Not Enough Information on ESA50

Hi all,

I submitted my ESA50 back in July. I was totally unfamiliar with what and how much detail was required by the DWP. Prior to all this I was on IB for 14 yrs and have not had a medical for 11 yrs.

I asked a WRO from ********* Housing to help me fill in the ESA50. When she came out I was extremely anxious and my wife could not be there to prompt me on the many problems I have. The WRO seemed in a hurry and she asked me to sign the esa50 and said she would fill the details in at the office.

Like a fool I assumed she would do this and send it back for me to read through and amend or add to where necessary.

I waited a couple of weeks and was thinking she should have sent it back by then. That day a brown envelope appeared on my doorstep and I thought it would contain my esa50. To my horror upon opening it I found detail of where and when my medical would be. I realised then that the WRO had sent it without me seeing it first. I rang ********* Housing and asked to speak to the WRO only to be told she was on a 2 wk break.

I then asked for a copy of my esa50 to be sent to me asap.

Upon receipt I was shocked to see how little detail she had put. My wife read it and said half of what is wrong with me was not included and where I did remember what I had said, the WRO had not even put on that on the form. This sent me into a total panic. I did not want to complain to [Mod edit - ref /i]iremoved][/i because I was in the process of trying to get joint tenancy of the property and didn't want to roch the boat so to speak.

I forgot to mention that I recieved zero points (Not suprising) from the ATOS examiner. When I tried to explain what had happened she just said " I am only interested what is on the esa50" and abruptly started firing questions at me. My appeal was accepted and I have received my appeal papers and am awaiting a date now.

The aspect I am worrying about is how can I attend an appeal and say about all the the problems I have which were not mentioned on the esa50 in the first place? Will they accept my reasons for not submitting a fuller report in the first instance. This is worrying me more than I can say and trying to manage on £67 as opposed to £150 per wk is nigh on imposible.

Any help or advise would be really appreciated.

[Edited by moderator for legal reasons, i.e removed name of housing organisation]

Hi Bullybeef

Without wishing to comment on how this situation arose, we are not able to offer a Welfare Rights Service, only general help and assistance with the B&W guides.

If you feel you are unable to properly represent yourself at tribunal you may be able to get help, but possibly not representation - see here -

Where to get advice?

B&W guides to ESA appeale are here -

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

Regards

Michael

Hi,

Just to reiterate Michael's post we cannot provide advice on individual cases.

Also, you will see that I have had to edit out the name of the Housing organisation for legal reasons. My advice would be to ask to see the WRO's supervisor and put your concerns to them, as we cannot deal with matters like this in an open forum.

Regards.

Jim