Struggling with my monthly catalogue payments on ESA

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  • poppy12345
    poppy12345 Posts: 17,956 Forumite
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    Mae85 wrote: »
    Thank you for that. I am sat here realising just how much I use the internet for important things like reading homework and letters etc off the kids school websites- without that we would never know what!!!8217;s going on as there mother doesn!!!8217;t tell my OH anything!
    You don't have to justify yourself. You have had some great advise from some posters, focus on that rather than the negative ones.


    I've been in your position many times through out myself, so i know exactly what you feel like.



    Take a look at the links that Alice put up for you, and do consider starting a claim for yourself and your partner for PIP. If you do apply once you get those forms, if you need any help please just post. There's some very helpful members of the forum that have a lot of knowledge about PIP that would gladly advise you.
  • Alice_Holt
    Alice_Holt Posts: 5,949 Forumite
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    Mae85 wrote: »
    Thank you. We keep getting told to apply for pip but it!!!8217;s just so daunting. My sister has lupus and she!!!8217;s very very poorly, she also has a blood disorder which is where her blood is too thick and she can actually feel it moving around her body etc. She!!!8217;s prone to strokes and she can!!!8217;t lify her arms etc. And eventually will end up in a wheelchair. She!!!8217;s very ill yet they said she was not eligible for pip so that just made me think well if she isn!!!8217;t then what hope do we have?
    Maybe we should give it a go .

    That's why I suggest seeing if you can get help with the process.
    Obviously your local CAB will be very busy (it's a volunteer based organisation), but be patient (and politely persistent), and you should get help.

    If you are not successful you can appeal the decision (and 70% of appeals succeed).

    There also is a lot of info online (I've linked to some sites), so if you really can't get face to face help the resources are there to guide you.

    And you can always come back here (if certain poster's haven't put you off!).
    Alice Holt Forest situated some 4 miles south of Farnham forms the most northerly gateway to the South Downs National Park.
  • Mae85
    Mae85 Posts: 117 Forumite
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    Thank you. I have just gone onto a pip questionnaire thing where it gives you a rough idea of the points you could score- obviously I score 0 for things like being able to cook and get dressed etc but the other parts like communicating and going on journeys I scored high on. Both me and my partner came out with we would get the highest premium.
    Will a claim for this spark a universal credit move though? Don!!!8217;t want that lol
  • poppy12345
    poppy12345 Posts: 17,956 Forumite
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    Mae85 wrote: »
    Thank you. I have just gone onto a pip questionnaire thing where it gives you a rough idea of the points you could score- obviously I score 0 for things like being able to cook and get dressed etc but the other parts like communicating and going on journeys I scored high on. Both me and my partner came out with we would get the highest premium.
    Will a claim for this spark a universal credit move though? Don!!!8217;t want that lol
    PIP isn't part of UC so no it won't.



    Evidence will be needed to support a claim because they rarely contact anyone for this.
  • Mae85
    Mae85 Posts: 117 Forumite
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    Thank you. I know my OH would deffo be entitled to it. Not sure if they would see about myself though as I don!!!8217;t take any meds for my depression etc as I am petrified of medication and dying from it. So they may just see that as I am on no meds.
  • poppy12345
    poppy12345 Posts: 17,956 Forumite
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    edited 24 June 2018 at 8:52AM
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    Mae85 wrote: »
    Thank you. I know my OH would deffo be entitled to it. Not sure if they would see about myself though as I don!!!8217;t take any meds for my depression etc as I am petrified of medication and dying from it. So they may just see that as I am on no meds.
    Not being on medication makes no difference. PIP is all about how your conditions affect you.


    As for your partner, don't take anything for granted when it comes to PIP, there's a lot of people that should be entitled to it but get refused. This isn't saying that either of you will be refused, just make sure you send relevant evidence.



    Evidence can be anything from letters from Consultants, GP, Occupational Therapist reports, Social Worker reports, written diary about how your conditions affect you, letter from someone that knows you well, recent printed list of all current medication. If you don't have medical evidence then ask your GP if they have anything in your medical records that you can use.
  • pmlindyloo
    pmlindyloo Posts: 13,049 Forumite
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    I am a bit concerned that you have received advice about PIP before and haven't managed to apply for it yet. Totally understandable when things become overwhelming.

    Would you mind telling us which large town you are close to so that we can try to find an organisation to help you? And your ages please?

    As regards lack of medical evidence for yourself then a visit to the doctor may be a good idea especially to see if there is any further help the doctor can give you. And, by the way, the doctor should not charge you for medical evidence which they already hold. This is due to the new data regs which means it is your right to access any information they hold about you. However, if you want to ask the doctor to write a letter saying why you aren't on any medication, for example, then they may charge for this.
  • poppy12345
    poppy12345 Posts: 17,956 Forumite
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    pmlindyloo wrote: »

    And, by the way, the doctor should not charge you for medical evidence which they already hold. This is due to the new data regs which means it is your right to access any information they hold about you.
    This is good to know, thanks. A lot of GPs always used to charge for copies of your own medical records. I'll edit my post.
  • Mae85
    Mae85 Posts: 117 Forumite
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    We live in Solihull, Birmingham.

    I am 32 and he is 39.
  • pmduk
    pmduk Posts: 10,655 Forumite
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    OP, I've a friend who works for one of the major mail order companies in a section that deals with people in your situation. They'll be helpful and sympathetic in helping you sort something out. I'd advise making it part of a total revamp of your finances in conjunction with Stepchange however.
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