Assessment — Scope | Disability forum
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Assessment

Adamski
Adamski Community member Posts: 5 Listener
So if everyone has found the assessors have twisted & lied about everything.Why hasn't anyone done anything about it?
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Comments

  • wilko
    wilko Community member Posts: 2,458 Disability Gamechanger
    What have you got in mind ?? Legal action you need prove that means recording the accessment and having a copy of your application form and acesscement report for starters. Any body got any ideas, a class act maybe who would fund it ?????
  • debkenzo
    debkenzo Community member Posts: 110 Pioneering
    What we need is a Government that is powered by people who genuinely care!  
  • debkenzo
    debkenzo Community member Posts: 110 Pioneering
     I wish i had such knowledge then i would not have been so hard on my assessor after she stated many lies, inaccuracies, discrepancies and contradictions in my medical report.  If only i had the hindsight that they suffer too.  I feel quite terrible now!  If only I could have walked in her shoes then I would have had the understanding that she was struggling as well.  
  • Adamski
    Adamski Community member Posts: 5 Listener
    What are you on about,the hcp purposely missed information,got my prognosis wrong & said I could do things I obviously couldn't!
  • Adamski
    Adamski Community member Posts: 5 Listener
  • CHAT_chat2us
    CHAT_chat2us Community member Posts: 8 Connected
    Anyone can ask to take recording instruments into their Assessment but must ask for this before the day. If you are lucky the Assessor may agree but not allowed according to the DWP
  • jw0957
    jw0957 Community member Posts: 48 Connected
    Now lm worried!!!! I have an assessment tomorrow and reading this gives me even more stress about it. I can’t get around without a walking stick, have immense pain just getting out of bed. My knees creak so loudly climbing stairs it makes my stomach heave. I have included all this on my form and now worry that it’s going to be ignored, twisted or just left out completely. I suffer stress and anxiety to start with and l came into the community for reassuarance, instead my stress and anxiety levels have gone through the roof reading the above posts. I know l can appeal a negative decision, it’s happened before but it’s the fianancial difficulties that will cause my stress and anxiety to roller coast and set me back. I see a black hole of misery opening up before me. I wish ld never come here seeking reassurance!!! Such negativity can be soul destroying. ??
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,352 Disability Gamechanger
    When reading anything about assessments on any forum you'll mostly on ever read the bad and negative stories. Think about it, if someone has a decision they're happy with then they have no questions to ask, therefore they don't share their story. Lots of people claim ESA and PIP successfully without any problems at all. Lies are told in assessment reports, but at the same time you'll have the ones that speak the truth and be honest but again we'll rarely hear about them.

    Reading a forum for reassurance isn't always the best idea and you've found this out yourself this morning. Go to that assessment and be yourself, wear what you always wear and use your stick, if you always use it. If you're asked to do anything physical and it causes you pain then tell them you can't do and the reasons why. Answer those questions with as much detail as possible, if you can. Hopefully you sent evidence to support your claim because they very rarely contact anyone. Taking someone with you can often help any anxiety you have. They won't be able to answer any questions for you unless they're your appointee but the reassurance that they're there will help a little.

    Good luck.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • jw0957
    jw0957 Community member Posts: 48 Connected
    I don’t have anyone that can go with me, that in itself causes great anxiety for me. I only got the letter 2 weeks ago so it was hard to find anyone having spare time or a day off.  I didn’t have any evidence on paper regarding my condition that they don’t already have. My dr can do nothing further than pain relief or referral to physio, which in itself causes great pain and needs stronger mass (l have adverse reactions to opiates) so not much on the market will touch the severe pain. My condition has worsened since my last assessment and twice in the past l have been took off ESA and twice appealed with a positive result. This kind of treatment does nothing to ease anxiety and stress and it lead to a break down which lm still not over. My physical condition gets worse as l get older, lm nearing 62 and now suffering more with rheumatoid and osteo-arthritis. It’s just all too much too deal with along with daily routine of taking pain meds to get out of bed. Sorry for the negative post.
  • Smedley
    Smedley Community member Posts: 60 Courageous
    Not negative at all, I fully understand your situation & empathise with you as I am in an extremely similar situation myself.
    Please don't feel alone #weareoneofmany 

    I'm not knowledgeable enough to advise, but just know, I am in your corner ??
  • jw0957
    jw0957 Community member Posts: 48 Connected
    Update:
    l had an assessment on 20th August 2018. Took till 26th Sept to receive the results. I was taken off ESA and now have to apply for Universal credits. Assessor advice opinion was that alp though disabled l should qualify for A NHS Whellchair to make it easier and less painful to get about. Also that lm able to look for work. Most mornings at horrendously painful so l hope l can get a job afternoons for 16 hrs. I’m greatly concerned about my disablement benefit being taken away when l apply for Universal credits. I’m at my wits end, the appointment at local job centre this afternoon will do little to ease my distress and concerns. Being left without money for 5 weeks is a nightmare!! Any advice greatly received. TIA
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,352 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi,

    I'm sorry to hear this. Unfortunately, if they think you can self propel in wheelchair this can go against you.

