What future for disabled folk?

I suffered a Bilateral Cerebellar Infarction, which has left me with residual disabilites, which are now permenant.

Around 5 years ago I started to develop (CPSPS) Central post stroke pain syndrome, my right foot is a constant painful block of ice, no grip or feeling in my right hand,severe and painful pins and needles all over, when I attempt to walk, my leg heats up to an extent I feel it will explode and becomes likend to a lump of concrete, I am in constant pain.

I am on so much pain relief I wont even start to list it.

I received my medical report form this morning and it states " Client has a most considerable level of disability" " I advise that a return to work is unlikely in the longer term"

I am appealing as they have put me in the WRAG and as it stands, come next August, I wont be able to claim due to my pensions, will be off the statistics and the goverment will save a few grand, in the meantime I still wont be able to work, as I asked what future?

This is the gap between the theory and the practice where the different groups for ESA are concerned - WRAG should be for those who are deemed unlikely ever to return to work, but some people slip through the net.

Do take a look at our guides to appealing before getting your appeal started, and do look again at all the criteria for the support group.

lester wrote:

I suffered a Bilateral Cerebellar Infarction, which has left me with residual disabilites, which are now permenant.

Around 5 years ago I started to develop (CPSPS) Central post stroke pain syndrome, my right foot is a constant painful block of ice, no grip or feeling in my right hand,severe and painful pins and needles all over, when I attempt to walk, my leg heats up to an extent I feel it will explode and becomes likend to a lump of concrete, I am in constant pain.

I am on so much pain relief I wont even start to list it.

I received my medical report form this morning and it states " Client has a most considerable level of disability" " I advise that a return to work is unlikely in the longer term"

I am appealing as they have put me in the WRAG and as it stands, come next August, I wont be able to claim due to my pensions, will be off the statistics and the goverment will save a few grand, in the meantime I still wont be able to work, as I asked what future?

I also had the "return to work unlikely in the longer term" comment at the end of my last Atos medical report but was still put in the wrag plus I've just had to fill out the new ESA form ... just can't understand these people wanting to waste time and money all over again..do they not read previous notes..Mind you I have sent in a copy of the unlikely to return to work page and a previous doctors letter with the ESA form perhaps someone at Atos with a bit of sense will notice it...

This is the gap between the theory and the practice where the different groups for ESA are concerned - WRAG should be for those who are deemed unlikely ever to return to work, but some people slip through the net.

Do take a look at our guides to appealing before getting your appeal started, and do look again at all the criteria for the support group.

Hi Survivor. I am a little confused by your advise. Did you mean to say 'the support group should be for those who are deemed unlikely to ever return to work ...'?

Thanks for clarification.

Hi Lester and Tommo. I wouldn't hesitate to appeal if you or anyone else feels they meet the support group criteria either through the descriptors or exceptional circumstances.

A great deal is at stake for people - especially those who will not qualify for means-tested benefits when NI based contributions run out after a year (If the Bill is passed that is).

The 12 month rule will not apply to claimants who make it into the support group.

It is bad enough being put in a position where you have to appeal in the first place when the medical evidence is already in place, but it particularly upsets me when I hear of cases where people are being discouraged from appealing by JCP staff.

Best wishes

"Hi Survivor. I am a little confused by your advise. Did you mean to say 'the support group should be for those who are deemed unlikely to ever return to work ...'?"

It's my belief that the original concept of the division between the support group and the WRAG was that the support group was for people that weren't expected ever to work and that the WRAG was for people who could in time get back into work and therefore would benefit from work-related activity to prepare them for this. It also seems to me that that is the impression that this government and the last have given to the public in their use of statistics, with comments along the lines of people in the WRAG being able to return to work with the right help.

Thankyou Catherine for your words of encouragment, I have all the evidence of paraesthesia on my right hand side, along with a spastic right arm and leg,what do they want me to do work the wheelchair with my mouth, thank god this site is here or I fear I would just give up.