When I asked for luck I didn't mean the bad variety!!!

Sun_Addict

Just read your post from yesterday Lucky and can't believe what happened! I agree with the others - write to your MP. No one deserves to be treated like that. Mr SA is on ESA too and is in the support group at present. However, I understand that when he's been on it a year (April) he'll move from contribution based ESA to income related ESA whereby they'll take my income and DD's income into account. No doubt I'll earn 50p a year too much for him to claim it! There's no way he'll be ready to go back to work in April.

Hope things are better today. Keep on trucking!

HeadAboveWater

Aw lucky Can't believe the latest episode! No wonder you were furious! Understandably so. I'd go to the MP too. And keep all contact, visits, letters, texts, conversations, etc., noted down with dates and times. You'll likely find a lot of them on here with all the ranting you've had to do! ;) Don't back down! No way should they be getting away with that.

PS. Well done on the jeans :)

debtfreewannabe321

Aww plmbl, I really feel for you, I agree with everyone else. I went to my local MP once (many moons ago) he was lovely and really knew the ins and outs of everything and how to push forward my complaint, I would do it if I were you. You've nothing to lose. Big hugs xxxx

(AND well done on the 2st mark, that is fab news :j )

Rollercoaster_Rach

I hate injustice! You don't deserve this AT ALL!! xxx
RR x

please-let-me-be-lucky

You lot are awesome, thank you all so much! I've typed a letter of complaint, CC'ing our MP. I'm going to read it with fresh eyes in the morning and then send it off. Still fuming about it all but at the same time feel guilty about involving the MP. I do know how stupid that sounds and I'm only sticking up for my family (and others they have done it to!) after their incompetence. I'm just not used to getting people into trouble! Will be doing it regardless though, as the advisor didn't consider us when she was reporting us for sanction or trying to catch us out!

Lifeforms I'm sorry you are going through it all too. It's not exactly a great system is it?! Hope it all goes your way.

In other news I bought myself not one but TWO bras today :T. Thank you Pooh for suggesting Debenhams, they do lots of bras for big boobied ladies and I got mine for just £10 each . They will more than do for now, didn't want to spend too much as I'm hoping to need more soon if I continue losing weight.

Haven't done the debt calculation for this month yet but will do so asap. That is, after all, what this diary is supposed to be about! Xx

beanielou

Don't feel bad on keeping your MP in the loop.
That is their job & they need to know what is going on.

Lifeforms

Agreed with what beanielou said above. They are there, voted in by each area, to represent, and help their constituency.
Most of them are more than happy to take on a case of neglect through and frankly they have weight to their letters and contact.

The thing they've done to me is issue the first medical appointment to newcastle (a 3.5 hr bus journey each way), despite being a place in my home town for them. Cancel, to be auto issued another one, and told I would need to keep calling back to get an appointment for where I live. 4 newcastle appointments later, and they still haven't issued me a local one, so on the last time I cancel yet another newcastle one (which are all auto computer generated and "can't be stopped") they told me they found a local one, which I had to go to in 3 days notice as I'd already missed too many and was heading for a sanction -.-.

I asked for it to be recorded so they cancelled the first for another one that magically turned up a week and a bit later (that supposedly had no availability)


I digress but get the MP involved, even in the light of day you still feel bad about it. They're there to help us, so take advantage of it, and if nothing else, the incompetencies of the system is logged, and brought up later often in parliament as a fight against it. Until their constituencies tell them it doesn't work as intended, they don't know.

I think when the brain is involved and there is no cover all, and despite what our own medical doctors say, they have a list to follow and often this list doesn't match up with the real life of having brain issues and injuries.

*Robin*

please-let-me-be-lucky wrote: »

You lot are awesome, thank you all so much! I've typed a letter of complaint, CC'ing our MP. I'm going to read it with fresh eyes in the morning and then send it off. Still fuming about it all but at the same time feel guilty about involving the MP. I do know how stupid that sounds and I'm only sticking up for my family (and others they have done it to!) after their incompetence. I'm just not used to getting people into trouble! Will be doing it regardless though, as the advisor didn't consider us when she was reporting us for sanction or trying to catch us out!

Don't feel guilty about CCing your MP. It is his/her job to support you and use their clout to correct an unjust or corrupt system. But in order to do that, he/she must be told what has happened.

Incidentally, earlier you wrote that DH's incapacity is simply recorded as 'motorbike accident'. Presumably you have tried to get that description altered, giving supporting evidence from DH's consultant?
Presumably also, your attempts failed. That's something else to alert the MP about, because it is another area where the current system needs to be changed.

PinotGrigio41

I have only just caught up on the latest debacle and I am furious on your behalf. Unbloodybelievable.:mad:

Well done on getting the letter written . I would involve as many people as I could possibly think of to highlight what is going on.

Hope you have a calmer day today xx

please-let-me-be-lucky

Thanks for picking me up and carrying me through everyone! I wish I could hug you all and tell you just how much of a support you all are.

Lifeforms, that's c@rp. I hate the whole "computer says no" attitude and you are spot on that brain injuries can be so vast and unique it doesn't fit their 'list'. Again, I hope it all goes in your favour.

Robin, the Senior Operations Manager said that it was previous advisors at fault for not recording things properly. So basically 4 human's error. I find that hard to believe, but if it is true then it's obvious their staff aren't up to scratch as we've had monthly contact with them for 18 months and the sum total of notes from all of that is "motorcycle accident"!!!. I'm not honestly sure what is currently on their systems re DH, but I have asked for my letter to be recorded which explains his issues in depth.

PG, thank you for your fury . I don't know that there is such a thing as a calm day in the lucky household, but I do feel a bit better after an outburst this morning . I've just admitted it on DF(w)'s diary but I've been feeling more and more down recently. I'm struggling to find the joy in things and it all just feels too much. Having to be entirely responsible for all 4 of us can be very draining and when stuff like this is piled on too it's hard going. I'm trying to keep upbeat but I'm feeling battle weary. I know all of us have our own battles and I feel self indulgent for saying this, but I feel a bit sorry for myself. DH and I had a bit of an argument over him lecturing me on parenting this morning and I flipped. Then he started with 'poor me' and I'm afraid I had a tantrum about how it's not all about him . Anyway, normal service has resumed!!!