ESA form: can I tick 3 boxes for 1 question?

I have CFS and it's widely variable.

So for example:

1) Moving around & using steps.

Sometimes I can walk no more than 50m before needing to stop
Sometimes I can walk 200m before needing to stop.
It varies widely

So I would like to tick the 50m box, 200m box, and the 'It varies' box and then explain how and why it varies.

If I do this will I get penalised for ticking more than one box?

Many thanks.

HI and Welcome to the forum, you might want to have a look at the following FAQ which explains where everything is

Welcome to Benefits and Work

I would suggest that it is better to leave the tick boxes blank rather than tick multiple options. If you tick more than one box, you run the risk of only the lowest scoring option being considered.

I think it would be better to leave the boxes blank, write something like 'none of the options apply to me. Please see additional sheet x for further information' and then explain your limitations in detail.

Our ESA guide explains how to deal with fluctuating conditions.

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/help-for-claimants/esa1

May I suggest that you bookmark/favourite this on your web browser now so that you can find it easily in future? This will allow you to return with further questions or comments about your ESA without having to start a new topic each time. We ask members to keep everything relating to the same claim in one topic as it helps us enormously - and I hope you will find it useful too

Thanks so much for your reply, that's really helpful.

I have already downloaded your guides, which have been amazing. I wrote my answers based on your advice.

When I come to ticking the actual boxes on the form - I wasn't sure whether if you tick 'it varies' they will actually consider the information in your answer and score points on it. Or just ignore it.

Hi thanks that's really helpful.

I have answered the questions using your guides, they've been amazing.

I just wasn't sure when I was filling out the actual whether if you tick 'it varies' they will actually score you on your answer or just ignore it.

Thank you very much.

I was concerned about using 'it varies' because I've no idea how they allocate points and how carefully they'd read the answers.



I used your guide and found it very helpful.

On that form I ticked