ESA - Appeal Chances?

I wondered if I could ask the experts and fellow members some advice / guidance please.

I have been struggling for over 18 years with back pain (degenerative disc disease)- have had a discectomy and an epidural - all of which made things worse, Fibromyalgia (recently diagnosed but have suffered years) and Chronic Pain Syndrome, along with a few other niggling things but I can just about cope with them. I am on a cocktail of meds including 2 different types of morphine - I am on the max I can be due to my youngish age.


My first application for ESA I had a medical and, because I had a terrible long journey to get to the centre and had to wait nearly 2 hours to get my medical,I ended up in severe pain I could bearly walk and when I got into the medical room I fell apart - mentally because I was in excrutiating pain. The medical lasted 20 minutes and I was able to lay on the bed for the whole medical (I wasn't asked to perform any tasks). The lady seemed to believe my pain and helped me by making the process as quick as poss.

I got a letter a few weeks later explaining I was being put into the WRAG group, and a score sheet saying I scored 24 points in total. Also in the ESA85 it states in the Exceptional Circumstances "The non-functional descriptors were not considered for this case as curtailment applied. Shortly after this I got another letter from my local Job Centre inviting me to a work focused interview. I went along and due to pain etc again (I cannot sit, stand or do anything without it accellorating my pain.
The lady in the Job Centre could see my discomfort and pain and said there is no point in trying to fix me up with work or even voluntary work as she could see the amount of pain I suffer (all day every day).

I am sorry for the long story but I feel I need to give a bit of background info before I ask your advice.

My question is: Is there anyone else out there been in a similar position to me, appealed the WRAG and been successful in being placed in the Support Group?

Thank you in advance.

9Eeyore9 wrote:

I wondered if I could ask the experts and fellow members some advice / guidance please.

I have been struggling for over 18 years with back pain (degenerative disc disease)- have had a discectomy and an epidural - all of which made things worse, Fibromyalgia (recently diagnosed but have suffered years) and Chronic Pain Syndrome, along with a few other niggling things but I can just about cope with them. I am on a cocktail of meds including 2 different types of morphine - I am on the max I can be due to my youngish age.


My first application for ESA I had a medical and, because I had a terrible long journey to get to the centre and had to wait nearly 2 hours to get my medical,I ended up in severe pain I could bearly walk and when I got into the medical room I fell apart - mentally because I was in excrutiating pain. The medical lasted 20 minutes and I was able to lay on the bed for the whole medical (I wasn't asked to perform any tasks). The lady seemed to believe my pain and helped me by making the process as quick as poss.

I got a letter a few weeks later explaining I was being put into the WRAG group, and a score sheet saying I scored 24 points in total. Also in the ESA85 it states in the Exceptional Circumstances "The non-functional descriptors were not considered for this case as curtailment applied. Shortly after this I got another letter from my local Job Centre inviting me to a work focused interview. I went along and due to pain etc again (I cannot sit, stand or do anything without it accellorating my pain.
The lady in the Job Centre could see my discomfort and pain and said there is no point in trying to fix me up with work or even voluntary work as she could see the amount of pain I suffer (all day every day).

I am sorry for the long story but I feel I need to give a bit of background info before I ask your advice.

My question is: Is there anyone else out there been in a similar position to me, appealed the WRAG and been successful in being placed in the Support Group?

Thank you in advance.

Hi,

if you use the forum search facility using keywords such as 'ESA' 'WRAG' and 'appeal' (without quotation marks) you will find many members in a similar situation as well as the advice given.

Pete

9Eeyore9 wrote:

Is there anyone else out there been in a similar position to me, appealed the WRAG and been successful in being placed in the Support Group?

Sorry to her of your appalling trials.

It sounds as though you may already be out of time for an appeal (it should have been submitted within one month of your receipt of the WRAG decision letter).

I believe that late appeals are sometimes accepted, (the B & W Appeals Guide will tell you more), but don't lose any more time if you can avoid it.

Good luck!

Thank you for taking the time to read and reply. I have to have my appeal in by the end of this week.

I think I will go for it. I know there is a chance they it could go the other way and I could be left with nothing but this is what will happen in the next 6 months when my ESA ends.

Thanks again.