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Zarbafi

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  1. I went though offical channels and got a letter from the DWP which says that from the 20th of January routine reassessments are being deferred it doesn't give a time span but it does confirm the deferrals. However this could just perhaps apply to my area. This is on atos's own website which also says "routine" deferrals have been stopped for the time being. Again I do agree that nobody can be complacent, thinking that they will not be assessed again for 2 years as far as I can remember I haven't seen anything offical in writing about the actually time scale of the deferrals and of course any one individual person maybe referred at any time by the DWP and perhaps depending on where you live in the UK the amount of reassessment referals varies quite a bit, a postcode lottery as others suggest.
  2. I think you and the others getting reassessed but be very unlucky. As far as I can tell in general assessments after January 20th have been defered. I did read of another couple of people on another forum who had been unexplainedly reassessed after the cut off point and who were also told that referals were taking place as usual. However another poster said the first memo that the DWP sent out internally to staff apparently told staff to be vague about the deferrals. I would guess this is because the 2 year deferral length is ball park and could alter at any time. Also the DWP are perhaps randomly selectng cases to be reassesed? I have a letter here from the DWP which states that as off the 20th of January 2014 the decision was taken to temporarily defer routine assessments for those already on ESA in both groups. My reassessment was due a few months ago and currently I have had nothing from them. The deferral is well known to most of us on ESA and I am sure that if most people were still getting reassessed as normal then the various benefit sites would be swamped with people querying their reassessment, as it is only a few unlucky ones seem to be getting reassessd at present. It is very unfair and it would seem none of us can really relax and forget about the reassessment process as it make still hit anyone of us at any moment.
  3. I wonder if anyone can clarify for me, as I understand all ESA claiments who were being dealt with by ATOS if they did not have their renewal started (new ESA 50 sent out) before the 20th of January this year had their ESA reassessment automatically deferred. I believe even ATOS on its website stated that it would no longer be carrying out reassessments due after the 20th of January 2014 and that it would only be doing PIP and new claims from that point. Are the people who are saying they have been called for reassessment after the 20th of January this year definetly being processes by ATOS? Other than that I think that the DWP can still manually refer individual cases for reassessment which would then go though as usual but that for the most part people were being automatically defered for the time being. I myself am in Scotland and was due to get an ESA50 in septemeber from ATOS but I've recieved nothing so assume I have been deferred. I have not contacted ATOS or the DWP as I am aware of why I haven't heard from them. Do you think those saying they are being reassesed have either been manually referred for some reason or are not being seen by ATOS but rather another provider? It would be good if ATOS & the DWP were clear on exactly what is happening instead they insist on being vague about what they are doing which isn't helpful at all. With that in mind I do agree with the others who say keep up to date with all your record keeping etc!
  4. Well finally I have an explaination for my lack of ESA50, I've been waiting on my reassessment form dropping though the letterbox for weeks now. I figured their was some delay but it looks like I might be one of the lucky ones (touch wood) that is being taken out of the reassessment process for a time. I've been on ESA since 2012 and normally had a reassessment every 6 months like clockwork so its great not to have this hanging over me in the immediate future! Does anyone have any idea how long this deferment is likely to last, I've heard 2 years being mentioned, provided of course there is no change in your health condition anybody know if that is true? Also I am based in Scotland and have read else where that the deferment is only in England?
  5. I am currently in the ESA support group and am not due another review until next year. Prior to applying for and getting ESA I was on JSA and had been on the work programme for a few months. I have recieved a letter from my WP provider saying that as I have been on the work programme now for a maximum of 2 years I am now being referred back to the Job Centre and they are writing an Exit Report for me. I am a little confused as I believed my participation on the work programme was suspended while I was in the Support Group of ESA? Also does this mean that should I find myself back on JSA next year that I will be immediately placed on the new "tough" JCP regime to get those not helped by the work programme back to work? This sounds inappropriate for someone like myself who has been very unwell the past few years? Perhaps as I am on ESA Support that if I do return to JSA next year I will be regarded as a new claiment?
  6. I just got my esa 85 this morning, the report from my medical. I was put into the support group again for another 6 months. In my assessment I saw a nice doctor who said he was sympathetic to my condition but that the way the wca is set out made it very difficult for him but he did say his wife had the same condition as me and he knew how ill I must be. I left thinking I would not get ESA but I did and sent away for my esa 85. I was surprised to read in the report that the hcp had put down information he had gained from examining me which I don't think is true. I believe he did this to ensure I recieved esa even though I don't strictly fit the catagory. I am pleased but worry if this inaccuracy will cause problems in the future?
