Esa wca

UKTigerlily

Hi all,

I have my ESA WCA on 12th July, postponed from 1st.

I am having trouble finding someone to attend with me, and have tried: Rethink, MIND; CAB, a place called Mosaic and others.

I do have a number for a Disability Rights type of place that MIND gave me, and will call them when open, but does anyone have any other ideas?

I worry because I believe I told them that I often struggle to go to places i'm not familiar with alone (which I do), but I can't not go to the WCA and yet don't have anybody to go. Usually I just don't go to unfamiliar places, or would go with family, but in this case that isn't possible.

I will be getting a taxi to save the stress of finding it and being there on time, but don't think this counts. I also want someone there as I hear about how they don't always write down what they are told. I did ask for it to be recorded, but am still worried.

It is mental health problems that I claim for, and I am genuine but have Anxiety too and am currently with the Crisis Team anyway (who don't go to WCA assessments but may be able to if it was at my home)

Also, I wrote a letter about how it affects me, but kept to anything relevant to the claim (so not things like weight issues etc) . . . I will take it to remind myself of all I want to say, as if a good day i'd not be able to feel how it is and would say i'm not too bad etc and if a bad day there is so so much i'd forget most. Can I send it to them and hope they read it too? Would they even bother as i'm not a medical professional?

They say they contacted my GP but the GP says she had nothing and sent nothing. Nothing shows on their records as being received by *any* GP, not just mine, so I have no idea what they got from whom.

Thanks for any help x

poppy12345

UKTigerlily wrote: »

Hi all,

I have my ESA WCA on 12th July, postponed from 1st.

I am having trouble finding someone to attend with me, and have tried: Rethink, MIND; CAB, a place called Mosaic and others.

I do have a number for a Disability Rights type of place that MIND gave me, and will call them when open, but does anyone have any other ideas?

I worry because I believe I told them that I often struggle to go to places i'm not familiar with alone (which I do), but I can't not go to the WCA and yet don't have anybody to go. Usually I just don't go to unfamiliar places, or would go with family, but in this case that isn't possible.

I will be getting a taxi to save the stress of finding it and being there on time, but don't think this counts. I also want someone there as I hear about how they don't always write down what they are told. I did ask for it to be recorded, but am still worried.

It is mental health problems that I claim for, and I am genuine but have Anxiety too and am currently with the Crisis Team anyway (who don't go to WCA assessments but may be able to if it was at my home)

Also, I wrote a letter about how it affects me, but kept to anything relevant to the claim (so not things like weight issues etc) . . . I will take it to remind myself of all I want to say, as if a good day i'd not be able to feel how it is and would say i'm not too bad etc and if a bad day there is so so much i'd forget most. Can I send it to them and hope they read it too? Would they even bother as i'm not a medical professional?

They say they contacted my GP but the GP says she had nothing and sent nothing. Nothing shows on their records as being received by *any* GP, not just mine, so I have no idea what they got from whom.

Thanks for any help x

Do you have a friend who can go with you? Other than this when you say it was postponed, did they postpone it or you? If it was them and you haven't cancelled one before then you could ring them and cancel. Tell them why and ask for another appointment.

Did you send in any evidence to support your claim? relying on DWP to contact GP's and Consultants isn't a great idea because they often don't contact them. Evidence can be anything from DR's/Consultant reports, a letter from someone that knows you well. The more you send the better your chances but you really do need evidence. Goodluck.

UKTigerlily

It was me that postponed it so it's then or never

They requested evidence from my GP, and say that they have it back. The secretary says they have no record of the DWP requesting or being sent anything, and she emailed the GP who confirms that she sent nothing back to them. On top of this, the GP is a locum and the locums don't do paperwork anyway. Nobody knows what they have or from whom

I asked my Psychiatrist for a letter, and he sent one that I think was written by his secretary (from looking at my notes, not from anything he dictated?) as it is all true, but totally irrelevant to my claim (like due to weight and body image issues, she has low self esteem and is trying to sort it with exercise but struggles on a day to day basis)

I did send a 4 sides of A4 letter, explaining that I need it to be relevant and would pay privately if needed as I know he hasn't got lots of time, but haven't heard yet. He was supposed to call on Thursday but didn't, but has been off so maybe went sick

I sent a discharge letter from the crisis team from March, and am back with them again, but they say the DWP needs to contact them if they want anything. I am going to have my GP send a letter saying I am with the crisis team and why.

I sent the prescription list, and my next consultant appointment letter, and also a statement/letter from someone who knows me best and sees me most, but idk what he said

I have tried to get my ex CPN to do one, but someone said they may not look at it because she hasn't seen me since and it may not be relevant now, which is a fair point

I don't have anyone to go with me except my SIL, but she lives about 45/50 minute drive away, doesn't drive, has work and wouldn't come on the bus (2hrs roughly), plus would have my Niece who just turned 1 and is very active, and I wouldn't want SIL to hear it all as i'm very private and don't tell family much

Thanks x

Bananas123

i would just ask the taxi person, to pull right up outside.

OR ask SIL to wait / go elsewhere (if the bulding is based by shops / somewhere for the child etc ?) whilst you go in ? (i don't like family (...or anyone!) being with me either, as much harder to concentrate etc).

maybe if not too expensive / can afford, offer to pay taxi for her ?

the office i go to, has no "civilian vehicle access" outside (only busses), so they can't monitor peoples methods of arriving anyway etc

also you sound like you have alot of evidence, can just tell them your difficulty in getting someone to go with you, if no one is there, i wouldn't take it as any discrepancy in your claim etc, but obviously don't know what those guys will be thinking.

good luck!

catbiscuit

Whereabouts are you? See if you have a local mental health advocacy service, in some areas they can accompany you to the assessment.

You may already have done this but you can ring DWP in advance and ask for your taxi fare to be reimbursed if you wouldn't be able to attend on public transport if that would be too stressful for you.

UKTigerlily

Thanks all

I have tried so many places, including: CAB, Rethink; MIND, somewhere called Mosaic and around 6 or 7 more. Many can help at appeals, just not the assessment.

Taxi for Sis in Law would be around £70 return and a rush to be back in time for the big kids to come home from school, and I can't afford that plus don't know if she's working that day and want someone who can actually go in, but was a good thought

tomtontom

Who helps you with your disability needs, can they come with you? If you're claiming because you need support it makes sense to take the person that provides it.

UKTigerlily

tomtontom wrote: »

Who helps you with your disability needs, can they come with you? If you're claiming because you need support it makes sense to take the person that provides it.

My Psychiatrist, but there's no way he will come to one. Also the crisis team right now but they don't do that either. They have however now cancelled my assessment and sent my file back to the DWP (I think the DWP) to look at again, and decide if they can do a home assessment, in which case the crisis team could attend no problem