ESA and Statement of Fitness for Work (FIT Notes)

Debt_Tired

spottybutterfly wrote: »

This has me a but worried I sort of assumed we would still be entitled to free prescriptions while appealing.

Yes you are right, but I'm in bimbo. My ESA stopped on Tuesday (17th) and won't be re-initiated until I appeal against the DWP's decision in writing (submitting a FIT note). That could take weeks. In the meantime any effect my tablets have will be lost, as you need to take them over months, if not years.

spottybutterfly

Debt_Tired wrote: »

In the meantime any effect my tablets have will be lost, as you need to take them over months, if not years.

I wasn't saying you shouldn't get the prescription filed there very important. I've had depression and anxiety since I was 12 and most of that time I've been on anti-depressants. I totally understand you have to have the prescription. I wrongly assumed you could just tick the calming ESA bit even though you haven't sent the form off yet.

fogartyblue.

flight747 wrote: »

Appeal doesn't take between 6 and 12 months. It now between 2 and 4 months for the outcome of the appeal.

does it??

Well I must be living in an overworked area!

I have been working on an Attendance Allowance claim for a friend. Submitted the claim in Jan 2011, it was thrown out in March 2011, appealed in April 2011, due for Tribunal hearing 30th April 2012 - 15 months after making the claim and 12 months after lodging the appeal!!!

Debt_Tired

spottybutterfly wrote: »

I wasn't saying you shouldn't get the prescription filed there very important. I've had depression and anxiety since I was 12 and most of that time I've been on anti-depressants. I totally understand you have to have the prescription. I wrongly assumed you could just tick the calming ESA bit even though you haven't sent the form off yet.

Bit of a grey area. Claiming you're on ESA when you're technically not to secure an exemption or FREE prescriptions is illegal, and I cannot afford to take a chance.

fogartyblue.

Debt_Tired wrote: »

Bit of a grey area. Claiming you're on ESA when you're technically not to secure an exemption or FREE prescriptions is illegal, and I cannot afford to take a chance.

And they make checks on those that claim to be exempt! Any false ones and the claimant is either fined or prosecuted.

Debt_Tired

Another sleepless night. I have to acquire another sick note this week. I will be seeing my own doctor, who I have only met three or four times in 15 years. I use to see another regular doctor, but he has all but retired. Still no official letter from DWP stating that I am no longer on ESA. I visited my local Community Legal Advice centre on Friday. They are now handling my case.

Been thinking. ESA doesn't work. A lot of people who appeal against the initial ATOS assessment are having their appeal upheld. I have suffered considerably through this process. I am at breaking point and have considered suicide (again) many times since October.

Could I sue the government for the mental damage they have inflicted on me? The sleepless nights and the uncertainty? It's not about the money. I just want the courts to recognised that what they are doing is inflicting suffering on me and others like me?

Off course I will probably be back on JSA by the end of the week, but I am told that more often than not you are sanctioned for even the most minor of mishaps, like being 2 minutes late for signing on, even if it is not your fault.

chris1973

Could I sue the government for the mental damage they have inflicted on me?

I seriously doubt it!. It would open the floodgates for claims on a massive scale for the mental and financial damage they have inflicted on the entire country by their bumbling incompetence on many subjects!.

Besides, if you get stressed out as easily as you indicate, do you really think that bringing a 'test case' will do you any favours when bringing a personal action against the Government, which may drag on for years???.

Personally, i'd stick to putting all of your efforts into dealing with the more immediate matter.

coolgeo5

My last work contract ended in December 2011, I was due to sign on for contribution based JSA but as I was in a lot of pain with my arthritis I have been putting in sick notes for almost 6 months now,
can anyone tell me if I need to do this indefinitely as the doctors are all a joke these days they are all singing from the same hymm sheet now, they are all sitting there thinking they are David Cameron with the motto do not give any one a sick note get them all back to work.
There is no incapacity benefit now but years ago if you had a long term illness after 6 months of sick notes you automatically went on incapacity and no longer had to put in sick notes with all the changes, new rules and cut backs what happens these days any advice welcome as the doctors are now trying to force everyone who is long term ill to sign on at the job centre.

cit_k

flight747 wrote: »

Appeal doesn't take between 6 and 12 months. It now between 2 and 4 months for the outcome of the appeal.

Since when?

coolgeo5

I totally agree about the stigmatisation of people on benefits I am a 53 year old woman who suffers from osteo arthritis + severe asthma, I left school on the Friday + started work on the Monday I have worked all my life this is the first time I have ever had a sick note + the doctors look at you as if your the scum of the earth when you say your sick note is up + you need a new one their attitude is disgusting in fact the money I get is contribution based so it is coming from my national insurance stamp that I have worked for I think the doctors must be getting some sort of insentive for every person they get off the sick + force to sign on for work even although the person still feels ill it's disgusting.