ESA stopped - need urgent advice please as no money

pagangirl

Jada - I went to local advice centre, but as elainey said - CAB are very good. Not sure if you can get through on phone as they are very busy atm, but phone book should list your local ones for addresses.

Good luck with your appeal. It was like a weight off my shoulders when I got help from the advice centre.

Still got no money coming in. They said can apply for crisis loan, but will have to be paid back. Will see if I can manage for a while, or friend has said will lend me some money if needed.

People on here been great for me. Its just so scary when you get a letter saying we are not paying you any more money, but not knowing what to do or where to go.

dave030445

pagangirl wrote: »

Jada - I went to local advice centre, but as elainey said - CAB are very good. Not sure if you can get through on phone as they are very busy atm, but phone book should list your local ones for addresses.

Good luck with your appeal. It was like a weight off my shoulders when I got help from the advice centre.

Still got no money coming in. They said can apply for crisis loan, but will have to be paid back. Will see if I can manage for a while, or friend has said will lend me some money if needed.

People on here been great for me. Its just so scary when you get a letter saying we are not paying you any more money, but not knowing what to do or where to go.

As been said before once you appeal you will start getting money again at the lower rate

flight747

How on earth that every GP's are giving a sick note for carry on with ESA, surely this is illegal, as you can't tell your doctor "I am too ill for work, claimed ESA, I want a sick note please!" and the GP would refuse you a sick note. It up to GP to give you a sick note or not depend on the patient's genuine illness.

anguk

I don't understand how your own GP, who probably knows you and your illness very well and who also has many years of medical experience, can declare that you're unfit for work and give you a sicknote yet this can be totally disregarded by an ATOS examiner? Even reports from Consultants can be ignored.

Are ATOS examiners even medically trained? It just seems ridiculous to me that they can override the opinions of GPs and Consultants.

pagangirl

The ATOS assessor I saw was a "medical professional" - turned out to be a nurse. When I got copy of medical report, have so far typed out 3 pages of errors, including the fact that she left off one of my medical conditions diagnosed by a hopsital.

Know of someone else who only saw a "clerk" - how can they conduct a medical???????

- sorry don't really understand - I have to check back with my doctor every couple of months. She would not issue a sick note if she thought I was ok.

cit_k

pagangirl wrote: »

The ATOS assessor I saw was a "medical professional" - turned out to be a nurse. When I got copy of medical report, have so far typed out 3 pages of errors, including the fact that she left off one of my medical conditions diagnosed by a hopsital.

Know of someone else who only saw a "clerk" - how can they conduct a medical???????

- sorry don't really understand - I have to check back with my doctor every couple of months. She would not issue a sick note if she thought I was ok.

They cannot, its illegal.

Is there any way you can get proof of that? ie does it state its a clerk on the medical report etc, is it documented anywhere?

pagangirl

Don't know, thats just what I got told by someone else. Will pass info along to them, so thanks for that.

Gemstar30

anguk wrote: »

I don't understand how your own GP, who probably knows you and your illness very well and who also has many years of medical experience, can declare that you're unfit for work and give you a sicknote yet this can be totally disregarded by an ATOS examiner? Even reports from Consultants can be ignored.

Are ATOS examiners even medically trained? It just seems ridiculous to me that they can override the opinions of GPs and Consultants.

Hello
No they haven't over ruled your GP. What has happened is that your GP has said that you are too sick to work in your normal job whether you have one or don't.

Your GP has not said that you are too sick to do anything! You could address envelopes at home which is a job.

ATOS are saying that they have assessed you to do ANY TYPE of job.

Because the sicknote is evidence used by the DWP in the first place, they now don't need one as you have been found fit to work - doing ANY job, not just your own one.

Gemma
x

Oldernotwiser

Gemstar30 wrote: »

Hello
No they haven't over ruled your GP. What has happened is that your GP has said that you are too sick to work in your normal job whether you have one or don't.

Your GP has not said that you are too sick to do anything! You could address envelopes at home which is a job.

ATOS are saying that they have assessed you to do ANY TYPE of job.

Because the sicknote is evidence used by the DWP in the first place, they now don't need one as you have been found fit to work - doing ANY job, not just your own one.

Gemma
x

I absolutely agree but would add that some patients have their GP (and even their consultant) wrapped around their little finger.

cit_k

Gemstar30 wrote: »

Hello
No they haven't over ruled your GP. What has happened is that your GP has said that you are too sick to work in your normal job whether you have one or don't.

Your GP has not said that you are too sick to do anything! You could address envelopes at home which is a job.

ATOS are saying that they have assessed you to do ANY TYPE of job.

Because the sicknote is evidence used by the DWP in the first place, they now don't need one as you have been found fit to work - doing ANY job, not just your own one.

Gemma
x

Of course, that only makes sense if the evidence provided by third parties is specific to if a person could return to a specific job.
[edit to add] and has no relavance at ALL to the benefit legislation, which is unlikely [/edit]
However, it often is not, and can contain facts that are relavent to the decision.

However -

the DWP are told to give ATOS reports more evidential weight than any other form of evidence, no matter what it contains, no matter who its from etc.

ATOS reports rule the roost, even if they are of lesser medical worth than the other evidence, even if the other evidence is directly relavent to not being able to hold down ANY job.

The situation is different for DLA however in that the situation is reversed and decision makers are told to give third party evidence more evidential weight than ATOS reports.