ESA WRAG

[Bribfc65]

Hi please can you give me some advice on being moved into the support group under ESA from WRAG. Ive been in WRAG for over 2 yrs now and i have other illnesses now which involves depression , which the DR said i had high to severe depression over 12 months ago. I also have been diagnosed with proctitis that causes embarasment due to having made mistakes in trying to hold myself when the urge of going to the toilet comes on. I had my 1st interview this year at the job centre with my personal adviser and im now feeling under pressure with it all. Im also awaiting to have a second hip replacement which i don't feel mentally ready for just yet, but my PA is push push for me to have it done. Please help.

[misty14]

Hi bribfc65

So sorry to read of your health problems, life must be very tough!.

I'm not sure what benefits help you want but can I just reassure you that now you've been put in the support group for ESA you won't have to have regular job centre interviews. Takes some of the stress away for you. Hope I've helped?X

[custardpot]

I am in the support group esa and I think you will find it a lot better than Wrag. After a little while I did not have to send sick notes in. You also get a little more money each week. With being put in support group if you are not already getting it put in for PIP. I had put in for Disability Living Allowance several times over the years and got rejected but after being put in support group I applied for PIP and got awarded the regular payment for both care and mobility.

[flo_IarFachYrHaf]

sorry life is so difficult at the moment. Sounds like multiple issues piling up - depression seems inevitable.

Misty14 assumes you have moved to the support group but I read it as you need help in finding out how to apply to be in support group: You could go to citizens advice ot to fightback4justice.co.uk/. When I had to last fill out ESA forms I had help from someone who works with advocacy for disabled people, it made a difference not just on a practical level but an emotional one too.

I really don't think your PA at the jobcentre should put any pressure on you about treatment - to my mind that is outside of their job. They are not a helath advisor. You sound like you need emotional as well as practical support through this - contacting citizens advice or fightback 4 justice fufill both of those things. Do you have a good relationship with your GP? I had a bit of a hard time persuading my gynaecologist that I didn't want medical intervention - removal of ovaries - because it was just one thing too much on top of other health issues, my GP was understanding, which helped a lot.

best wishes - hope you can make you way through this

[Bribfc65 in reply to flo_IarFachYrHaf]

Yeah, that's correct flofflach, i really need to be moved away from wrag, They want me to go on a course for maths and english and have made it out i want to take part in it form the letter theygave me to take home. I tried for pip and was refused around 6 months ago, but will try CAB. Thanks for the reply and i hope you get well soon.

[flo_IarFachYrHaf in reply to Bribfc65]

I suppose we have to remember that the people who work in the jobcentre have their own targets, but you do need to carefully look at words they use and check everything, which of course is not something you want to do - or are always able to - when you are unwell.

Are you actually on the Work Programme or just being seen by Job Centre PA? Is the PA designated as being for sick and disabled "clients"? And have you actually done diagnostic test for Maths & English? Sorry a barrage of questions but thought they were worth asking/considering.

I have to say I wasn't overly impressed with the ones I took on the Work Programme. I tried to be proactive and ask for specific skills that would be useful such as using different Microsoft Office programs but there was no one available to teach me.

There might be courses locally for you about managing chronic pain - and also specifically for people who can't work because of disability and illness. I found two that were useful - the job centre did have the information but I found out via GP surgery. These things can be considered part of work related activities and might actually be more useful than maths or English

best wishes

[Bribfc65 in reply to flo_IarFachYrHaf]

Thank you, flofflach, for the advice and the the link you gave me, which is very useful. On the letter i got from the JC it says at the bottom of the action plan that the PA personal circumstances state He has a health condition or disability which may affect his work.

[flo_IarFachYrHaf in reply to Bribfc65]

as you are in the WRAG group it is obvious that you have a health condition that might affect your work, wonder why they feel the need to add this. It sometimes seems a very loose term: work related activity, and open to interpretation, but you don't have to apply for jobs or do anything that makes your condition worse.

I hope that you are ok with everything that has been put into your action plan.

Hopefully if work related "action" is required you can find something that is useful to you and doesn't cause anxiety.