possible, read everything carefully and try to get someone like a citizens advice rep to help you fill in the forms and attend any tribunal. I appealed years ago when the examiner dismissed my illness and won, now I have to fight again after being placed in the fit for work gruop. Good luck.

[sas1126]

I was put in work related group, I am 61 and spondylitis of the spine, I was collecting DLA and under the recent changes was put in the work related group, no medical... no interview. The lady at the job centre, bless her, has been more than helpful, when she rand to make an appointment for me to go in, I told her my problems, she immediately suggested I appeal against the decision and that all interviews with her would be done via phone. Not being very good at this stuff, I went to have a word with my doctor who was less helpful, she told me she was the to 'deal' with sick people and not to help with money issues. however, she had put this in writing on her surgery was so I asked for a copy to send in with my appeal, the secretary also gave me my sick reports... wonderful... there are some helpful folk. I appealed in writing sending everything I could get, don't ask your specialist as the hospital charge a stupid amount for each sheet... thankfully again the secretary there told me dates and gave me some help in how to word what I had been through.

Today, the lady from the job centre called and asked had I heard anything, I said I had appealed and had a letter telling me they would look into it and contact me ( I didn't hold my breath) I could actually hear the glee in her voice when she told me she had checked on her computer and I had been swapped over to the support group to be reviewed in 3 years. I cannot tell you the relief I feel as my husband took less hours 6 years ago to be able to help me, so money is tight. she also told me according to the letter going out to me I would get a £5.00 a week increase which would be back dated till march. so, all I can suggest is please don't give up, if you feel you are in the wrong group, collect all you can ( hope your GP is more helpful) and state clearly how you live your life day to day. Just be totally honest. Also explain you are unable to pay for hospital reports, I was told they were £35.00 to initially check your file and £18 per page to send you. I have no idea how much they get on 1 page.

Good luck to you all...