So confused and frustrated

vicmeldrew

I had a rare disease as a child at 3yrs old, the adult prognosis was hip replacements or a wheelchair and osteoarthritis in my early 40s, iam 52and in a whole world of pain,the doc won't give me the ops cos " we need to prolong the ops as long as possible"!!!,
I was assessed by occupational therapy last year and was given a stair lift and a wet room, and advised to apply for pip ...so I did ànd was àwarded the higher rate for mobility and daily care....as I was being assessed by the doctor for the pip she was disgusted that I hadn't been put on the pip 7 yes ago when it first came out,.    Anyway I have just completed a health assessment form for esà , something that I have never had before and it is supposed to be every 3yrs this form is to be filed ...I have never had any medical for esà...I was put into the work relàted one and every 6months I see a work coach......????I I've told them iam unable to work and cànt really cope well with everyday life, but they have done nothing but give me the phone number for the Samaritans in 7 yrs.....and yet I have to attend the interview or be sanctioned, I hàve told them iam only getting worse until I have the ops at least, why oh why hasn't the job centre took the bull by the horns and put me on the support group for at least until I get the operàtions and hopefully get some sort of independence back......
Sorry for the ramble, iam alone I have no family and friends just pot smoking neighbour's, ,I try not to sleep all day but being a long term sufferer of depression and anxiety disorders ,life is sometimes overwhelming and therefore have become very reclusive..a hermit I guess.....just me and my rescue wee mutt Reggie who has become my sole companion..

Cressida

@vicmeldrew sorry to hear of your troubles. Just to let you know I have reported your duplicate threads so the mods should remove them soon. Sorry I cannot offer you any advice but I'm sure someone will come along soon. This is a great site.. 

vicmeldrew

Thank you ,it wàs saying there was a breakdown in the ISP..hey ho!!! 🤔

Cressida

vicmeldrew said:

Thank you ,it wàs saying there was a breakdown in the ISP..hey ho!!! 🤔

Yes I think there must be some sort of glitch in the system. I try and be helpful by reporting duplicates but I expect the mods think I'm a pain  

poppy123456

Hi,

For ESA you can be re-assessed anytime from 3 months. As you're in the work related activity group this does mean attending work focus interviews but these can be arranged as phone calls if you're finding attending those appointments difficult.

As you've just completed a health assessment form then expect a face to face assessment because most people have them, it's rare to have a paper based assessment. If you're unable to attend the assessment centre you can request a home assessment but you'll need a letter from your GP stating the reasons why. If you attend other appointments then this can go against you.

During the assessment you'll be asked questions about your conditions and how they affect your ability to do any type of work. Evidence should have been sent when you returned your form because they rarely contact anyone for this. The onus is on you to make sure it's sent to support your claim.

The following link is the support group descriptors. https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/employment-and-support-allowance/esa-glossary/1353-support-group-descriptors

Regulation 35 explained at the bottom of this link. https://cpag.org.uk/welfare-rights/resources/article/making-exception

vicmeldrew

The occupational therapist report was enclosed with the application as was the letter from the pip medical with the relevant points etc.....my point is , I should have been assessed 7 yrs ago and wasn't....I should have been assessed for pip and I wasn't......and every medical was done with a home visit....if iam fit for working then everyone from the docs to occupational therapist to pip medical expert to my countless GPS to the x-rays to the mountain of pills I take...it's all a lie??? Everything is done with a level of pain, not a day goes by without the pain.... nobody listens and they all contradict each other....... nobody understands not them... 

vicmeldrew

It was à mistake coming here...

poppy123456

As you're already in a group for ESA then you must have been assessed at some point in the past, it may not have been a face to face assessment but you would still have been assessed on paper.

Same for PIP, as you're claiming this then you would have been assessed, it may not have been a face to face assessment but a paper based one but you definitely would have been assessed.

I'm sorry you feel you shouldn't have come here, there was nothing bad in the advice that i gave you and i'm sorry if you felt that there was.

If it a work capability assessment you need to attend then i'm afraid you will have to attend, if you don't attend then your ESA could stop and you'll be found fit for work for failing to attend. Do you have someone that can go with you?

woodbine

Hi hope you are ok this evening? it isn't upto the job centre to put you in the support group, but next time you are assessed for ESA and they put you in the WRAG you can appeal the decision.

Sam_Alumni

vicmeldrew said:

It was à mistake coming here...

Hi @vicmeldrew
I have removed the duplicate posts, don't worry, it happens sometimes!
I'm sorry you feel it was a mistake coming here, why do you feel that way?
Is there anything we can do to help?