ESA Medical - here we go again!

cit_k

melbury wrote: »

Thanks, do I need to ring DWP or ATOS to request the ESA85a form?

When I phoned DWP yesterday to request a copy of his last medical assessment report, I asked who actually got the ESA50 form first and was told that they did, not ATOS. But you are saying that it is ATOS who decide whether or not to call you in. Is this right?

I feel ground down by it all, but I suppose this is what they want:mad:

Try the DWP first, they will be able to provide it, if that fails fall back to atos.

ATOS are supposed to do the pre-board check so are really meant to get the esa form first, and then they recommend to the DWP if an assessment is required, but the DWP themselves make the final call (in reality they just rubber stamp what atos says)

KxMx

Yes always keep the DWP informed of any changes in health no matter what the benefit. I've been having investigations for around 16 months now and since my health has worsened i've kept them fully informed with appointment dates, tests results etc.

melbury

Just to say that I phoned the DWP this afternoon and requested a copy of the lima pre-board form ESA85a and the man said he had never heard of it:eek:

He did, however, type the request in, so I will have to wait and see if I get anything. He asked me if it was just a blank form for me to complete!

So hopefully I will receive this and the report on OH's previous medical assessment before we have to attend the next medical assessment in March.

BTW he said ATOS had sent out the ESA50 form direct to us, not the DWP - how is that?

dmg24

melbury wrote: »

Just to say that I phoned the DWP this afternoon and requested a copy of the lima pre-board form ESA85a and the man said he had never heard of it:eek:

He did, however, type the request in, so I will have to wait and see if I get anything. He asked me if it was just a blank form for me to complete!

So hopefully I will receive this and the report on OH's previous medical assessment before we have to attend the next medical assessment in March.

BTW he said ATOS had sent out the ESA50 form direct to us, not the DWP - how is that?

I wouldn't expect someone in the call centre to know what the different forms are, they don't have any involvement in the decision making process (although it would help for them to have more of an understanding).

ATOS do send out ESA50 forms.

pompeyfaith

I wouls advise you nip over to the benefits and work website where you will get the best help in dealing with this.

A subscribtion will also get you accsess to very detailed help in filling in the forms etc

http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk

dmg24

pompeyfaith wrote: »

I wouls advise you nip over to the benefits and work website where you will get the best help in dealing with this.

A subscribtion will also get you accsess to very detailed help in filling in the forms etc

http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk

How can you advocate a site that charges for help with benefits?

pompeyfaith

Because there is free stuff and whether the op pays a subscription is there choice, I did not pay the subsciption for a good 18 mths as I felt the same and muddled with my DLA claim and lost.

I subscibed last night and wish I did it 18 mths ago because the info is amazing and with that info 18 mths ago I would off been better prepared and it would not have so stressful.

Indeed I will now put in asecond claim with confidence and less stressed out by it all.

So yes £19.95 is a small price to pay in that respect, but like I say I am not advocating that the OP does as it is there choice but at least I have given them that option and pointed them to where the info is as knowledge on these matters is oh so important.

melbury

pompeyfaith wrote: »

I wouls advise you nip over to the benefits and work website where you will get the best help in dealing with this.

A subscribtion will also get you accsess to very detailed help in filling in the forms etc

http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk

Does this really make a difference? If you have a genuine claim and are completely honest, surely this should be sufficient.

cit_k

melbury wrote: »

Does this really make a difference? If you have a genuine claim and are completely honest, surely this should be sufficient.

That would depend on the ATOS assessor/software being honest, and the decision maker doing a proper job.

The chances of both happening are not that good.

Never happened to me yet.

ATOS lied on the report even though the assessment was being officially recorded, that is how untouchable they think they are. Time will tell though.

I have planned but not sure if I will yet, after its all over to upload parts of the assessment onto youtube, as they are paranoid about me doing that, and have tried to stop me, but legally they dont have a leg to stand on, as i own the copyright to one of the recordings and it is the public interest to expose official corruption and unethical behaviour. One of the reasons I made sure i did my own copy was for the public interest exposure, and also as a backup in case their equipment mysteriously recorded a blank tape.

Youtube, or the national press, or both, who knows.

deeplyblue

melbury wrote: »

Does this really make a difference? If you have a genuine claim and are completely honest, surely this should be sufficient.

I would have to agree with the previous post. If you want to go and depress yourself, try googling "ESA not working CAB" which should get the CAB's report on how the first year of ESA went. Some of what happens is the sort of thing that goes on when a new procedure is rushed through with untrained staff and bad software.

After that, all you need to know is that ATOS are paid partly by results, and those results are how many people they find "fit for work". You need every advantage you can get.

Once upon a time I would have said manage on your own for the first step, and then rely on the CAB for appeals, if necessary. But the CAB are being downsized, and the numbers needing help are growing fast.

I am not saying that you should join the Benefits and Work site - there are other places where you can get help. But DO get some help - if you write the wrong things down, or the right things but phrased the wrong way , you could lose out.

For example, suppose someone asks you if you can pick things up from the floor. (I don't think this is still in the test, so this is just an imaginary example) If you write, "Yes, most of the day, if I am careful but by evening I can often not straighten up afterwards very easily." This may be an exact and sensible answer from your point of view. From the DWP's point of view, this answer is cut down to, "Yes." They will then assume that you can bend over and pick things up all day long.

Suppose instead you look at it as if the question said, "Can you pick things up all the time?" which is how they will interpret it anyway. You might then want to write "No." This is true because the reason you can pick things up during the day is (a) because you are careful not to do it too often, and (b) you always make sure you are holding on to something steady when you bend over, as it makes you giddy. So you have given the answer to the question they were in fact asking - even if they disguised it.

This assessment, to a much greater extent than previous versions, is a hostile assessment. They will assume that you are an idle, would-be benefit fraudster, and will take the most negative version of everything you say. So you have to learn how to write something which gives your slant on matters, something which matches the "descriptors" that they are looking at and something which offers no hostages to fortune.

There are various ways of trying to do this, but quite a few people have chosen to join B&W - especially if this is the first time that they have tried to claim this sort of benefit. After all, an innocent person still needs a solicitor and, in court, a barrister if they are not to incriminate themselves accidentally.