  7. Thanks for all the replies, its very interesting. I agree that when you are younger and of normal working age you are more likely to experiance negative comments about being on ESA. I have no idea what my neigbours think but like you Ruby they only really see me when I am well and up and about and they may assume I am working freelance again. I guess my postman knows as he delivers my letters from the DWP and ATOS but he isn't local so I doubt he tells people. Perhaps it would be braver to just admit it as Pete does, perhaps it would help the people around you to understand just how badly your illness or disability effects you and also help to counteract some of the stereotypes of claiments shown in the media, but the climate is just so hostile at present I prefer to keep this private.
  8. If people ask me what I am doing at the moment I say I am working from home self employed even though I am not, I used to work freelance so it is easy enough to fudge the truth for me. Its not my intention to decieve anyone but it feels to me like the fewer people who know your on benefits the better these days.
  9. If this is an inappropriate posting then please forgive me but I am curious, do those of you on ESA as I am tell people you get this benefit? Personally only my closest family and my boyfriend know because previous experiance has shown me that it can prejudice people against you these days and as I have an invisible and fluctuationg condition people who see me on a day when I am well might think I am playing the system especially in the current attitude to claiments of disability benefits. I am curious if other people are also wary telling others that they are on ESA or the like?
  10. I wonder is there any numbers either offical or unoffical on how successful those who have their medical recorded? It would be very interesting to know what percentage or offically recorded medicals are awarded ESA versus those not recorded. I have heard that those who made secret recordings then fail and at some point during reconsideration or appeal let on that they have a recording tend to find a reconsideration in their favour so it would be nice to know if offical recordings also lead to a more favorable outcome?
  11. Thank you I will contact them next week and ask for it to me sent out.
  12. I had my WCA at my local ATOS Medical Centre this morning. I could be wrong but it seemed to go quite well. I was told it would be some weeks before I heard anything from the DWP but as I was leaving the Doctor said that he understood how difficult it was to work with my condition and that he was very sympathetic to what I was going though as his wife also suffers with the same condition and has not always been able to work when was especially bad. Now I have heard people saying that they HCP was very nice but still failed them but last time I have a nice assessor they passed me and put me into the support group, so I am hopeful. I would like to request a copy of the ESA85 but looking online there are conflicting reports about doing so and even one story on another forum where after a request their decison was changed for the worse. I do not think a DM will have looked at my claim yet so is their any danger in requesting the ESA85 say early next week? Is there any danger of my requesting this going against me?
  13. I was thrown out a shop once for looking drunk when an attack caught me short I could hardly speak, see or walk properly and needed help but there security chucked out on the street! This is true, my fathers health has been damaged by the chemo drugs he was given but obviously the pay off is that he is still alive. The drugs I take daily and for attacks damage my heart and raise my already high stroke risk which makes me worry for the future but what can you do except try to limit attacks and get by with as little medication as you can being forced into work will only drive many of us barely coping with an illness or disability into hospital or an early grave but then perhaps that is what they want?
  14. Thank you, that has made me feel a bit better about my claim, I did use extra sheets to give as full account of my condition and how it affects me as possible and yes the diary should give them the full picture. Jabba, thank you for clearing that up about the difference between DLA and ESA that does make sense and having now looked into this womans case further I believe this case was about her DLA claim rather than ESA. I agree that what you see on this show is very simplified. I would consider apply for DLA but trying to get ESA is stressful enough, I will look further into it though. I am sorry to hear about your son losing his DLA it sounds very unfair, cruel even to take away his vital support which his doctors and specialists agree he needs, I hope that he gets a positive resolution to this as soon as possible as the stress must be awful for him and you. I agree that just filming her on that one day when she had taken all that medication to try and have a rare day out and charge her based on that seems draconian. It feels to me that the clock is being turned back and that the sick and disabled no longer have the freedom to try and live as normally as possible without having support withdrawn. The whole thing makes me very sad indeed.
  15. I quite agree that painkillers do have side effects especially if you have to use them in high doses. Unfortunately even though I suffer extreme pain with my condition I am not allowed to use opiate pain killers as these make things worse for me in the long run, there are times I do long for the relief that they provide though!
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