ESA Medicals?

7roland8

Hi - just applied for ESA over the phone - never claimed before but benefits all chamged as now losing child benefit and husband now on the £91.40 rate of Incapacity Benefit - so was told to try for this for myslef.
Have been ill with ME/CFS for 14yrs nad get higher rate DLA for mobility.
No problem getting a cert off Dr but worried about medicals.
Wrse last few yrs, not been from house for a year or driven and never go out - often too weak to get round house. Only saw Dr a yr ago as they seem to think there's nothing they can do and it wastes my energy to go.

However are these ESA medicals compulsory (even with a Drs note)?

Sorry for simple questions but new to all this!

babymoo

Yes unfortunately ESA medicals are neccesary after 13 weeks IIRC. You will need a dr's note until that time is up, after the medical a dr's note is no longer neccesary.

FTW

If you get called in for a medical, make sure you audio-record it (a mobile phone would do the job).

Being Atos, you can never be suspicious enough.

[Deleted User]

unless you get impossible to get permission to record then any recording would not be evidence.

FTW

Not true. I'm at the tribunal stage, and I made the tribunal aware that I had a recording. I submitted a transcript of the recording, and the recording itself.

Even if a tribunal - some accept, some don't - does not accept a recording, there's no reason for a tribunal not to accept a transcript of it.

beth58_2

Does your husbands IB not get topped up with IS and family premiums?

Yrs ago I was advised to change the claim from my husband claiming for me to me claiming for the family. As I had DLA HRM it qualifyed us for extra disability premiums. Not sure how the law stands now with ESA though, perhaps checking out the benefit calculator on this site might help or make an appointment at your local welfare rights or CAB office.

cit_k

woodbine wrote: »

unless you get impossible to get permission to record then any recording would not be evidence.

As FTW said, its not impossible to use as evidence, it is up to the tribunal.

Just MAKE SURE YOU RECORD COVERTLY - DO NOT TELL THEM YOU ARE RECORDING - as you will NOT be assessed and your benefit will be stopped if you tell them.

Or you could try to go the official route (permission, pro recording equipment, sound engineer, but ATOS will almost certainly refuse)

7roland8

Does your husbands IB not get topped up with IS and family premiums?

Hi Beth - yes it used to - but apparently now I'm not getting child benefit he's back to the £91.40 single person's rate - so thats why I was told to apply for ESA for myself. All so confusing. And with ME being such a funny disease for people to accept can see medical not going well.

We're also trying to Income Support but don't know if we qualify for that either!

beth58_2

7roland8 wrote: »

Hi Beth - yes it used to - but apparently now I'm not getting child benefit he's back to the £91.40 single person's rate - so thats why I was told to apply for ESA for myself. All so confusing. And with ME being such a funny disease for people to accept can see medical not going well.

We're also trying to Income Support but don't know if we qualify for that either!

Hmmm.. So I guess you no longer exist and a figment of your husbands imagination than.

DWP are useless at advising ppl, they've been giving me the wrong info for 3 months even when I've told them what my entitlement is they still get it wrong.
I'm still trying to get them to send me a form for SDP dispite 4 calls to them and 2 returned calls.. Hopefully it will arrive this week!

Keep on at them, they often get it wrong, good luck

7roland8

So I guess you no longer exist and a figment of your husbands imagination than.

That what I didn't get - just because child grown up I'm still here!! No-one mentioned me trying for this ESA before.