REthink are looking for people who have been... - Vasculitis UK
REthink are looking for people who have been through the Work Capability Assessment and suffered a bad experience.
My sister who was diagnosed with Churgg Strauss Syndrome in May last year as had an ordeal with ESA. She was currently on ESA and in the time she was disallowed to continue this benefit she was then diagnosed. When we contacted ESA and informed them of this they advised us to appeal.
It took until the 18th of February this year to find out that any new evidence after the decision makers decision cannot be taken into consideration unless regulation 147a an exception can be made if new diagnosis or worsening of illness.
Even though from June last year after her hospital release I continuously stated that this was the reason for her appeal.
Even after the judge ruled this and advised us to put this in writing at her tribunal dated 18th of February they have ceased her benefits and she is now having to make a new claim.
This is 3 court cases and 9 months later!
The additional stress and worry this has put on her as well as having to accept her diagnosis has been unreal.
We are still unaware what the outcome will be and if she is entitled to back pay if she does get awarded.
I feel if we were advised correctly in the first place she could have put in a fresh claim in the beginning of June last year.
When I questioned the judge about this he said that the staff at DWP are not aware of the law and regulations and therefore would advise us from standard procedure, but in previous the previous judges couldn't state this I don't know, wasting peoples time, money and adding to the stress.
We now sit and wait and see what happens next.
I've had a terrible experience. Despite long term health problems and suffering henoch schonlein purpura since 1961 My recent health has progressively got worse. I've had three assessment medicals, failed all three despite doctors providing sick notes and being classified as disabled. Clearly they do not know the relationship about these rare conditons, how complex the blood cells are, how it affects people on a routine basis, both physically, emotionally, its well known that auto immune diseaeses and the blood cells are dramatically affected by stress. I feel its disgusting that dhss doctors can override hospital records. Clearly a job for quango''s at our expense wendy
