ESA 1st assessment, re qualifying for work component

dee100 · 18 June 2017 at 7:56PM

Hi,
I have my 1st ESA assessment soon. I submitted 3 sick notes by GP, 2 one month each and 3rd one for 8 weeks total 4 months, for “OCD/exhaustion”. I have been sick 10 weeks, assessment will be on week 12.
I burnt out as i worked 4 days a week for 4 charities as volunteer whilst on ESA.. I am 60, this is my 4th burnout. I now realise I can work only p/t, 2 days max.
I was unemployed 35 years due to phobias from smoking cannabis in my 20’s. Till recently sick i worked 9 months for 4 charities. I did the 4 days for 2 months then burnt out. Did it cos of benefit cap, was £20pw short on rent, did not want to eat in soup kitchens go soup bank. ( I worked for 2 soup kitchens till recently). Charity shop paid me £6 per day 3 days a week. Needed the money for food etc.
I am nil points on mobility 15 points on daily living according to questonaire on mybenefitsandwork.co.uk.
I answered ESA50 wrongly questions 16 and 17 due to poor concerntration, not reading all questions properly. . Am sending new answers tomorrow re 16 17.
Now is week 10. Today is Sunday, a beautiful sunny day. Am unable to leave house due to OCD caused by doing normal activities in last couple of days. Need to rest. Have not been able to return to work. (as volunteer)
If I tell them when/if i recover, i would expect to be able to work 2 daYS A week only, will they keep me on ESA when i am recovered? My sick note extends to 4 weeks after assessment date.
Please help me.

TELLIT01 · 18 June 2017 at 8:04PM

You worked 4 days a week on ESA? How many hours per week were you working and was it agreed with ESA before you started?

dee100 · 18 June 2017 at 8:06PM

Also last burnt out a year and half ago. The senior job centre advisor said “ why did you come off ESA as you have so many ailments?”
I have 15 ailments but they do not prevent me from p/t work eg asthma, arthritis, back trouble. Gout, psioriasism osteoporosis , etc etc. I only gave 7 ailments to job centre. Advisor said “you are disabled due to all these 7 ailments.” I was put in disabled section in job centre. Job centre /government paid a charity who specialise in getting disablled back into work, 12 month contract. Burned out in month 6

dee100 · 18 June 2017 at 8:08PM

TELLIT01 wrote: »

You worked 4 days a week on ESA? How many hours per week were you working and was it agreed with ESA before you started?

no, was on JSA, was voluntary work, r/d £6 expenses per day for 3 of the 4 days. Worked 23 and a half hours for 2 months. made me very ill. before that worked 1 day a week spread out through the week with same 4 charities...total 9 hours, i could handle that for 7 months

poppy12345 · 18 June 2017 at 8:23PM

dee100 wrote: »

Hi,
I have my 1st ESA assessment soon. I submitted 3 sick notes by GP, 2 one month each and 3rd one for 8 weeks total 4 months, for “OCD/exhaustion”. I have been sick 10 weeks, assessment will be on week 12.
I burnt out as i worked 4 days a week for 4 charities as volunteer whilst on ESA.. I am 60, this is my 4th burnout. I now realise I can work only p/t, 2 days max.
I was unemployed 35 years due to phobias from smoking cannabis in my 20’s. Till recently sick i worked 9 months for 4 charities. I did the 4 days for 2 months then burnt out. Did it cos of benefit cap, was £20pw short on rent, did not want to eat in soup kitchens go soup bank. ( I worked for 2 soup kitchens till recently). Charity shop paid me £6 per day 3 days a week. Needed the money for food etc.
I am nil points on mobility 15 points on daily living according to questonaire on mybenefitsandwork.co.uk.
I answered ESA50 wrongly questions 16 and 17 due to poor concerntration, not reading all questions properly. . Am sending new answers tomorrow re 16 17.
Now is week 10. Today is Sunday, a beautiful sunny day. Am unable to leave house due to OCD caused by doing normal activities in last couple of days. Need to rest. Have not been able to return to work. (as volunteer)
If I tell them when/if i recover, i would expect to be able to work 2 daYS A week only, will they keep me on ESA when i am recovered? My sick note extends to 4 weeks after assessment date.
Please help me.

