ESA tribunal good news bad news

[Neata]

Good news was awarded 15 points on my ESA tribunal ,bad news was put in the work related group and as it's contribution based no monies after the 30 April,

[Jtxx]

Sorry to hear that. Does that mean that you have not paid enough NI Contributions to qualify for any money? How many hours do you work? Is 15points a high score? X

[Hidden]

Sorry Neata.

This is all new to me (diagnosed PBC Dec 2010). I do read these things when anyone posts as I don't know if in future I might have to make a claim (I'm OK at present, it's some of the sleepless nights when I itch that cause me a problem following day - tired most of the day then).

I had a snoop online Jtxx and found a site re these points being totally in the dark about points system (tho' I did go thru some online assessment questionnaire not so long ago just to see and I'd have it declined at that stage). Apparently:- "A person has to score at least 15 points to be found to have limited capability for work."

As for it being a high score, not got a clue there as I don't know if points would be scored as 0 high or low if you get the drift.......

[Missboro in reply to Hidden]

Hi Neata.I got a booklet when i 1st claimed incapacity benefit a few years ago and its got the point scoring system in it. The points range from 0-15 points on each question that was asked on your disabilities and how they affect you so therefore 0 is scored as low and 15 is high.

[Hidden]

I don't really know what ESA is, I thought it was DLA, is it American or something totaly different to DLA?

[Missboro in reply to Hidden]

ESA is Employment and Support Allowance. Up until jan 2012 i was receiving incapacity benefit for a couple of years due to other medical problems, I wasnt diagnosed with PBC until sept 2011 so this was not in my claim form for incapacity benefit which i 1st claimed in 2009. Since last year alot of people were taken off this benefit, including myself as they are trying to get as many people as they can back into work and the ESA just replaced the incapacity benefit i was getting. Because i wasnt working before i got ESA my money stayed the same. Ive tried to claim DLA since being diagnosed with PBC but have been turned down for it. After i got the 1st letter turning me down i sent a letter in from my GP to back up my diagnosis of the PBC and the phone number for the PBC foundation if they needed more information and asked if they could review my application. I got turned down again. Im not going to appeal now as its too stressful.

[Kevviv in reply to Missboro]

I absolutely agree I went through the same thing, having to justify yourself to someone that knows nothing. It soo wrong.

[Val02]

ESA is a work related benefit - the only criteria to qualify is that you have paid NI and you score enough points. Im surprised you have been as far as tribunal and no one has tested your eligibility; as certainly speaking for myself that was the first thing they did before even looking at my form. DLA on the other hand is not related to work, (indeed you can carry on working and get the money); the questions asked on both forms are very similar.

Neata I would suggest you apply for DLA, if the tribunal awarded you 15 points that would probably entitle you to some DLA. You need to use the evidence of the tribunals decision as they take their own evidence as fact. Unfortunately DLA will not be as much money

PS these are both UK benefits.

[Hidden]

Hello again.

As Linda states in her reply, me too only heard of ESA through this site. I had only heard of DLA because a distant relative mentioned he was claiming this.

My late father after redundancy in the 1990's and unfit for work then and being in his 50's, he got something known as Invalidity Allowance but again I didn't really know what that was all about. I know back then he used to just say he'd to go to see some DSS medical dept at intervals with a view to whether he was fit to work (he died before he was 60).

I know it would be of a plus here in the UK claiming these DLA and ESA (if not living in Wales or Scotland) as the urso would become a free prescription for a lot of us. I've always had to pay and even going back to the 1990's with my late (first) husband I never deemed it fair that we had to always pay a prescription charge when he continued to work until a few days before his death with a condition - asthama - that he needed daily medication just to get by. Just like thyroxine is free regarldess. But that is another topic.....

[Hidden]

Val do you mean me, I have never tried to claim any monies whilst I was working, so why are you suprised I wasn't sent for testing for elegibility for it, this is the first time in my life I have ever tried to claim any thing.

Hazeleyes, I agree with you it is to stressfull, it has taken two years since I first put my claim in, I had my original claim, 3 apeals, one tribunal and now have to have a second tribunal, if they refuse then like you I will never bother again as it has made me ill or iller than I am at times

[Val02 in reply to Hidden]

No Linda I didnt mean you. Im sorry I have answered yours and Neata's post together. Like you I have worked all my life and paid my contributions. What I was surprised about was that when Neata first applied they didnt check her NI conts to make sure she was entitled to claim.

I know see from Neata's new post what her situation is and its not relevent anyway; I didnt fully understand that before.

Sorry for any misunderstanding.

[Neata]

Thanks for the replies,ESA is divided into two groups now support and work related,after 365days of claiming it you loose it in the work related group and are referred to the job centre for assistance in getting back into employment,all the tribunal did which I had waited 12 months for was to increase my score.

My medical was completed by a health care specialist who thought I had multiple sclerosis as she had seen cirrhosis on the form things went down hill from then at the appeal they had to try and assess how I would have been then,I now have to either appeal against the tribunal or to DWP to be reassessed into the support group either way my money willnstop 30/4 .

And yes my DLA forms are being processed

[Hidden]

Hi Val02, sorry but I thought you meant me as i am so confused by all these different benefits and name shortning, mind you it doesn't take much to confuse me these day's

[Hidden]

I know how you feel Neta about the word cirrosis, I just got my medical record through and am shocked at some of the stuff they have written in there, Like the big one " she claims not to have had a drink in over twelve months" I am dam anoyed as if i want a drink I can have one and don't need to claim anything, now this is really going to help my DLA claim, along with other lies they have shoved in. I think in future when I am asked anything by GP's and consultants my responce is going to be "no comment"

[zipitydoo]

After 12 months on the contributions based ESA they look to see what other income is coming into the house and if its not much then you can be moved over to income related ESA. Which is paid as long as its needed.

I have been in the working group for income related ESA for 2 years now and a week ago after my last renewal I was moved into the support group for income related ESA.

But trying to get DLA is proving to be very hard. I was turned down last year and have been turned down again a couple of weeks ago. I see CAB on Monday about putting in an appeal. My brain wont cope with it all so am hoping they can support me.

[Cherry17]

I have my ESA tribunal on the 10th of May......earlier then expected as I was told it would be August at the earliest, went to see work related specialist at the CAB (was very fortunate to have been given an appointment as there is usually a 4wk wait in some cases for specialist knowledge regarding ESA tribunal's)......I actually naively thought the CAB specialist would be accompanying me to court.......Whoops grave error on my part not sure what to do now

[Neata]

Your local council or housing authority have welfare officers I have found out but if you are not a tenant of there's you don't qualify,I took two friends with me who didn't understand the ESA regulations mind you neither did I you really need someone with you who can understand it all good luck