Just received the dreaded brown envelope from DWP and I've been moved to contribution-based ESA and put in a WRAG group.
So I must "take part in work-focused interviews with a personal adviser to continue to receive ESA in full" and my 'adviser' will help me "take reasonable steps to move towards work"
Good luck with that then... Anyone know of an employer who will let me ring up on a daily basis and tell them whether or not I'm up to coming into work today and, if I do, can I please have a bed where I can go and lie down for an hour or so but don't know what time that will be as it'll be different every day depending on how I feel.
Why don't they go after people who are REALLY defrauding the system and leave us poor souls to do battle with this thing without adding to the stress??
Sorry guys, rant over...
xxx
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bub124
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lol you have made me laugh today,i having the same problem and i had a rant on here the other day so fed up with it,so many people out there who can work and they leaving them alone,i know some days i could run a marathron and other days i have no chose but to say in bed ,i take all my hospital appointments to my meetings now and he just rolls his eyes as if to say not more paper work they can,t do anything for me at the moment makes me so cross good luck with yours x
It's nice to know we're not alone isn't it? The daft thing is I'd really like to go back to work. But I just know I can't. so I'm going to have to go and try and convince these ******** that I'm really too ill to work - talk about rubbing salt in the wound.I spend my life convincing myself I'm doing ok and trying not to let it rule my life but for them I've got to go completely against the grain and tell them how it really is - that'll help my depression no end!!
Good luck with yours too and if you want to sound off, feel free!!
i know what you mean bub i asked about going back to my old job (carer) but just doing washing at night they said no coz i would have to cover 2 buildings and 1 of them gets 10-20, call outs a night most days i not so bad but today my knee and hip are so painful i can hardly move!! i wrote something last night that arthritis can last a life time!!!! a job may not!!! xx happy ranting oh and fair play to those with arthritis who do hold down a job!!! xxx
Poor both of you. I am self employed and earn not a bean these days even though we get asked to exhibit regularly and are doing really well in terms of CV building. I work much less hard because I don't have the concentration anymore. I think I worked harder when I was in pain because embroidering distracted me but now I just start falling asleep when I sit and work for any length of time or stiffen up so I have to move about and lose the flow.
I phoned about a job as a support for young carers, got the form, read the job spec and description and thought "I know I could do most of this but some of it would be impossible if I got a flare up and also if the MTX carries on making me feel this rubbish?" so have talked it through with OH and decided not to apply. I just can't risk letting youngsters who need support down IF I was selected for the job - and if not I can't face another rejection letter either!
I'm not nearly as incapacitated as either of you so too soon for me to look into benefits but anyway if they can't even let both of you have what you absolutely deserve why on earth would I waste time and energy applying? It really sucks - I'm so sorry. I almost hope whoever makes these decisions finds out the hard way what having RA is like - David Cameron or George Osborne? I know we wouldn't wish this or the drugs on our worst enemies but sometimes...? TTx
you go for it i am still waiting , tryed to get but got turned down appeal, but no go, so going to tribunal now , still waiting on a date,, for it, , i get so down, about it all , some some times just feel like giving up, but try and keep going , thinking off all of us on here, so fight them all the way, so lets all keep ranting, from Joanne.x
I have been so totally absorbed by ESA recently and have come to the conclusion it's all about getting people off of benefits. The whole WRAG/Support Group thing is so unbalanced. As is the Contributions Based/IR based status, especially now that Contributions Based status is time limited to 365 days.
I don't claim it myself, but my hubby does - or at least has been migrated from IB. He has severe and uncontrolled epilepsy. He was medically retired by his employer and gets DLA mobility due to not being able to go to 'unfamiliar' places without supervision due to mental imparement (loss of congitive ability). We thought we'd made it quite clear that he looses his cognitive ability several times on the assessment form - to the point that he suffers from a lack of awareness of everyday hazards to the point that he needs to be supervised for the majority of the time. He is awake but essentially 'unconcioius' for hours at the time, even days. He doesn't know this and just carries on - walking in the road, wandering off, burning food etc. (well he does - but doesn't when it's happening) The decision - WRAG.
We are appealing as the lack of awareness of hazards is a Support Group descriptor (to use the offical terminology). The reasons to be in the Support Group are so limited - but some people deserve to be there and not just because they only have a few months to live or are severly mentally or physically disabled.
So what is the future for those put in the WRAG group Contributions basis? After 365 days - no more benefit. Sign on and JCA? Or wait 12 weeks and reapply? Income Related will not apply if you have another household income such as a partner working or you have a private pension. But, without being able to be in the system you NI contributions will not be protected if you are not working or claiming the right sort of benefits - and this could affect your State Pension.
I know that there are loads of people on the benefits that don't really deserve it and shouldn't be getting it and are capable of working - I know of a few personally. But as usual the authorities are using a broad brush stroke of changes to save money. But disabilites are so complex - especially those that flutuate in their manifestations.
I have found info online that says that the decision makers need to take the flutuating natures of some disabilities into consideration - but do they really?
I may well be worth taking a look at the schedule 3 descriptors for ESA and see if you have grounds for an appeal - remember just think 'worst case scenario'.
hi spuddi i found the above intersting you seem to know a bit a bout it and i agree with you i am on esa conribution based they said till next oct in support group so are you saying that in oct i can reaplly for contribution besed again after 3 months cos if as u say income based i would not get because of hubbys private pension im now panicking that in oct i will receive nothing.its all wrong when you worked all your life isnt it would welcome your reply ty
Hi spuddie I was getting. Income based esa they allowed me to change over I explained it had oa and may have ra,they said ok, they have now stopped it as my hubby works,but he has a zero hour contract and some weeks he gets no work at all so I unsure where I stand!!! Xxx
Spuddie has explained it all so well and saved me typing it all again.
You must APPEAL the decision to put you in the WRAG, as Spuddie says contributions based ESA is only paid for a year then if you have a partner they'll be expected to keep you and your ESA will stop.
If single you will be entitled to claim Income related ESA after a year.
The current system is a mess and costing a small fortune in appeals (far more than government will admit). Also, sadly advice centres are loosing their funding so there's very few places you can get the help needed when dealing with DWP.
You must appeal this decision to place you in the WRAG and gather evidence to support an appeal.
Why oh why do we have to put up with all this rubbish - I rant so often about the welfare system we have. I dread being in the position where I have to join in the battle for financial support from this government - they just like taking my money off me...
I am one of the lucky ones who have a good Occupational Health Doctor who still has me on a phased return. But Im a college lecturer, with a new College Principal bringing about major restructuring and therefore lots of redundancies so fear that I may join the battle pretty soon as my job gets more stressful year after year.
Thank you Tina. It's all a complete and utter nightmare! I filled out the limited capability questionnaire and as far as I was concerned, I met the criteria - couldn't walk far, couldn't lift things, couldn't sit for long etc., but they seem to have ignored all that. I've asked them to send me a written copy of their decision and I'll pass it to the hospital. I'm really worried I'll lose my motability car as well and then I really would be completely b******ed. Even if I had a job I wouldn't be able to get there as I can't go on the bus (too unstable on my feet and too tiring) and wouldn't be able to afford taxis.
I just wish they'd leave us all alone. We've really got enough on our plates without worrying about this as well.
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