Hi all,
Following the face-to-face WCA I had just over 2
weeks ago, the decision was made today to put me in the LCW group. 2
hours before it was made, someone from the decision making team called me to
confirm a few things.
To be honest I did prepare for the face-to-face
WCA but I did not prepare enough. I understood
this after the WCA. It was after the WCA when I had a proper look at the WCA
handbook and read all the information in it that is associated with this
particular descriptor. Once I did, it became clear that I should have been
placed in LCWRA group (based on the information in this document).
It also became clear that although I didn’t
completely mess it up, I could have done a better job proving to them that I
should be in LCWRA group based on the descriptor. For instance, when I
initially filled in the UC50 form, I stated that my aggression is FREQUENT (NOT
DAILY). BUT I did NOT mention on the form that I only leave house 2-3 times a
week and that I do also get aggressive inside the house as well, but it does
not affect anybody, because I am renting a room in a house where the other 4
rooms are empty (they haven’t been decorated yet since the landlord bought the
house recently).
So based only on the UC50 form it was totally
right from them to not place me in the LCWRA group.
However, during the face-to-face assessment I
explained why I stated in the UC50 form that the aggression is FREQUENT, NOT
DAILY (i.e. what I said above about only leaving the house 2-3 times a week and
the aggression inside the house not affecting anyone but me). So, although
there is some inconsistency between the UC50 form and what I said in
face-to-face WCA, I explained the reason for it. I also explained it to the
person that called me today.
Also, during the face-to-face assessment the
nurse did very little to find out about the aggression. She literally asked me
for just one example, and I had to provide the other ones without being asked
to do so (kind of pushing them in, in a way).
After I finally had a proper look at the WCA
Handbook (after the assessment), 2 things became clear:
1) The assessor did not do her job properly. For instance, she was supposed
to find out about the history and frequency of the aggression episodes (says it
in the Handbook). She absolutely did NOT bother doing that.
2) I should have been placed in LCWRA group. All the things associated with
the descriptor that are written in the document are applicable to me (such as
aggression having to be the result of underlying health condition, which in my
case is severe depression that causes severe insomnia, that makes me behave
that way). I was never like that before the mental health problems started.
So both me and the assessor could have done a
better job. I mentioned it to the person who called today before decision was
made.
I know the success rate of Mandatory
Reconsiderations is quite low, but I am convinced that it is irrelevant if you
know the truth is on your side. Or at least it should be irrelevant (in an
ideal world).
Also, I just wanted to mention, I am not some
sort of crazy idiot/bully who walks around the streets looking for trouble.
This is absolutely not the case. But when I get even a slightest provocation
(for example someone clearly looking at me for more than a few seconds), things
go out of control. It always leads to the other person walking away because
they realize they should not be trying to deal with me or if they don’t walk
away it leads to fighting. I have
received some good beatings myself due to the fighting. I mentioned this to the
assessor and the person who called today as well.
Just a few more things to mention. I did
mention to the assessor that I do not threaten women for example. They do get
insulted by me when I feel like they deserve it and they do get encouraged by
me to call their partner to sort things out, but I do not threaten or touch
women, it is embedded in me, it is the way I was brought up. I also mentioned
to the assessor that although I am not proud of it, in the sense that it does
not make me feel better or worse, the episodes are uncontrollable.
Also, in the Handbook, it gives examples of specific
illnesses that can cause such behaviour, but it does not say anywhere that you
have to have that specific illness.
I have requested a mandatory reconsideration
via journal and I would appreciate if someone could give me some advice on how
best to approach it. Is there anyone here in LCWRA group based on this
descriptor?
I would really appreciate if people wouldn’t
judge me, I may sound extremely nasty, but as I said I haven’t always been like
this. Several major things have happened in my life that have made me a broken
depressed person. I am not going to say what exactly happened, as I don’t want
even a single person to feel sorry for me either, it only makes things worse
for me…
I do realize that it is a long read, but without
providing any details I would not get much advice… Also I may have repeated few
things twice in the text, it is not easy to focus when you get such poor sleep
on a daily basis. And in terms of the sleep, just to give an idea of how bad it
is, Zopiclone 7.5 mg does not work for me at all. So I have even stopped asking
for it. It did in the past. And it’s not because I have built tolerance to it,
I have had very long breaks from it when I was occasionally taking it before…
Anyway, I am going to use all my common sense to try to be placed in the LCWRA group, but if someone could give some specific hints, it would be very appreciated.
I hope DWP are not expecting aggressive people to be walking around the streets attacking everyone they see for this descriptor to be applicable to them, as clearly such people wouldn't be claiming benefits (unless it was possible from a prison cell or coffin).
