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ESA Medical today
12 years 1 month ago #97813 by justjenni
ESA Medical today was created by justjenni
Hi, I have a quick question which I can't find an answer to after trawling the forums. Apologies if something similar is posted elsewhere.
My question is that I was in receipt of Income Support, as I have care of my grandson at home whilst his mum is at university. He turned 5 last November. I was told at a work focused interview that my Income Support would end and I would have to apply for ESA.
I applied and was given the higher rate of ESA (with the severe disability premium) and I also receive DLA higher rate care and lower rate mobility. I have fibromyalgia and GAD and bouts of major depression, for which I have been hospitalised in the past. I am fairly heavily medicated and have many problems going out and socialising etc.
I had to go for an Atos medical today - pretty horrible experience, my mum went with me and we stood around in the snow as i couldn't face the waiting room, it was too crowded - it was running late and we had to wait outside for an hour. I finally went in, and was in there for ages, and I tried my best to answer the questions as honestly as I could. My mum said 6 other people went in and out in the time I took.
I'm really worried now as the lady in there kept telling me that I should be having some type of therapy (can't remember what it was called) that was the only way for me to improve and get better, and everyone knew that, and my doctors must have told me etc.
So my question is how or why I was put onto the higher rate of ESA (without the medical) and should I have had a medical at all - and now I have had the medical is it possible for me to lose everything? I am so worried about this, and didn't take my meds for two days because I was scared of not being awake and missing the medical
Thank you
My question is that I was in receipt of Income Support, as I have care of my grandson at home whilst his mum is at university. He turned 5 last November. I was told at a work focused interview that my Income Support would end and I would have to apply for ESA.
I applied and was given the higher rate of ESA (with the severe disability premium) and I also receive DLA higher rate care and lower rate mobility. I have fibromyalgia and GAD and bouts of major depression, for which I have been hospitalised in the past. I am fairly heavily medicated and have many problems going out and socialising etc.
I had to go for an Atos medical today - pretty horrible experience, my mum went with me and we stood around in the snow as i couldn't face the waiting room, it was too crowded - it was running late and we had to wait outside for an hour. I finally went in, and was in there for ages, and I tried my best to answer the questions as honestly as I could. My mum said 6 other people went in and out in the time I took.
I'm really worried now as the lady in there kept telling me that I should be having some type of therapy (can't remember what it was called) that was the only way for me to improve and get better, and everyone knew that, and my doctors must have told me etc.
So my question is how or why I was put onto the higher rate of ESA (without the medical) and should I have had a medical at all - and now I have had the medical is it possible for me to lose everything? I am so worried about this, and didn't take my meds for two days because I was scared of not being awake and missing the medical
Thank you
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12 years 1 month ago #97817 by slugsta
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Replied by slugsta on topic ESA Medical today
Please do not post duplicates if your post is not cleared immediately. Every post has to be read and accepted by a moderator before it apears in puiblic view, and this can sometims take a little while 
Your query is outside of my knowledge and experiece, I hope that one of the more experienced moderators will be along to help soon.
Your query is outside of my knowledge and experiece, I hope that one of the more experienced moderators will be along to help soon.
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
12 years 1 month ago #97820 by Gordon
You will have to forgive me but I am confused by your post.
Were you receiving IS due to Incapacity? or as a carer of a child under the age of 5, your post suggest the latter, this being the case, then you would have had to make a new claim for ESA.
So this is this your first assessment?
I would suspect that you are receiving the full rate of ESA, because of your financial position and not because you have qualified for the benefit.
The results of the face to face assessment will determine whether you continue to receive ESA and what grouup you will be placed in, so yes, there is a possibilty that it could be stopped.
The process is that ATOS will send a copy of the report they made to a DWP Decision Maker and they will make a Decision on your claim.
Did you complete and return an ESA50 questionaire? If so then this will also be looked at by the DM.
If you did complete an ESA50, did you send any additional information with it, letter s from your GP or anybody else that provides you with support, if you did not and get access to it quickly there may still be time to send it in.
Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Replied by Gordon on topic ESA Medical today
justjenni wrote: Hi, I have a quick question which I can't find an answer to after trawling the forums. Apologies if something similar is posted elsewhere.
My question is that I was in receipt of Income Support, as I have care of my grandson at home whilst his mum is at university. He turned 5 last November. I was told at a work focused interview that my Income Support would end and I would have to apply for ESA.
I applied and was given the higher rate of ESA (with the severe disability premium) and I also receive DLA higher rate care and lower rate mobility. I have fibromyalgia and GAD and bouts of major depression, for which I have been hospitalised in the past. I am fairly heavily medicated and have many problems going out and socialising etc.
I had to go for an Atos medical today - pretty horrible experience, my mum went with me and we stood around in the snow as i couldn't face the waiting room, it was too crowded - it was running late and we had to wait outside for an hour. I finally went in, and was in there for ages, and I tried my best to answer the questions as honestly as I could. My mum said 6 other people went in and out in the time I took.
I'm really worried now as the lady in there kept telling me that I should be having some type of therapy (can't remember what it was called) that was the only way for me to improve and get better, and everyone knew that, and my doctors must have told me etc.
So my question is how or why I was put onto the higher rate of ESA (without the medical) and should I have had a medical at all - and now I have had the medical is it possible for me to lose everything? I am so worried about this, and didn't take my meds for two days because I was scared of not being awake and missing the medical
Thank you
You will have to forgive me but I am confused by your post.
Were you receiving IS due to Incapacity? or as a carer of a child under the age of 5, your post suggest the latter, this being the case, then you would have had to make a new claim for ESA.
So this is this your first assessment?
I would suspect that you are receiving the full rate of ESA, because of your financial position and not because you have qualified for the benefit.
The results of the face to face assessment will determine whether you continue to receive ESA and what grouup you will be placed in, so yes, there is a possibilty that it could be stopped.
The process is that ATOS will send a copy of the report they made to a DWP Decision Maker and they will make a Decision on your claim.
Did you complete and return an ESA50 questionaire? If so then this will also be looked at by the DM.
If you did complete an ESA50, did you send any additional information with it, letter s from your GP or anybody else that provides you with support, if you did not and get access to it quickly there may still be time to send it in.
Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
12 years 1 month ago #97821 by slugsta
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Replied by slugsta on topic ESA Medical today
Thanks Gordon! I spent the morning writing an ESA appeal submission for my friend and my brain is scrambled 
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
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