ESA Help Needed

MichalaPotts

My tribunal is today (13 miles away & I don't drive). But I am too terrified to leave the house to go.
The hearing will be heard in my absence but at the medical stage I got 0 points despite the fact that my qualified G.P. knows I am not fit for work.
It is over a year ago now since I claimed for ESA.
I was supposed to 'support' my appeal claim but didn't know how to I don't know who I can trust to help me.
I've had 1 councelling session a couple of months ago, but when the counceller touched me, it freaked my out & I haven't been to see him since. So I couldn't ask them for a supporting letter. I find it exceeding difficult to talk to strangers face-to-face or even on the phone. I don't go out only to see my GP (which I get a taxi there & back).

I was assaulted by three men last year while walking home minding my own business.

I was suffering Anxiety & Depression as a result of the attack but went straight back to work as usual. But then 5 weeks later I also got PTSD. I had to give up work.

I am scared that the appeal will go against me and I will be forced to go back into the public domain. Please help.

Michala

dmg24

Copied from other thread:

Michala, have you submitted any supporting evidence for your appeal? On the information given, I would expect to fail. You really needed to look into these weeks/ months ago, not on the day of the appeal.

MichalaPotts

dmg24 wrote: »

Copied from other thread:

Michala, have you submitted any supporting evidence for your appeal? On the information given, I would expect to fail. You really needed to look into these weeks/ months ago, not on the day of the appeal.

dmg24 wrote: »

Michala, have you submitted any supporting evidence for your appeal?

I don't know what to submit except a letter from my G.P. I don't know where to get any from information or what type of evidence I need/ed.
I took a letter from the S.T.A.R project with me to the 'medical' and that was disregarded. My Doctor who says I'm not fit for work was disregarded.
I had always worked up until this incident. I am not at all familiar with any of the procedures of the DWP. I have no family living near me that can help. I find going to appointments/meetings impossible as I have panic attacks at the thought of going out.

dmg24 wrote: »

On the information given, I would expect to fail. You really needed to look into these weeks/ months ago, not on the day of the appeal.

What will I have to do if/when they fail me? Is there anybody I can contact on-line?

I wish I had found this site earlier.

Michala

MichalaPotts

amus wrote: »

Im really sorry to hear of your experience, however, as DMG said you do need to provide evidence in support of your case. Do you not have a case worker who you can appoint to help you?

Thankyou to you too for your response on the other thread.
What is a case worker & what do they do? are they some kind of social worker?

Michala

baza52

what kind of medication are you on?
Perhaps its time for your GP to change it if its not helping and i speak from experience.

MichalaPotts

baza52 wrote: »

what kind of medication are you on?
Perhaps its time for your GP to change it if its not helping and i speak from experience.

My GP initally gave me citlopram & diazapam to help me sleep. He then stopped the diazapam and increased the dose of citlopram. After a couple of months he stopped the citlopram as I was like a walking zombie with no focal attention at all. He then prescribed amytriptyline but the counsellor/psychologist that I saw on the one occasion stated that I shouldn't be on them, so as a result I am not on any medication at all.

Michala

MichalaPotts

baza52 wrote: »

perhaps you could ask your GP about Paroxetine, its worked well for me and ive been on it for a few years.
I also tried citalopram and had a similar reaction to it.

I think the fact your not taking meds will also go against you.
Im suprised you took the advice of a counsellor you saw once over your GP tho.
Ive also had counselling several times and im suprised you said he/she had "touched" you.
Why did this happen? surely there was no need for any physical contact.

Thankyou for your reponse. I will ask my GP about the Paroxetine medication. I wonder if I should see another GP.
The counsellor rang the GP to tell him I shouldn't be taking it. I had no say in what I should or shouldn't be taking.

I have to say that the counseller didn't 'touch me up'. He placed his hand on my shoulder while I was waiting for the next appointment card at the reception. I have no idea why he did that but it has put me completely off going to see them again. It took me months to get the courage to go & see him in the first place.

Thankyou again for your response.

Michala

dmg24

When was your medical Michala (if you had one)?

MichalaPotts

dmg24 wrote: »

When was your medical Michala (if you had one)?

The medical for the ESA was last September.
Michala

MichalaPotts

MichalaPotts wrote: »

The medical for the ESA was last September.
Michala

I would like to thank everybody that took the time to respond.
I have recieved notification this morning of the result of my appeal.

They decided to award me ESA with a 'work related activity component'.

Can anybody explain to me what this component is/means?

Thankyou to all

Michala

Shysockfurball

The WRAG is a work related activity group. You will have to (at some point) fill in an ESA50 (questionnaire) and attend another work capability assessment. You will also have to go to work focused interviews.