New style ESA claim

BrutonStreetTailor
BrutonStreetTailor Online Community Member Posts: 11 Listener
in Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

I have just submitted my claim 10 days ago, to cut a long story short I have been off all year I have no strength from abdomen to chest so am bent over, cannot sit upright at all and cannot walk .i have after months been found to have 7 hernias in my abdomen and stomach, some up to 10cm long. and am in immense pain. virtually housebound now. I submitted the claim with nearly 200 documents and tests of my medical investigations, I stated I would need disabled parking as I was issued a blue badge, and would not be able to sit for an interview and would need to lie down.Im still employed as ive been assessed by the company and been given disability protection under 2010 legislation by my companys Occupational health via HR. Ive been called up and told im having an interview with a work coach and if I dont follow whatever commitment I am going to be given my claim may be denied. Ive never heard anything so ridiculous. Ive never had to claim anything in the 40 years that Ive been working and doing the same job for the same company. What are they going to ask me ? Surely not the same 99 questions on the form as it has exhausted (me) and my wife over the last 2 weeks doing it as she has had to do most of it due to my disability. The stupid little envelope you get to send it back in, I had to use a cardboard box it was a very thick wad. I dont believe they will even look at half of it as it seems too soon to be interviewing me to of gone through what I sent thoroughly.

Comments

  • OverlyAnxious
    OverlyAnxious Online Community Member Posts: 5,040 Championing

    Hi,

    Everyone has to accept the commitments for ESA or UC. It is simply a legal requirement, irrespective of your personal circumstances.

    In your case, the commitment should only be to update them of any changes that may happen in future.

    If they have booked you a Job Centre appointment, you can request that to be changed to a telephone call if preferred.

  • BrutonStreetTailor
    BrutonStreetTailor Online Community Member Posts: 11 Listener

    Hi, thank you for answering, actually I asked for a face to face appointment, as im much better talking to people face to face, weirdly, I tend to have problems being overwhelmed on the phone answering questions rather than in person, as my job was meeting literally dozens of different people every week - up close. notwithstanding my difficulties in attending, but obviously perhaps they felt that they could'nt accommodate my requirements or did'nt want me laying all over their furniture as someone is calling me to do it over the phone. thanks.

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