ESA assessments are very rarely given on time and are mostly always extremely late. Some are waiting for months. Don't expect an assessment at week 12 of your claim. I think you also have PIP confused with ESA because you say you scored nil points for mobility and 15 points with daily living? This is PIP and not ESA. ESA is for those with a limited capability for work where as with PIP people work and claim. Here's a link for the ESA descriptors please take a look. https://www.sense.org.uk/content/esa-descriptors-determine-whether-you-have-limited-capability-work

dee100 · 18 June 2017 at 8:29PM

ESA said letter sent out friday re 1st assessment...so appt will be next week starting 26/6
sorry to confuse you...here is email re ESA self assessment re 15 points:This email has been sent to you, because the person completing our web form LCWA (2

WORK CAPABILITY ASSESSMENT
Remember that this is your assessment of what you think you should score - a decision maker may come to an entirely different conclusion.

HOW DID YOU ASSESS YOURSELF?
Did you assess yourself as being eligible for the support group on the grounds of:
a) Exemption: NO
b) Descriptors: NO
c) Exceptional circumstances: NO

Did you assess yourself as being eligible for the work-related activity group on the grounds of:
a) Exemption: NO
b) Points: YES
c) Exceptional circumstances: NO
d) Hospital treatment: NO

WHICH GROUP WOULD YOU BE PLACED IN?
Based on your self-assessment:
'you would be placed in the work-related activity group'

MORE DETAILS
Below is more information about the options you chose. Bear in mind it is possible to qualify for either group in more than one way.

WORK-RELATED ACTIVITY GROUP: POINTS
You assessed yourself as being eligible for the work-related activity group because you scored 15 or more points.

You assessed yourself as scoring a total of 15 points for the following:
16 (c) Engagement in social contact with someone unfamiliar to the claimant is not possible for the majority of the time due to difficulty relating to others or significant distress experienced by the individual. 6

17 (c) Occasionally has uncontrollable episodes of aggressive or disinhibited behaviour that would be unreasonable in any workplace. 9

Unlike other support group descriptors, which all score 15 points in the test for the work-related activity group, there is no equivalent to these in relation to the work-related activity group. So a special regulation 3(2)(B) provides that they count as passing the test for the work-related activity group as well as the support group.

Stop_Watch · 18 June 2017 at 9:06PM

So you have been on the sick with "Phobias" for over 35 years and not found a solution/therapy/cure in all that time??

I always find it hard to understand when people can volunteer 4 days a week but can't find a job 4 days a week.

Most people I can find sympathy but I am struggling in your case.

Alice_Holt · 18 June 2017 at 9:13PM

Be aware that you should be assessed as not being able to do an activity if you can't do it reliably, and repeatably.
I'm wondering if with your OCD there are more activities that you should be scored for.
For example, do you have physical or mental rituals you have to go through before you can complete a task. I suspect that activity 13 may also apply.
Perhaps also 14 and 15?

For the assessment, I would suggest:
1) Taking someone with you, and asking them to make notes of the assessment.
2) Have a diary, so you can give some examples, take notes with you.
3) Explain fully - even though the assessor may want to hurry you up. Don't agree that you can do something if you can't do it reliably.

This:
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/employment-and-support-allowance/help-with-your-esa-claim/esa-medical-assessment/
Is helpful.

dee100 · 18 June 2017 at 9:34PM

Stop_Watch wrote: »

So you have been on the sick with "Phobias" for over 35 years and not found a solution/therapy/cure in all that time??

I always find it hard to understand when people can volunteer 4 days a week but can't find a job 4 days a week.

Most people I can find sympathy but I am struggling in your case.

I said "I was unemployed 35 years due to phobias". that is past tense....merely giving you some history...NLP helped me overcome the phobias though still have some social phobia hence 15 points
the fact that i could not leave the house on such a glorious day as today must tell you something

dee100 · 18 June 2017 at 9:42PM

Alice_Holt wrote: »

Be aware that you should be assessed as not being able to do an activity if you can't do it reliably, and repeatably.
I'm wondering if with your OCD there are more activities that you should be scored for.
For example, do you have physical or mental rituals you have to go through before you can complete a task. I suspect that activity 13 may also apply.
Perhaps also 14 and 15?

For the assessment, I would suggest:
1) Taking someone with you, and asking them to make notes of the assessment.
2) Have a diary, so you can give some examples, take notes with you.
3) Explain fully - even though the assessor may want to hurry you up. Don't argue that you can do something if you can't do it reliably.

This:
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/employment-and-support-allowance/help-with-your-esa-claim/esa-medical-assessment/
Is helpful.

i was thinking of a diary but felt they wouldn't be interested. lthis week home bound 2 day, week before 2 days....it's the only way i control OCD...through rest and reducing activities till better..
i I think i score nil on mobility as per the way they worded it
No, i don't do repetitive rituals in my OCD.
Questions 14 15 would only apply on my worse day like today
thanks

ESA 1st assessment, re qualifying for work component

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