Which way to turn?

Hello all,
I was pensioned off my civvy job with upper limb problems and have been on IB for over a decade, I also receive a war pension @ lower rate.
I have received the and filled in ESA50 and will have my medical a week tomorrow.

Along with things going off in my personal life and this IB to ESA nightmare I have constantly been in a state of panic and drinking to the point where my wife insisted I contact "Combat Stress". I did, they have been very kind and have sent me some forms to fill in which arrived yesterday, and they also told me to see my GP asap...... Yeh right, got a GP appointment for next Wednesday, two days before my assessment, everything is last minute I just don't know what to do/ how to proceed.... any suggestions please?

Shot2Bitz

Shot2Bitz wrote:

Hello all,
I was pensioned off my civvy job with upper limb problems and have been on IB for over a decade, I also receive a war pension @ lower rate.
I have received the and filled in ESA50 and will have my medical a week tomorrow.

Along with things going off in my personal life and this IB to ESA nightmare I have constantly been in a state of panic and drinking to the point where my wife insisted I contact "Combat Stress". I did, they have been very kind and have sent me some forms to fill in which arrived yesterday, and they also told me to see my GP asap...... Yeh right, got a GP appointment for next Wednesday, two days before my assessment, everything is last minute I just don't know what to do/ how to proceed.... any suggestions please?

Shot2Bitz

Hi,

The guides accessible via the following page:

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

particularly the Understanding ESA and Transferring from IB to ESA and the guides to the work capability assessment on both mental and physical health grounds will explain what will occur at your assessment. You can take someone with you for support at your assessment.

Remember nothing is decided at the assessment. The results go forward to a DWP Decision maker who will make the decision on entitlement to ESA.

If you need help once the decision on your claim has been decided (if it is unsatisfactory) then CS will either help you directly or put you in touch with one of the other COBSEO (ex service) organisations who can help you take your case forward.

Pete

Hi all,
well I have had my medical and got the report etc, I scored the 15 points to be placed in the wrag but there are things like being diagnosed with osteophytosis in my neck since the medical, also there are factual errors about my physical problems in the report and nothing mentioned about my mental health,
I'm still waiting for a meeting with combat stress, 13/02/12, the poor people are snowed under but I'm receiving help from a local addiction group.
Being as I believe I'm unlikely to be placed in the support group is it worth appealing or sending the additional information to the decision maker to try and obtain more points?

In the same mail shot I received a letter ESA311 09/11 informing me of possible changes to my ESA and the 12 month limit, do the previous 10 years or so of IB count toward the 12months?

Thank you for your help
shot2bitz

Shot2Bitz wrote:

Hi all,
well I have had my medical and got the report etc, I scored the 15 points to be placed in the wrag but there are things like being diagnosed with osteophytosis in my neck since the medical, also there are factual errors about my physical problems in the report and nothing mentioned about my mental health,
I'm still waiting for a meeting with combat stress, 13/02/12, the poor people are snowed under but I'm receiving help from a local addiction group.
Being as I believe I'm unlikely to be placed in the support group is it worth appealing or sending the additional information to the decision maker to try and obtain more points?

In the same mail shot I received a letter ESA311 09/11 informing me of possible changes to my ESA and the 12 month limit, do the previous 10 years or so of IB count toward the 12months?

Thank you for your help
shot2bitz

Hi S2B,

You have 1 month to appeal the WRAG decision from the date of the WRAG award letter,using the GL24, which can be downloaded from the link on this page :

How to submit an appeal

It may help to decide if you may fulfill the SG Descriptors, by having a look at this :

Qualifying for the Support Group

And accessing our recently updated ESA Appeals Guide Jan 2012, from here :

ESA Guides

There are sections on ESA & Appeals in our FAQ's accessible from here :

FAQ’s

In particular, these FAQ pages may be of interest :

Is there any risk to challenging a decision?

How long do I have to appeal?

How long do I have to appeal?

Do I have to attend WFIs while I appeal?

Work Focussed Interviews, (WFI’s)

Work Programme

ESA medical – what forms to ask for?

ESA Forms

12 Month Limit for ESA(CB)

24 hour work rule for ESA(IR)

The Welfare Reform Bill 2011

Asset rule for ESA(IR)

I know it seems a lot to take in, but well worth reading.

If you have any further general questions after reading the above, please come back to the forum, here.

bro58