Esa

GirlFromMars_2

I hope you're asleep and not reading this, although based on the nights I've sat up crying I'd be surprised! And boy do tears make it difficult to read.

Firstly stop worrying now about the ESA50 and the assessment. The ESA50 won't arrive for weeks, and by then you'll have had plenty of time to pick the brains of the people on the forum & understand how to fill it out.

And I would be shocked if you were assessed anytime soon. A friend of mine claimed last summer, and she's still waiting patiently for a face to face assessment.

The one bonus about anxiety is that if it's ever going to show up it will show up in your medical assessment, and if it comes to it your tribunal. Along with other things I suffer from anxiety in any situation I consider to be stressful, one of the most annoying ones is that whenever I visit my GP for whatever reason as soon as he asks how I am I burst into tears, luckily he's used to this. My tribunal panels were a lot more freaked out by it, and thought they had upset me, as if, all they did was show concern & possibly said hello!

Please don't worry about anxiety showing up in your assessment, if it didn't that would be more of a problem. If you are worried about communicating everything you wish to say because you are anxious please don't be, you will be able to submit a letter along with your ESA50 form, and you can say whatever you wish to say in that.

When it comes to evidence to support an ESA claim I find the best way for me, is to write a letter to the DWP myself explaining how my illnesses affect me in relation to their descriptors. I then give this letter to my GP so that he can see what I have said, we can discuss what I have said, and he can then write a letter supporting what I have said to the DWP. My GP usually bases his own letter on my letter. GPs will usually charge you for a letter like this (Mine charges £10) but it's a good way of making sure you get to say what you want to say, and making sure that your doctor knows what you are asking with relation to supporting evidence.

I really hope you are asleep and feel a lot better in the morning. Please stop thinking you have to get everything sorted this week. You've made a great start by visiting your GP, getting a fit note and applying for ESA. The rest (including the worrying and anxiety!) can wait for another day.

See you in the morning!

Claire_MUFC

GirlFromMars wrote: »

I hope you're asleep and not reading this, although based on the nights I've sat up crying I'd be surprised! And boy do tears make it difficult to read.

Firstly stop worrying now about the ESA50 and the assessment. The ESA50 won't arrive for weeks, and by then you'll have had plenty of time to pick the brains of the people on the forum & understand how to fill it out.

And I would be shocked if you were assessed anytime soon. A friend of mine claimed last summer, and she's still waiting patiently for a face to face assessment.

The one bonus about anxiety is that if it's ever going to show up it will show up in your medical assessment, and if it comes to it your tribunal. Along with other things I suffer from anxiety in any situation I consider to be stressful, one of the most annoying ones is that whenever I visit my GP for whatever reason as soon as he asks how I am I burst into tears, luckily he's used to this. My tribunal panels were a lot more freaked out by it, and thought they had upset me, as if, all they did was show concern & possibly said hello!

Please don't worry about anxiety showing up in your assessment, if it didn't that would be more of a problem. If you are worried about communicating everything you wish to say because you are anxious please don't be, you will be able to submit a letter along with your ESA50 form, and you can say whatever you wish to say in that.

When it comes to evidence to support an ESA claim I find the best way for me, is to write a letter to the DWP myself explaining how my illnesses affect me in relation to their descriptors. I then give this letter to my GP so that he can see what I have said, we can discuss what I have said, and he can then write a letter supporting what I have said to the DWP. My GP usually bases his own letter on my letter. GPs will usually charge you for a letter like this (Mine charges £10) but it's a good way of making sure you get to say what you want to say, and making sure that your doctor knows what you are asking with relation to supporting evidence.

I really hope you are asleep and feel a lot better in the morning. Please stop thinking you have to get everything sorted this week. You've made a great start by visiting your GP, getting a fit note and applying for ESA. The rest (including the worrying and anxiety!) can wait for another day.

See you in the morning!

Thank you so much for your reply, you have made me feel a lot better I am awake, but will try and get some sleep. Listening to my dad snoring away on the other side of the landing while I am in my room in the dark, crying, worrying and stressing over everything is doing me no good

I'll take some time over the next few days to chill out a bit, maybe take my dog out and get some fresh air as most of my days have been spent in bed recently

If I write a letter over the weekend, regarding my social anxiety and depression, would you mind if I sent it to you to read over before I take it to my GP. Plenty of tome as not seeing him until 23rd Feb. I know people said don't mention certain things in there such as TV or stuff as it will go against you, I only mentioned TV in a bit of a diary entry as it was on but I couldn't concentrate on it. I was stressing as not good at writing my feelings in words and seems there's so many ways ATOS can trip you up

But yeah, if you can maybe read over my letter and give me some pointers thatwould be brill, but don't worry if not

Is there any other evidence required than a letter and GP letter ?

I have heard about the backlogs but got myself worked up that knowing my little town of Warrington it will be extremely quick or something :P Is that something that isn't worth worrying about as not likely

I think I am also stressing that if it came to a medical, not being able to get my emotions across

Suppose I need to take today and tomorrow to chill out a bit as the worrying is doing me no good at all, it's driving me crazy

GirlFromMars_2

Hope you're doing significantly better today, and hope you managed to get the dog out for walk! I'm sure the dog would appreciate that a whole lot!

You're welcome to PM me a letter, not sure I'm the best person to critique it, but I'm happy to have a look.

Before you start composing a letter you need to have a look at the Schedule 2, Schedule 3 descriptors, and as your case is more mental health related make sure you look at Regulations 29 and 35. These are literally the only things that the DWP decision maker cares about when awarding ESA (descriptors and the regulations) so these are the things that your letter should relate to.

Explain why you fit specific descriptors, and why you meet the regulations. Talk to your GP about why you meet specific descriptors and why how the regulations relate to you. And ask your GP to write a letter to the DWP supporting you.

There's plenty of information on the internet about Schedule 2/3 descriptors and the regulations 29 and 35, and you have plenty of time before and ESA50 will land on your doorstep, so plenty of time to research & think about how you meet the ESA rules.

And I very much doubt you will be called for an early assessment, even if your town is small, the assessment centre will cover a large area, and given the workload is bound to have a similar backlog to the rest of the country!

So, go play with the dog, and when you're feeling up to it have a look at those descriptors/regulations!

Claire_MUFC

Ok, now I am panicking, I've not even started CBT yet but just had the dreaded ATOS questionnaire in the post to be sent back by 27th February

Only medical evidence I will therefor have is copy of latest prescription. Photocopy of form I am sending back to CBT place for an appointment. Scan of CBT place contact details and hopefully a support letter off GP

I am screwed

nannytone_2

dont panic!
it is good if you can provide evidence with the ESA50, but it will not stop your claim if you have none!
i never provided any medical evidence at all for ESA... just the ESA50 and a medical.
since then i have been rewarded ESA without a medical .... and they have had no evidence from me whatsoever!
i presume they checked with my GP to confirm the condition i have, but can't say for sure.

GirlFromMars_2

A letter from your GP will be plenty.

Remember to explain how you fit the descriptors, and how Regulations 29 & 35 apply to you as you fill out the form. And if you don't feel you covered the descriptors and regulations adequately in the form questions write a separate letter to send with the form.

As nannytone says do not panic, and make sure you send the form back in plenty of time.