Effect Of Shopping On Descriptors

Hello,
In my medical report ( zero points scored ), it was mentioned that I shop at the supermarket, and that I put items in the trolley myself. I am unsure whether I said that I place items myself, or whether it has been assumed. The items are light ( pack of muffins, bread rolls, etc ). Anything heavy, I ask for help.

How does this square with the 'picking up' and 'reaching' descriptors? I suffer with CFS/ME. On a really bad day, I cannot lift or move a 1-pint carton of milk. On a bad day, I may be able to slide/move a 2-pint carton. I cannot do either of these actions repeatedly.

Yet, the view is taken that because I shop ( I live alone, and have no-one to do it for me ) then I can reach and lift. Never mind the fact that, after shopping, I am good for nothing during the rest of the day.

As I comb my hair and shower, I am supposed to be able to reach. Combing is a once-a-day activity; showering, a once-a-week at best activity.

It seems to me that you are penalised for living alone , and having no-one else to do things for you. The fact that you struggle to do said activities seems to count against you.

Forgive me if my question seems a bit of a rant, it is just so frustrating.

YoursTruly wrote:

Hello,
In my medical report ( zero points scored ), it was mentioned that I shop at the supermarket, and that I put items in the trolley myself. I am unsure whether I said that I place items myself, or whether it has been assumed. The items are light ( pack of muffins, bread rolls, etc ). Anything heavy, I ask for help.

How does this square with the 'picking up' and 'reaching' descriptors? I suffer with CFS/ME. On a really bad day, I cannot lift or move a 1-pint carton of milk. On a bad day, I may be able to slide/move a 2-pint carton. I cannot do either of these actions repeatedly.

Yet, the view is taken that because I shop ( I live alone, and have no-one to do it for me ) then I can reach and lift. Never mind the fact that, after shopping, I am good for nothing during the rest of the day.

As I comb my hair and shower, I am supposed to be able to reach. Combing is a once-a-day activity; showering, a once-a-week at best activity.

It seems to me that you are penalised for living alone , and having no-one else to do things for you. The fact that you struggle to do said activities seems to count against you.

Forgive me if my question seems a bit of a rant, it is just so frustrating.

Hi YT,

If you read through our :

Employment and Support Allowance claims on physical health grounds: a guide to the work capability assessment. Updated June2012
This is a fully comprehensive guide to the assessment procedure for the work-related activity group and the support group on physical grounds. (70 pages)


Assessible from here :

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

&

DWP Resources
WCA Handbook July 2012

Further down the same page, you will see that many "Assumptions" are made by the fact that a claimant shops at the supermarket.

I do understand your predicament in living alone though, and having to deal with your limitations.

bro58

Hi YT,

I also live alone and i think i was also penalised for it, the mind boggles with these people.

Chrissy V

Hello Gordon,
I scored zero points at the medical, despite my mobilising being severely limited. I was having to stop every two or three steps, and was extremely fatigued. Yet, the hcp stated, in the report, that my walking was normal. I could lift my arms to shoulder height, but no further.

When I arrived home, it was all I could to to go to bed for the rest of the day, exhausted and aching all over.

In the report, there were several misinterpretations, misunderstandings and errors.

In my ESA50, I stated that, while on a good day, I could do some things, I could not repeat them without fatigue causing me to stop, e.g. getting up and down from a chair.

In the past, I qualified for Mobility Allowance, before the introduction of DLA. I subsequently lost DLA ( HRM & LRC ) when an EMP [Mod edit] on the report; in my naivety I signed the report without reading it when he 'read it back' to me. My only witness was unavailable at the appeal, due to being an inpatient in hospital at the time.

YT

Hi Chrissy,
It doesn't seem to occur to them that, living alone, we have no choice but to struggle on ourselves. If I don't shop, I don't eat, and starve. If I don't stick a couple of fish fingers in the oven, or make a sandwich, I starve. Yet, making a sandwich counted against me in the medical.

I always believed that the truth and common sense would prevail, but on past experiences, it does not.

YT