wrag group, appeal, jobcentre

zoominatorone

CharlieBilly wrote: »

I am going through same thing and CAB said I must attend. I can see me being so stressed when I do go to job centre and probably have a panic attack

I have issues with social interaction, anxiety, and depression and this decision to get me off IB on to ESA WRG rather than ESA SG is making me even more ill, I just been to casualty tonight as a result of the stress, my blood pressure is high and chest is hurting along with stomach tight

Its no fair going though this when one is only going to get worse. I feel they just want rid of those who are genuine ill, I been ill since 1997 with plenty of letters from my GP confirming this and social avoidance

Saturday night casualty would have been hard work with all the loud drunks staggering about with your problems with social avoidance.

CharlieBilly

I just said casualty rather than actually say it was a out of office GP based in the hospital. I didnt have to wait it was an appointment at 9pm

Judging by your tone I assume you are a troll life is hard as it is not that you probably believe me which frankly I dont give a stuff, I have written proof and some of it is quite lengthy and in detail no just a 5 minute look by a gp but a expert on anxiety and stress

zoominatorone wrote: »

Saturday night casualty would have been hard work with all the loud drunks staggering about with your problems with social avoidance.

zoominatorone

CharlieBilly wrote: »

I just said casualty rather than actually say it was a out of office GP based in the hospital. I didnt have to wait it was an appointment at 9pm

Judging by your tone I assume you are a troll life is hard as it is not that you probably believe me which frankly I dont give a stuff, I have written proof and some of it is quite lengthy and in detail no just a 5 minute look by a gp but a expert on anxiety and stress

My tone? Goodness me, are people not allowed to comment on anything?

dazza-mac

CharlieBilly wrote: »

I am going through same thing and CAB said I must attend. I can see me being so stressed when I do go to job centre and probably have a panic attack

I have issues with social interaction, anxiety, and depression and this decision to get me off IB on to ESA WRG rather than ESA SG is making me even more ill, I just been to casualty tonight as a result of the stress, my blood pressure is high and chest is hurting along with stomach tight

Its no fair going though this when one is only going to get worse. I feel they just want rid of those who are genuine ill, I been ill since 1997 with plenty of letters from my GP confirming this and social avoidance

I know just how you feel. When I went to the Jobcentre (it didn't say on the letter for a 'work focued interview' it said 'personal advisor interview' -- but I think it must've been the same thing). Anyway, it was all open forum and the waiting area was in the middle. I felt very conspicious and every time I got up coz of the coccyx pain, I felt as though everyone was watching me. Then I spotted the cctv cameras and became extremely paranoid! When I saw the lady I became very upset and said that I'm terrified to move in case you think it's for 'effect'. So I spent the time fidgeting, which is futile as I'm simply moving from one painful position to another.

I decided I was going to say as little as possible about my health as she was not medically qualified and since it was an open forum and everybody could hear my business. Even if the staff treat everything in confidence it doesn't alter the fact that it was not everyone's business - plus it wasn't just staff who could hear, but my fellow 'customers'. but by the end I was that stressed I ended up like the Town Cryer! I think I gave her everything except my blood group

She even asked me if I owned my house! I didn't want to go into too much detail about my health but felt that I had to in my attempt to make her realise I was genuinely in pain. It ended up where I have to see an 'outreach' worker in relation to - it varied from doing computer courses and advice on pain relief....! What are they going to do when the pain clinic, doctors etc do very little?

I was told this'll be classed as work related activity. I was so stressed by this time I forgot to say that I would have to have an afternoon appointment and now I'm stressing that it's going to be at the crack of sparrow. I'm also worried that I may not be well on the day. They don't seem to realise that doing all this jumping through hoops is bad enough if you're fit, but when you're ill and in pain it just seems to be like climbing a mountain.

There was no privacy whatsoever, and quite frankly I'm sure that half the stuff I was asked should not be asked in an open environment. I mean, asking me about my house and if I own it, may well be her business (?) but no-one else should've been aware of my situation. Also, various financial things were asked too.

I feel constantly ill with worry and I'm terrified that I may be sanctioned if I don't attend any interviews due to my health being particularly bad on the day. As rogerblack say,you then have to go through all the palaver of fighting any sanctions

rogerblack

dazza-mac wrote: »

I decided I was going to say as little as possible about my health as she was not medically qualified and since it was an open forum and everybody could hear my business.

Unfortunately, this can give a misleading impression.
The advisers are certainly not medically qualified, but they are (should be) reasonable people who are trying to make decisions that will get you into work.
If you play down the problems, or don't mention them, you're likely to get inappropriate activity assigned.

