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rhuematoid arthritis and applying for esa

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6 years 10 months ago #188400 by blossum
hi i have been a member a while but not used the forum in years
i have rhuematoid arthritis and im in the process of applying for esa im wondering if any other members on here have rhuematoid arthritis and are applying for esa or have applied for esa and have been succsesfull
i also not sure where i can see or read any replys to my messages on this forum im still trying to find my way around this web site

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6 years 10 months ago #188457 by Gordon
Replied by Gordon on topic rhuematoid arthritis and applying for esa
blossum

Hopefully some of our members will reply.

Be aware that it is not your conditions that will be assessed but rather the limitations that result from them. Have a look at our ESA Claim guides.

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

Gordon

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems

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6 years 10 months ago #188573 by Tabbycat
Replied by Tabbycat on topic rhuematoid arthritis and applying for esa
Hi Blossum,

It depends what type of RA you have and how it affects your ability to work.

A Dr. told me there is a whole spectrum of the disease. In my case, I was dx age 6, went through school with it, and managed to work for 22 years before retiring after neurosurgery in 2002. I have an aggresive destructive form of the disease and have had lots of surgery and have chronic deformities, but every RA patient is different.

I am in SG.

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6 years 10 months ago #188755 by Caracal
Replied by Caracal on topic rhuematoid arthritis and applying for esa
I was diagnosed with RA 17 years ago and was originally on Incapacity Benefit. For ESA I filled in the form similar to how I filled in the Incap Ben form - wrong move. I was transferred to ESA WRAG without a f2f. It stated that I was unfit for work for at least 2 years. BUT it then said my mobility was probably OK for over 50 metres and therefore I was classed fit for work related activities and told to go to Job Centre and start looking for work. The Job Centre said, "No Chance of work" and no need to attend any further f2f interviews. Anyway, with help from this site, I started an Appeal, with more emphasis on my mobility. And luckily I was put into the Support Group on Mandatory Reconsideration.

The do not take any consideration of your actual illness, they just consider how it affects you. So you must emphasis every little problem that it causes you, which is what I did for my PIP, which was successful. Say how it affects your hands, shoulders, hips, knees, ankles, feet
muscles, tendons, fatigue, depression etc. For each activity explain how it affects each joint. This can take a long time and a lot of repetition to fill out the form. But if you don't say it they will assume it doesn't exist. Assume they know nothing about RA which they probably don't and explain in detail the pain, fatigue and problems that it causes you. And any other problems that you may have. Read through the information they have on this site on ESA and PIP, as it is very helpful. It mentioned a lot of things on PIP that I wouldn't have thought of including. They will also go through it all again at the f2f, so remember what you wrote. Put in any medical information that you have, which can be difficult as the Doctors don't give much out these days. I am waiting for my next ESA recall and am dreading it. So Good Luck with yours.

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6 years 10 months ago #188823 by blossum
Replied by blossum on topic rhuematoid arthritis and applying for esa
hi thanks for your reply
my rhuematoid arthritis has deformed and damaged my joints my fingers my hands my wrists my knees my ankles elbows etc etcbascially i have it in all my joints etc theres fore im restricted and limited in what i can or rather it severly affects me so i cant do much safely at all ,i need help from others lots
i have had falls ,drop items,burnt myself my dropping hot food on me i wont write all it would take up to much space on here .
i gave as much detail and examples about all my ra causes in my pip plus learning difficulties i have
i got pip at the rates i needed and wanted
some of the questions are very similar to pip so for those questions im going to give the same info with new examples as with how my ra and learning difficulties affect me
theres sadly all ways new examples to give
im feeling like a frail old lady and im not that old quite young to have ra i had it for over 9 years i think was when i got diagnosed by rhuematoid specialist,

this esa form is much more complex to understand then the pip form was
i have down loaded the esa on physical grounds and on mental health grounds which are both brillient sources of help advise
yet advise from other folk with ra thats going through esa or have been succsessfull in their esa claims is invaluable too
so thanks for any advise and replys

and please could any one tell me where i could find an updated esa1 sample copy to look at as theres this that has to be filled out too i have not put in for esa yet
but will be very soon and im just preparing to give myself the best chance possible
thanks again for any advise

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6 years 10 months ago #188825 by blossum
Replied by blossum on topic rhuematoid arthritis and applying for esa
thank you for your reply and advise
i too included lots of information about how my ra affects my joints feet ankles elbows
deformed fingers wrists knees etc etc
and was sucsessfull with pip through a friends help with pip form
some of the questions on the esa form are very misleading and i in process of preparing for putting in for esa
so any advise tips are of great help
also do you know if theres a sample copy of the esa1 form on this web site or any where else i dont want down load it or use it yet
i just want to look at it then i can show it my friend and he can help me understand the questions on the form and what evidence they asking for
thanks for advise

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