ESA Appeal

I have M.E.

Had ESA assessment and awarded 0 points. I have appealed. Job Centre phoned this morning to say they will look at my appeal in next 2/3 weeks and if they dont agree with my reasons for questioning the 0 points then it will go to Tribunal.

What keeps coming across in conversations with DWP, with DIAL(who are helping me), with other people I know who have M.E., is that one of the most important pieces of support material for appeal is letter from GP.

My GP is unsupportive (though he agrees I am not fit for work) and has only completed a form sent to him by DIAL in the most scant terms possible i.e it is barely worth the paper it is written on for an appeal.

Are there other pieces of support material I could use to back up my appeal ? Other than GP I only have a Specialist's report from 2006 because since that time there has been no M.E./CFS service in this region.

Getting desperate

Would really welcome advice/experiences. Thanks

Hi Gordon. Do you mean so I can dig out relevant stuff myself ? I'm also concerned about what this is costing me. My GP charged £40 for the form I mentioned and then I also requested a copy of form he completes for my insurance company (which DIAL said might illustrate that there was continuity in my chronic illness and GPs belief I am not fit for work) and he charged me another £10 for that

Thanks Gordon. Yes I did look at second link re. charges. Are you recommending that accessing medical records is probably my best course of action i.e better than any other avenue ?