Hi, my name is Amberpearl! Waiting for a dwp health assessment

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  • Sue_Alumni
    Sue_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 484 Empowering
    Good morning @Amberpearl,
     
    I am sorry that you are still waiting for a date for your health assessment.  Unfortunately, there are widespread delays in people being given assessments and it is not possible to say categorically how long you will need to wait but some community members may have more information about this than me.  

    You did mention previously that you are on UC.  If so your rent is normally covered in the housing costs element of UC and not by housing benefit- is this happening in your case ?

    It sounds as if your work coach is being understanding up to a point. It sounds as if you may need to help her understand why you are unable to accept a work commitment which requires you to work from home. You will need to explain how your health conditions prevent you from doing this. 

    It may be worth considering whether to apply for PIP 

    How to claim PIP - Citizens Advice

    Check how to fill in your claim form - Citizens Advice

    You will see that that you can score points for needing help, support or prompting , even if you don't actually get that help, to carry out various activities.  The online community is very supportive and can talk you through any further information you need and your local Citizens Advice may be able to help you with the form itself. 



  • Amberpearl
    Amberpearl Online Community Member Posts: 2,201 Championing
    My health assessment is this Friday at 2pm. I'm. Terrified. I can move ok and get dressed and cook fine. So will score zero points in that category 

    It's the bladder issues, ptsd anxiety that affects me the most 
  • Sue_Alumni
    Sue_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 484 Empowering
    Those sound like PIP activities to me ? Is your health assessment for PIP or for work capability ? 
  • Amberpearl
    Amberpearl Online Community Member Posts: 2,201 Championing
    the form i filled in for work capability form     i also have been diagnosed with oeseoarthritis in my hands   
    i have stenoisis of the liver  blocked bile duct and i keep getting gall bladder attacks so i have to be careful what i eat
    i wake up several times a night due to overactive bladder and nightmares too  

    i just dont knwo how to explain all my condtions to the assessor properly ,  i cant function most of the time due to not sleeping and i cant go outside as i always need the toilet and get panic attacks    even now im panicking how i will get there    will dwp cover taxi costs    i cannot get the bus    its too much for my anxiery

  • Amberpearl
    Amberpearl Online Community Member Posts: 2,201 Championing
    is there a difference between pip and the work capability form i filled in
    all i know is im not up to working   im not lying    how can i convince  stranger of this
  • Amberpearl
    Amberpearl Online Community Member Posts: 2,201 Championing
    Sue_Scope said:
    Good morning @Amberpearl,
     
    I am sorry that you are still waiting for a date for your health assessment.  Unfortunately, there are widespread delays in people being given assessments and it is not possible to say categorically how long you will need to wait but some community members may have more information about this than me.  

    You did mention previously that you are on UC.  If so your rent is normally covered in the housing costs element of UC and not by housing benefit- is this happening in your case ?

    It sounds as if your work coach is being understanding up to a point. It sounds as if you may need to help her understand why you are unable to accept a work commitment which requires you to work from home. You will need to explain how your health conditions prevent you from doing this. 

    It may be worth considering whether to apply for PIP 

    How to claim PIP - Citizens Advice

    Check how to fill in your claim form - Citizens Advice

    You will see that that you can score points for needing help, support or prompting , even if you don't actually get that help, to carry out various activities.  The online community is very supportive and can talk you through any further information you need and your local Citizens Advice may be able to help you with the form itself. 


    yes my rent is paid through the housing element

    how do i apply for pip     this assement im having on friday what is it for exaclty    to prove im unable to work to due my health issues?  whats the difference in esa and pip?  do you get one or both 

  • Sue_Alumni
    Sue_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 484 Empowering
    Hi

    Did you keep a  copy of the form you filled in.  If you didn't here is information in respect of the various activities that the assessor will ask you about in the assessment.

    Work Capability Assessment | Disability charity Scope UK
    The questions are different from the PIP form and will be geared to how you can cope in a workplace situation both physically and mentally.  You will need to be ready to give examples of how you have difficulty concentrating and dialing with  other people.  How does your PTSD affect you ?  What happens when you have a panic attack ?  The DWP will also consider whether you should be assessed as having limited capability for a work related activity and I have set out below more information about this

    How to prepare for your Universal Credit Work Capability Assessment : Mental Health & Money Advice (mentalhealthandmoneyadvice.org)

    I understand that you will be reimbursed normal travel costs such as bus fares and train fares provided you provide receipts.  If you need to travel by taxi you will have to explain why, due to your health conditions, you can't travel on public transport. 


