ESA - *really* need some help.. [RESULTS ARE IN - PAGE 2]

Alice_Holt

Given that ESA is a benefit for those not fit for work and you didn't agree PW with the DWP in advance, you will need to be very clear at any assessment why you still qualify for ESA.

The DWP decision maker is likely, I'm afraid, to take the view that since you have been working, you have therefore demonstrated your fitness for work.

(Normally permitted work is to help you test if you are prepared for work, and is undertaken with medical and DWP approval).

I think you should prepare carefully for any future ESA assessment, and be very clear what descriptors still apply and why. You will need to explain very clearly (and expand on) the "I don't have to see anybody" point.

I would assume that since you were doing a physical job, the DWP will decide that those activities don't apply.
On the Mental & Cognitive activities, they are likely to assume that your job shows that:
a) You can learn tasks
b) You have awareness of everyday hazards.
c) Initiating and completing personal action is not a problem for you.
d) You can get about
e) Your day to day life is not made significantly more difficult by minor changes.

I think you will need to understand fully the ESA descriptors, and put a very clear case at assessment (and likely at an appeal). Google the WCA Handbook and use that to research the interpretation of the descriptors. A careful study of that may help your case.

Even if the assessor determines that " Engagement in social contact with someone unfamiliar to the claimant is always precluded due to difficulty relating to others or significant distress experienced by the individual" applies, that only gives you 9 points which is insufficient for an award.

I would caution you to expect a difficult time with the DWP and any future ESA assessments.

Jase_

Hi Alice - thanks for the honest but helpful response!


To put things into a clearer perspective - I clean a betting shop for 1 hour per night. The manager (who is luckily a friend) asked if I could go down when they finished. So night I went down at 10pm - I was an absolute mess. There were still people around so I hid any time I saw anybody and I ended up sat in my local park having a huge panic attack, and when I say "huge panic attack", I mean that in the most literal sense. I was sat in a BUSH. Where nobody could see me. Rocking back and fourth. Crying. I wanted to call 999 but I was too anxious to even do that because it would involve seeing people. I don't see anybody at work - I have a set of keys so it's just me on my own. That same night I rang him and told him I quit. Anyway, fast forward to the next day and he asks if I'd be able to go down later when there's nobody about. So I literally leave the house at 2 in the morning - extremely unsociable hours - when there's nobody about, and as I'm walking down there I'll literally scan the distance to see if anybody is walking towards me - if there is, that's it, I go into a meltdown mode. I'll run down an alley and break down, I'll run and go anywhere until this person has passed - and it's to the point where I'm wanting to lash out at anybody in my vicinity. Because my panic attacks are *so* extreme, I'm starting to blame whoever is about for me getting in that state, and I know it's irrational, but at that moment in time, when I'm in such a state, I absolutely can not help it thinking like that, so it's to the point where I'm gonna to have to stop because I'm having these thoughts every single time I go down now.



Anyway, the DWP FINALLY called me today and admitted it was a total error on my part and my payments will continue. Home visit booked for tomorrow.


EDIT: Minor changes - yeah, I don't cope. If there are changes to my day, I can't handle it. If my day isn't me getting up on a morning and literally sitting all day long on the internet looking at anxiety and depression and suicide forums, I go into meltdown mode. I have panic attacks when somebody knocks on the door - I run upstairs, cry, I get into *such* a mess. I get the same whenever something simple like the phone goes. I've had to move back in with my mother - I can't cook my own meals because I'm always so exhausted because I don't sleep. The last time I attempted it, I spilled a boiling hot pan of water on the floor which my mother walked in. My brother lives with me and I can't even see him - luckily he's at work a lot of the time but when he's in, he just knows to stay in his bedroom because I can't have anybody in my vicinity (outside of my mother) without me having a panic attack.

Cheeky_Monkey

Jase_ wrote: »

An attitude like mine? Coming from the person who goes into every thread created and acts like they know it all when very blatantly they don't?



Don't even bother responding to anything from me going forward on this forum.

I've reported your post #24 so you're unlikely to get the chance to post anything else.

By the way, I don't believe a word of your posts anyway :rotfl:

Jase_

Just received a lovely supportive message advising to ignore the awful trolls on here. God some of you are just horrendous!

marliepanda

Jase_ wrote: »

Just received a lovely supportive message advising to ignore the awful trolls on here. God some of you are just horrendous!

You need serious help, I suggest seeing your GP.

Clearly spending all day looking at forums full of dark thoughts and crying if you see a human being in person is not helpful for you.

[Deleted User]

Jase_ wrote: »

Just received a lovely supportive message advising to ignore the awful trolls on here. God some of you are just horrendous!

Sure you did

Jase_

_shel wrote: »

Sure you did

"I don't believe him so I'm just gonna insinuate that he's making it up like the troll I am!!!!11"


Yawn.

Jase_

marliepanda wrote: »

You need serious help, I suggest seeing your GP.

Clearly spending all day looking at forums full of dark thoughts and crying if you see a human being in person is not helpful for you.

Well clearly not, no. I'm in touch with IAPT, but I can't leave the house for F2F appointments so I'm currently having telephone appointments.

Jase_

An absolute lovely lady from the DWP rang me to confirm the doctor will be visiting me between 9am and 10am as she's been made aware that I can't handle major change and waiting between 9am and 3pm (as was originally planned) would be too much to handle. Very happy!

Jase_

It's all over. I've been placed in the Support Group.

After last nights random DWP payment of just over £320, I rang them first thing in the morning to ask about it. The guy on the phone asked if I'd had a WCA recently to which I replied that I had - he then checked my notes and confirmed I'd been placed in the Support Group so that money is rightfully mine and is back pay. He confirmed that as of 21/6/2018 I'd been placed in the SG and that I'd be there for (I was expecting 3-6 months) 2 YEARS. He confirmed I'll be called for absolutely no assessments before 21st June 2020 and that my new fortnightly payment will be for £254.40 (£127.15 per week - I thought SG payments were only just over £110 p/w?!)

It doesn't feel real. It's my first time going through the process so I was expecting to be thrown off benefits all-together after my home visit last month. The only information the lady who assessed me had was a letter from my GP requesting the home visit...absolutely nothing else. No psych reports, nothing. I also confirmed in the home visit that I had a part time job (5 hours per week, extremely unsociable hours worked) so I thought that would 100% be me gone from ESA.

I'm still in shock! But I'm absolutely over the moon...

I started claiming ESA on 26th September 2017 and my medical wasn't until June 2018 - shouldn't I have more back pay than £320? Or is that correct? I've been getting the standard rate all this time (£146.20 per fortnight) - I'm not sure how they work it out so any help on that front would be greatly appreciated.