Income Support to Esa advice please

video

As the title says, I am at present on Income Support and have received an esa form to complete.

I am 54 and live in Bristol. I was a full time carer to my father who had bowel cancer, he sadly died 13 years ago. Through lifting him I experienced alot of back pain and was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my spine, hips and knees. I am in pain all the time. I also fell down last year at home and fractured a bone in my left elbow which has not fully recovered. I am left handed.

I am not receiving any treatment and I am really concerned about not having enough medical support to back up my claim. The only medical evidence that I will have is a short letter from my Gp. I have an appointment with my gp tomorrow and I know that my surgery charge about £33 for a short letter and he won't be able to put alot of information in a letter. I don't have a social worker and am not seeing a consultant. I am very pessimistic about my chances of getting this benefit.

Also when I was caring for my dad I was living in my dad's flat and when he died he left the flat to me. It is a first floor flat in a small block and up a hill with only an hourly bus service. I pay a service charge of £80 a month for which I have been receiving some money towards this in my income support. I have an overdraft which I am living in. The flat has'nt been decorated for a long time and it needs alot of work done to it to sell it.

All my family have died of cancer and I don't have anyone to help me. I did try to get an appointment with citizens advice, but in bristol you have to go to a drop in centre first and you need to get there early and unfortunately I did'nt get there in time. Also it costs me £5 in bus fares each time to go there.

Apologies this is such a long thread. I just really don't think I have any realistic chance of getting this benefit. It is really worrying and making me feel very sick.

rogerblack

Are you living in this flat?
Or do you have another property?
You're currently on IS on disability grounds, and migrating over to ESA?
I see a number of possible arguments why you might be eligible - if you cannot without severe discomfort walk, or use a manual wheelchair to move 50m (whether or not you posesss one) several times a day, that alone would entitle you to ESA.
Pain in a single arm will gain no points.

pmlindyloo

Have you tried ringing CAB in Bristol and asking if they have a Home Reach service or if they know of anyone who can help you complete your form for ESA?

From looking at their website they do seem to have a number of different locations that are part of the CAB and perhaps one of them does a Home Reach service - ie. will visit you at home.

video

Thank you Rogerblack for your reply, I am living in the flat and don't own any other properties. I can walk very slowly and it is very painflul.

Pmlindyloo, I did manage to contact one cab office that is nearer to me but they said I would have to go to the drop in service in central bristol. It is very difficult to get them on the phone as the phone line is engaged alot.

rogerblack

video wrote: »

Thank you Rogerblack for your reply, I am living in the flat and don't own any other properties. I can walk very slowly and it is very painflul.

If you can only walk with severe pain, and you cannot reasonably use a manual wheelchair (the elbow injury would of course matter for this) - then you are entitled in principle to ESA support group.

video

Thank you Rogerblack, unfortunately cab don't seem to offer a home reach service in Bristol. So I will have to try and go to the drop session again, although I shall have to get there by 9.00 am. I really do think it would help if I could get someone to help me complete this form.

Thank you for your advice and I will update you on my progress.