  • Amberpearl
    Amberpearl Online Community Member Posts: 2,201 Championing
    No I don't have a copy of the form 
    It affects my daily life as I cabt go out or function
    I get heart palpitations and sweat and shake 
  • Sue_Alumni
    Sue_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 484 Empowering
    Hi
    Try and have a look through the information I gave links to and that will give you an idea of the sort of questions the assessor may ask.  I should have also mentioned that if you do need a taxi you will need to get the DWP to approve it first if you want to claim the cost back.  Good luck for Friday and do let us know how you get on. 
    Take care 
  • Amberpearl
    Amberpearl Online Community Member Posts: 2,201 Championing
    Thank you 
  • Amberpearl
    Amberpearl Online Community Member Posts: 2,201 Championing
    my assessment is tomorrow     im nervous
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    i can do all the above
    its my ptsd anxiety and constant trips to the loo that keep me up all night   nightmares  fear of noise and leaving the house fills me with dread

    Descriptor 12 or 13 could potentially apply to you. There's also substantial risk, which can often apply to those with mental health. It means that there would be a substantial risk to yourself or others if you were found not to have LCWRA. You can see information here regarding this. https://wcainfo.net/issues/substantial-risk-lcwra

  • Amberpearl
    Amberpearl Online Community Member Posts: 2,201 Championing
    im worried  as i found this article on fb re the assessors


  • Tori_Scope
    Tori_Scope Scope Posts: 12,464 Championing
    Best wishes for today @Amberpearl :) Let us know how you get on!

    What did the article say? There's unfortunately quite a lot of misinformation about assessors that floats about, so try not to let it worry you too much. 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    edited June 2022
    im worried  as i found this article on fb re the assessors



    First thing you should do is stop reading things on the internet because it's not going to help you. FB is the worst place to be and even worse still if you're on FB groups and you're reading stories where other have had assessments like this. There's a lot of misinformation coming from those sort of groups.
  • Sue_Alumni
    Sue_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 484 Empowering
    Hi @Amberpearl I've been thinking about you and how you got on at the assessment on Friday as you were so worried about it. Please let us chow how you got on - if you would like to, of course. 
  • Amberpearl
    Amberpearl Online Community Member Posts: 2,201 Championing

    my daughter took me and i went in myself  it was up steps    i was 15 minutes early    i had to show my id
    i was told to sit down   only me there

    after half an hour and 2 trips to the loo i was anxious   lady at desk says the practioner was running late  by 30 mins  and i could go outside or to the cafe for  drink    no way could i do that   no money and to anxious   so i waited    finally a lasy came to collect my file    1o mins later she called me in

    whats odd is the previous customer who was what was keeping me waiting 1 hour after my 2pm time  i never saw leave   very odd

    i was asked to sit down   i said straight away my daughter brought me     she went through everything id put on my form    was ages asking me about my bladder and incontincence more than any other health issue     half way through my assessment she got up and said she needed to speak to a senoir collegue   left door open and was gone 15 mins   odd
    i kept sayimg im hot and nervous  got a headache     she asked to see my meds and what they  called  even though answers were on my form
    she kept asking me about gyny issues i had over 25 years ago and can i tell her each dates each treatment was and where   well no exactly  odd thing to ask me
    then she asked me  how did you get here today       i already told her when i first walked into the room

    i repeated my daughter and shes waiting outside   then she said how long was the  journey   i said not sure    she said ok    odd thing to ask
    i found the whole experience   odd  like an interrogation  like she didnt believe me

    by the time i came out its was 4 20pm     i arrived at 1 45pm

    she said she will send her findings to dwp and a decision maker will be in touch

    i dveleoped a migraine and was ill rest of the day
    it was stressful

    what do you make of it?

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    During the assessment it's perfectly normal for them to ask about your daily life. The medication you take, what you do during the day etc.
    They also often ask how you got to the assessment. For example, if in the form you said you don't use public transport because of your mental health and you got to the assessment by using public transport.
    Once a decision's been made you will receive the letter onto your journal, which can take anything up to 12 weeks. Though some have a decision as quickly as a week or less.
  • Amberpearl
    Amberpearl Online Community Member Posts: 2,201 Championing
    yes it was scary
  • Amberpearl
    Amberpearl Online Community Member Posts: 2,201 Championing
    i felt like they didnt beleive me    yes she asked me about my day to day life

    now i wait
    i assumed a letter in the post

    do i have to tell my work coach what happened at the assessment?