Hi
I after waiting 16 months since I appeled I have failed my ESA appeal and am so angry and frustrated. The work capability assessment is an absolute joke and bears no relativity to how a person with fibromyalgia can manage a full time job. In the appeal they asked me questions on how I was feeling when I had the assessment (16 months ago) I can barely remember what I did yesterday never mind then. I was told by letter simply that I failed without any explanation why or advice on what I should do next. Luckily I'm quite familiar with the benefit system and also have a friend who works for CAB so have advice to hand. Am expecting my benefits to stop this week (inc housing benefit) a few weeks before xmas and we all know how long it takes them to sort out a new claim......great.
The whole system is an absolute shambles I would love to work, I had two children at a very early age and spent my life loking after them as a single parent now they are grown up it should be my time to shine and have a life which I always thought would include a carrer unfortunately Fibromyalgia put a dampner on that to say the least. It infurites me so much to think that they actually belive I want to spend my life living on the small amount of sickness benefits they give! If I could mange a full time job I would. I want to be able to work as much as I can manage and have my wages topped up to a liveable amount which is what ESA is supposed to do...help people woth limited work capability. Just because I can pick up an empty bloody cardboard box it doesnt mean I can do a 9-5 5 day a week job when most days even getting out of the house is a struggle.
So now I have to put in a new claim for esa and start the whole process again. Funnily enough my friend with fibromyalgia who volunteers for CAB has just been approved ESA no troulble......fuuny that eh! To anyone who has an appeal pending I really would advise you really prepare as best you can as I dont think I did and had really bad fibro fog on the day which meant I didnt represent myself to the best of my ability it was hard to answer the questions and put my point accross well. Maybe I should have taken someone with me to help..who knows. Simply knowing I was teeling the truth and had nothing to hide didnt get me the result I needed. Good luck to anyone going through the same thing.