Hi, have a tough week coming up; I applied for PIP a while ago, and got the result that I had been refused. I've finally received the transcript, and there are more mistakes in it than I can count! So I've got to appeal - the face to face assessment was the most degrading and humiliating experience, and I now have the ESA face to face assessment this Wednesday. I am so worried that it will be a similar experience. Up until last March, I was a full-time palliative care nurse, but have had to take early retirement, as my hands and wrists are so badly affected. I don't see how I can go back to nursing, even in an admin role; I can't use a computer for any length of time, or write, or use the telephone as my hands go into spasm. I just want to know what they're going to expect of me; I've worked all my life, and this pittance of £73.10 a week is made to feel like a bonus that the government can choose to give or withhold at a whim. So demoralising! My apologies for the negativity, but I am one worried lady!
ESA assessment worries: Hi, have a tough week coming up... - NRAS
ESA assessment worries
Hi Jinny
Assuming you're on Facebook here's a link to a very good support group. Everything you need to know about ESA, Pip, appeals etc. Hope it's of help.
facebook.com/groups/6184082...
Paul
Thanks for that, I've applied to join. Awaiting results!
Jinnybabs 're pip they seem to be a lottery onto them selfies.my assessment was awful to .I was a nurse to had to retire due to ra know how u feel fight pip ur entitled to it hugs amy
Hi Jinnybabs
I too have been through the degradation of those useless assessments.
At one point, having been refused after assessment and refused again on mandatory reconsideration, they forced me to sign on and accept JSA., even though their digital signature machine with skinny pen was no good for me to grasp.
Six signatures are required but my sore hands could not produce six that adequately matched. So they had to accept initials. Degrading, depressing!
But as soon as your Appeal is received, your ESA is restored.
Important point: if ESA refused after mandatory reconsideration, your claim is shut down. Therefore, you need another ‘fit mote’ from that date or your ESA Appeal will not result in reinstatement of cash flow. Do not close JSA claim if you get that, wait till fit note is accepted and ESA reinstates. I had to make several calls to sort this out.
In my case, getting ESA Appeal accepted and cash flow reinstated took several weeks during which I had to rely on family for necessities till benefit flow restarted.
I won at Appeal, with a paid rep from CAB, going from zero points at assessment to 21 at Appeal. You need 15.
I then got PIP easily just recently.
Keep fighting the cruel system. Good luck!
Hi, sorry to jump on the post.. How do you find a paid cab rep? Is it a case of phoning cab or searching online? Thanks 😘
Unfortunately this post is 3 years old & you won't receive a reply as 'Hidden' next to a blank avatar means that the member has deleted their account.
I'm afraid I can't help with your question but maybe if you start a new thread someone else will be able to help.
Ah I didn't realise luvvy sorry.
Have a look on the Benefits & Work website for how to apply for a Mandatory Reconsideration first, then Appeal, if necessary.
This site is absolutely brilliant. I used to use it as a professional and used it to succesfuly appeal my mandatory reconsideration for ESA. CAB are good but I couldn't get an appt until 2 weeks after my appeal deadline as they are so busy.
Good luck.
please get in touch with Citizens Advice for help with appeals
I have just been retired on ill health from NHS. Had to fill in forms etc for ESA. Had an assessment late September. The Lady who did it was so understanding and brilliant. She told me not to worry about it. Easy said than done. Then she sorted out a taxi for me to get home. Do hope yours is as good.
Go on the sites suggested above, they help you to prepare. It can be a long and unsettling process I know, but so very worth it. I now have 3hours help a week in house plus get a peducure every 8 weeks which pip pays for as really couldnt afford it before and cant do housework or cut my own nails now. I couldnt get any sick pay as I gave up teaching and became a foster carer for 5 years before RD hit me like a train. As I didnt realise I should have paid my own stamp I didnt have enough contributions to get sick pay even though I had worked for over 30 years and paid stamp it didnt count as not paid it recently. Anyway, stick with it through this rocky time. Good luck.
Thank you all for your replies. Just feel so sick at the moment, the stress of this is causing my fatigue to go into overtime, so just when I need to be on the ball, I can't think straight. Why should we have to go through this . . . for a disease we didn't want in the first place!
I hate to make things worse but the ESA assessment is an identical process, I too suffered lies, I am no longer polite about them being "mistakes". As I always advise, whenever you attend ones of these then it is always your worst day, no matter how you feel on the day, then behave exactly as you would on a bad day. They take a single 2 hour assessment and base your entire life upon it so you make sure those 2 hours are your normal really bad day. You are entitled to refuse to do anything that will make you suffer pain or you are unable to do, make sure you have a witness with you, even better get it recorded (they will make that extremely difficult with the connivance of the DWP Chief Medical Officer writing the rules).
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