    If you do apply for UC then you won't be able to go back onto ESA. Any disability premiums you were claiming on ESA will not be paid on UC.

    For your ESA you have 28 days to request the Mandatory Reconsideration. You should put this in writing stating what you disagree with and which group you think you should be placed into and your reasons why. Only 17% of MR decisions change so you may have to take it to Tribunal. If your MR decision stays the same and you haven't applied for UC once the Tribunal have accepted your appeal you'll be able to go back onto assessment rate for ESA, with a sick/fit note.

    Did you send evidence to support your claim? They rarely contact anyone and the onus is on you to make sure it's sent. Hope this helps.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • jw0957
    jw0957 Community member Posts: 48 Connected
    The self propel would cause serious fatigue to my wrist and shoulders as l have had a repair surgery on left wrist and shoulder.  Continuously propelling myself would undo the repair. I was NOT asked about my surgery and how it affects me now and only assume(rightly or wrongly) that the assessor believed my wrist and shoulders to be ok now seeing as l could lift my left arm above my head. She did not ask if l could keep it there!  Self propelled wheel chair would not make moving around less painful in this case. I will speak to advisor this afternoon about this as the advisor on the phone could not tell me a great deal about the decision. My concern about MR would be that l would get only half my benefit which will cause extreme problems paying my bills and having food. What is the likelyhood of only getting half benefit?? 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,352 Disability Gamechanger
    edited October 2018
    This is where filling out the form correctly helps. If you don't mention all of your difficulties in the form then chances are you won't be asked all of them during the assessment.

    I'm not sure what you mean by half of your benefit. Where you previously in a group, if so which group? Do you claim PIP daily living or DLA mid/high rate care? If so does anyone claim Carers allowance for looking after you?

    Assessment rate of ESA is £73.10 per week, the premiums on top are payable on assessment rate but it depends on your circumstances. You won't be paid more on UC because if you were being paid any premiums on ESA they aren't paid on UC.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • jw0957
    jw0957 Community member Posts: 48 Connected
    I have PIP at Daily living mid rate, though my daughter looks after me she does not claim any care allowance. On ESA I was in the work related group. 

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,352 Disability Gamechanger
    Seems like you were claiming the severe disability premium on top of your ESA, as your ESA has now stopped because you've been found fit for work then the SDP had also stopped. It is payable on assessment rate yes but you'll lose it completely if you apply for UC.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • jw0957
    jw0957 Community member Posts: 48 Connected
    My disability hasn't changed though, I cannot understand how assessment has found me fitter than I was previously on just one day.  having a number of things that cause my disability i.e.  osteo-arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, my daily pain level hasn't changed and as I cannot take stronger opiate pain relief I manage my pain with just co-codamol and the occasional codeine. Keeping my joints mobile is very painful but I do it so that I don't end up in a motorise or self propelled wheelchair. All this was in my statement and GP confirms my diagnosis. Im not unwilling to work BUT have found that potential employers are no really disability aware or friendly for that matter. 100's of job applications in the past, numerous courses undertaken, all goes towards us disabled feeling worthless and disheartened by the system. I have suffered depression in the past and try VERY HARD not to let this set back pull me down that dark road again. I will update when I return home after my appointment at the jobcentre this afternoon. Thank you for your input and replies. 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,352 Disability Gamechanger
    edited October 2018
    It happens to a lot of people. ESA isn't about a diagnosis, it's how those conditions affect you daily that determines your fitness to do any type of work and not the work you can't do.

    Have you applied for UC? Is this the reason for your appointment at he job centre today? Applying for UC isn't always the best decision here, as you have to wait 6 weeks before you receive any money including any housing benefit you claim, as this will be transferred to UC too.

    Asking for the MR then waiting for the decision on this maybe a better route. Even if the MR decision remains the same and most do, once the Tribunal accept your appeal then you'll be back on assessment rate for ESA. Applying for UC means you'll be losing the SDP which is £64.30 per week.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • jw0957
    jw0957 Community member Posts: 48 Connected
    Thanks Poppy, l was advised by the dss advisor who phoned me with result, to apply for UC. I didn’t want to wait and delay any payment and as of 16 sept l was not entitled to ESA. Im worried sick now as l thought the calculation of £146 was per week but that looks like it was benefit and rent, with nothing more. My god!!! I have more out going per week than that amount and that’s just for rent and council tax, house insurance and fuel bills. I’m in a state of shock ??

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,352 Disability Gamechanger
    UC standard allowance is £317.82 per month, single person. Then you have the different elements on top. If you claim housing benefit then to claim the housing element on top you'll need your tenancy agreement, without this you won't be paid this element. Then there's elements for any dependent children, if they live with you.

    You will need to look for work as part of the UC agreement. Sending in a fit/sick note from your GP may reduce the hours you'll need to look for work but this will depend on your job coach. Some will reduce them and some won't. If you don't show you're looking for work for a certain number of hours per week then you'll be sanctioned and this means less money.

    Council tax reduction isn't part of UC and needs to be claimed separately from your local council.

    DWP will always tell you to claim UC but that's not always the correct option here.


    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.

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