I don't know what else you can do in the situation other than perhaps request that the interview is held in private, as you feel uncomfortable discussing things in public.

You may find a _short_ (half page tops) letter explaining your medical condition and how it affects you useful to present to them, and ask they read it.

dazza-mac

rogerblack wrote: »

You may find a _short_ (half page tops) letter explaining your medical condition and how it affects you useful to present to them, and ask they read it.

That's what I was going to do, but unfortunately on the day I completely forgot and didn't have time.

My worry is that by attending these work related activities, this may just be a ploy for them to then be able to argue that they placed me in the correct group, even if I went whilst feeling ill and fearful of losing benefit and then have the plaver that would follow.

I'm afraid to ring up on the day and cancel if I feel rotten in case they don't accept that

dazza-mac

rogerblack wrote: »

Unfortunately, this can give a misleading impression.
The advisers are certainly not medically qualified, but they are (should be) reasonable people who are trying to make decisions that will get you into work.
If you play down the problems, or don't mention them, you're likely to get inappropriate activity assigned.

By the end of the interview I was going into graphic detail of when I was assaulted, crying because the perpetrators got a mere fine and I got a liftetime of pain and depression, and I also was talking about the ins and outs of various operations. She knew fine well by the end that I was in a right state, but didn't defer the work related activity.

This is why I'm keen to be able to find out one way or the other whether or not I can refuse to partake until the appeal decides what group I should be in, but I can't find out anything. Even if I find out that I have to attend I can use that argument that I was unable to refuse, which is why I'd be trying to attend whenever I was told to

rogerblack

dazza-mac wrote: »

By the end of the interview I was going into graphic detail of when I was assaulted, crying because the perpetrators got a mere fine and I got a liftetime of pain and depression, and I also was talking about the ins and outs of various operations. She knew fine well by the end that I was in a right state, but didn't defer the work related activity.

This is why I'm keen to be able to find out one way or the other whether or not I can refuse to partake until the appeal decides what group I should be in, but I can't find out anything. Even if I find out that I have to attend I can use that argument that I was unable to refuse, which is why I'd be trying to attend whenever I was told to

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/dmgch53.pdf would be where the guidance would mention that someone on appeal for the support group would not be required to do a WFI.

53014 The conditions
1 referred to in DMG 53013 are that the claimant is
1. entitled to ESA or an advance award of ESA has been made (DMG 53160 et seq) and
2. not a member of the support group and
3. under the age at which a woman of the same age as the claimant attains
pensionable age (see DMG 41014) and
4. not a person who is only entitled to ESA(Cont) payable at nil rate.

The definitions of support group elsewhere do not include people who are appealing the decision.

From the legislation - http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2008/794/regulation/54/made

In most cases, appeals happen 'outside' the usual framework of the regulations.
What happens is that the regulations in force continue to apply while you appeal, but if you win an appeal, a decision that has previously been made is changed.
It's as if it was never made the other way, and you are put back into the state that you'd have been in if the decision had gone the other way.

There are specific regulations saying that assessment rate is payable for people appealing a decision they're not entitled to ESA.
There aren't regulations saying WFI/... does not apply to those appealing for entry into the support group.

dazza-mac

[QUOTE

53014 The conditions
1 referred to in DMG 53013 are that the claimant is
1. entitled to ESA or an advance award of ESA has been made (DMG 53160 et seq) and
2. not a member of the support group and
3. under the age at which a woman of the same age as the claimant attains
pensionable age (see DMG 41014) and
4. not a person who is only entitled to ESA(Cont) payable at nil rate.

The definitions of support group elsewhere do not include people who are appealing the decision.

From the legislation - http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2008/794/regulation/54/made

In most cases, appeals happen 'outside' the usual framework of the regulations.
What happens is that the regulations in force continue to apply while you appeal, but if you win an appeal, a decision that has previously been made is changed.
It's as if it was never made the other way, and you are put back into the state that you'd have been in if the decision had gone the other way.

There are specific regulations saying that assessment rate is payable for people appealing a decision they're not entitled to ESA.
There aren't regulations saying WFI/... does not apply to those appealing for entry into the support group.[/QUOTE]


I'm sorry roger, but my brain is mush. Does the above mean I have to attend the work related activity until the appeal is decided one way or another regarding the wrag or support group?

rogerblack

dazza-mac wrote: »

I'm sorry roger, but my brain is mush. Does the above mean I have to attend the work related activity until the appeal is decided one way or another regarding the wrag or support group?

Basically, yes.
There are no rules meaning you are exempt from WFIs during a period when you're appealing a decision.