Oh no !

KrazyKel

Im worried about mine now! Ive sent mine off weeks ago, and was waiting for an assessment.
How long have you waited from sending in the form to hearing from them?

ladylumps45

i sent form off the beginning of march and i heard about a week ago so it was around 8 weeks .mine was an ib50 form for renewal of incapacity benefit as i have been on it since 2004.i had a medical in 2006 and the doctor that examined me told me that he would make a phonecall there and then to make sure that i wasnt contacted for 3 years.
he left the room for 10 mins,came back and said it was all done.3 years had gone by before i received the form this time.
i heard back a week ago to say i didnt need a medical as id passed the assessment on evidence id sent,info from gp etc and that il be reviewed in 2012.
the medicals are not that bad at all in my opinion and i was worried before i got there as i has just come out of hospital the day before and was feeling so awful that i didnt think id make it to the medical and they would think i was pulling a fast one.
he asked me lots of questions and seemed really interested in my illnesses and was a nice man.i think as long as you are truthful you have nothing to worry about.good luck for when you hear.:o

Stroof

... was curious to know how this scoring system actually works ... does anyone know ?

No offence at bozo's message, I took it as a joke. I don't need any motivation thanks, I work for myself as a cricket groundsman so I am itching to get back to it - don't need sympathy either, just a leg that works properly.

Any how, I will be appealing - since I was on crutches at the medical you would think the assessor might have spotted I had difficulty walking !! But there is a magical 15 points to reach, so it would be useful to know if I reach that before wasting any more of my, your and DWPs time.

Pepzofio

From what I can remember from the training, they only count the highest score from each section (physical and mental), rather than a cumulative total.

So you may well have scored points for difficulty in walking, picking things up etc, but the highest score you got in the physical exam was 6 points for bending/kneeling. Presumably your mental capacity hasn't been unduly affected by your broken leg, hence you did not score anything in that section. Therefore your total overall score is still only 6.

Bear in mind also that if you have any prosthesis, aid or appliance (e.g. crutches) then you will be assessed on your ability whilst using them.

cozza

Hi i also failed my esa medical but i have appealed and now its going to a tribunral .
as i think the system is all wrong for real people that have medical illness / not these ones that pull a fast one . Which have been on benefits for years

STROOF: be warned they will stop ya ESA and i didnt know any think about it ? Till i was due some money and i had nothing to live on ? And then i was getting passed from pillor to pillor As my doctor says i wasnt well enough to work but ESA said i was (my doctor is the one who knows me ) And go on JSA to be pressured to get a JOB (dont get me wrong i would love a JOB when i know i am ready to handle one ) so they said i would have to claim Income Support ?
They told me i would have to claim a new ESA claim? No wonder i was confused ? And this was when i eventually got though on the phone ,

mealone

The test for ESA is diffrent to the test for IB, with IB its about what you cant do, for ESA its what you can do and many people will fail due to this change, it will affect the peolple who have been on sickness benfits for a long time when IB claimants are migrated onto ESA.

The first appeals/tribunals are starting to take place, could anyone appealing/ going to tribunals please let us know the outcome, to help others in a similar situation?

We need to build up a picture of what is currently happening, at the introduction of ESA the government data suggested that 20% of claimants would be placed in the none work related activity group and the number so far is much lower than that (B&W website figures), over 90% of claimants are being placed in the work related activity group, those who pass the PCA that is.

Its seems to be people with MH issues in particular that are failing to get into the WRA group.

Stroof

Update - having seen my GP and physio this morning, I rang the Benefit Delivery Centre to appeal. Very interesting comments "there are alot of mistakes about" and "may have been better not to press for the Atos report". Curious that the Atos report from March was used to over-ride my GP's certificate in May (signed off until August)!

Anyway, after phoning in your appeal they send out an appeal form - they need to receive that back within 28 days - and you only get put back to receiving ESA ("assessment phase" rate plus whatever else you were getting) once the appeal form is lodged. So there may be a gap in benefits (odd that this all happened over a long weekend).

It sounds like you are back on the assessment-rate ESA payments until an appeal tribunal is held. That could take a while ?

Pepzofio - it sounds like you know the detail of how the LCW scoring works, I would be grateful for your view. I broke my right leg in 8 places at Christmas, and am still recovering (bone still healing, muscle loss, 2 stone underweight, periodic fever from hospital acquired infection etc). My job is very physical outdoors, although that may not be relevant ?

Anyway, at the medical in March I was using 2 crutches and could only walk very slowly over short distances (although this was not tested). I could not bend or kneel (still cannot do this), and although I can now limp around at about half-pace still can't do much physically like lifting, pushing etc. How does the scoring go ?

ps Since I am beginning to get stronger, I was just about to start a light-duties job for two afternoons per week, under the permitted work scheme. Go ahead with that in any case, rather than claim JSA ?

black_paw

McKneff wrote: »

I dont think somebozo attacked him, or judged him, i think that some people need a bit of motivitation and to be reminded that there is always someone worse off than themselves. Its the thing that gets me outa bed on a morning.

here here to right

cozza

Hi mealone i will let you know when i hear from the tribunral.
As i am one of the ones MH issues. Just because i look alright on the out side it is in my head that is not right . No one can see what goes on when this happens But im going to fight this just to make a point fior ppl with MH issues . Today as you can see i am having a positive day
But tomorrow i may be not

healy

Pepzofio wrote: »

From what I can remember from the training, they only count the highest score from each section (physical and mental), rather than a cumulative total.

So you may well have scored points for difficulty in walking, picking things up etc, but the highest score you got in the physical exam was 6 points for bending/kneeling. Presumably your mental capacity hasn't been unduly affected by your broken leg, hence you did not score anything in that section. Therefore your total overall score is still only 6.

Bear in mind also that if you have any prosthesis, aid or appliance (e.g. crutches) then you will be assessed on your ability whilst using them.

That is not correct.

Each descriptor in the physical and mental health sections can be awarded points, it is not just the highest score.

If someone scored points for different physical descriptors they will receive the points for EACH one not just the highest.