Help advice with ESA

epitome

mikee. wrote: »

Is there a difference between what they might consider a condition and anything that I put on an ESA50 or that is not on a "fit note" i,e diagnosed? The TBI or late onset of such wasn't discussed at the medical.

As far as I am aware, it has to be a recognised medical condition, that you declare on your new claim phonecall, and you send in sicknotes with it written on those. I will try to send you a PM this week or weekend.

I have to thank you Epitome as I was hoping for a response from you and I hope you aren't currently working for DWP, nevertheless if you are you must be a shining light and if you aren't anyway your selflessness with helping peons like me is admirable. The same could be said for Boris I imagine.

I'll have to PM the links to a Google Drive with the letters on I was referring to, for you to go over if you have the time, whether you do or not doesn't matter I just will do, makes no sense you trying to help when that information is readily available and could save some trouble.

My inbox is full...which is why I can't PM you right now. And you can't PM me.

epitome

mikee. wrote: »

Can anyone enlighten me as to what it means when you get £0 to live on?

That's not a death sentence?

You have to claim a benefit that you are entitled to...in order to be paid.

The law is written to disallow payments of ESA if you have failed to attend an ESA medical in the last 6 months before the claim is made.

However, If you are waiting for an ESA medical without payment the DWP allow you to claim another benefit -which you must also be eligible for- while you wait for your ESA medical.... such as JSA or Income Support. or UC(looking for work)

JSA you have to be looking for work.
IS (carer or lone parent or young student)

mikee.

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pmlindyloo

mikee

Epitome has given excellent advice but I am wondering whether you need some face to face help with this.

Have you got a CAB near you or a MIND association who could help?

At the moment it seems that if you want some money then you are either going to have to claim JSA/UC or make a new claim for ESA based on a new or worsening condition.

I am also not sure whether you have done a mandatory reconsideration for your last ESA claim and have sent evidence for this?

From your posts it seems to me that you are struggling to get your head around all this and that is why I suggested getting some face to face help.

If you can get to CAB then you need to ask them to telephone the DWP on your behalf and find out exactly what stage you are at with your latest ESA claim.

Once you know this then that claim can be sorted out with either a mandatory reconsideration or an appeal to the tribunal. Either way CAB can support you in this.

The other thing is that you need medical evidence of your problems. I understand that you do not want to go to the doctors but is there someone who would go with you and explain to the doctor your concerns? Of course you may already have sufficient evidence for your ESA claim.

It may be that your doctor will write a new fit note saying that your condition has significantly worsened which means that you could put in a new claim for ESA.

There is also something called a Safeguarding Proceedings.

http://www.cpag.org.uk/content/safeguarding-guidance-tool-practitioners

This may be something that you could mention to CAB if you felt you fitted the description.

It is extremely difficult to help someone from a forum as we do not know everything about you.

Please go and get some professional help with all this both medically and with regard to your benefits (or lack of them).

mikee.

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pmlindyloo

Do you live with your parent(s)?

Ames

The guy at CAB should have referred you to see a benefit specialist, did he suggest this?

His suggestion to claim PIP was a good one.

There might be other places to get help. Do you have a DIAL near you? They might have benefit advisors. Or if there's a charity for your condition they might be able to help you.

Is there anyone, friend or relative, who can help you get through the process of claiming? Help you to keep on top of post and paperwork and make sure you get to the medical assessment?

mikee.

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BorisThomson

If DIAL can't come to you they may be willing to help by phone. You could email the documents to them to look through. The same with MIND.

If you have email addresses for them, why not send a simple message to see what they might be able to do? Something like this:

Hello

I am having difficulty with my ESA claim and wonder if you could help me please? I have not had any payments since (date) and because of my health problems have not been able to sort this out myself. I am not able to visit you because I am housebound/ I cannot afford the bus fare (delete as appropriate). Is it possible to arrange a home visit or for you to call me please?

My health condition is (insert health condition). I can send you all my paperwork by email if this would be helpful.

If you are not able to assist me, could you recommend another organisation that might please?

Thanks very much,

Mikee

Keep your first message simple. They are very busy so need to be able to see your problem very quickly.

mikee.

Thanks Boris I will do, had to remove my posts as couldn't live with them on here... hopefully they aren't cached anywhere but never mind.

Thanks for all the help everyone.