hi, Been on ESA Wrag, and now have another ESA50 to fill in, also been going to work programme meetings. Some concerns/worries: - what would happen if did not attend work programme meeting? can i reschedule it? - what would happen if I didnt meet the ESA50 deadline? can i get an extension date? if deadline is missed what happens? simply get another form/later date? Too much going on in my life/health, some kind of breakdown/crisis. cant make decisions. I dont know what to do. I need more time. I cant deal with esa/work programme, when i fill in ESA50 again, does my WRAG money get reduced to assessment phase rate again? i need a break. can i go away and postpone above meetings/forms? worse that can happen, sanction? or all benefits stop? thankyou

hi, if one was to sell some old clothes on ebay, would the income have to be reported to jobcentre etc, in regards to JSA or ESA or DLA, housing benefit. thankyou once recieved cold weather payments, and when i reported, jobcenter said no need to as its one off small payment, not a change in income. Similar situation to above?

hi after an atos medical I have been awarded WRAG ESA, and found to have Limited capability for work. I thought there would be another medical called Limited Capability for work related activity. But ive been given a Personal Advisor Interview and been told i dont have LCWRA. Can someone please clarify. Maybe the LCWRA test was done in my atos medical? I did a basic arms and leg moving test. Also i was not told about my scoring on atos medical. Just a letter saying ive been put in wrag. Should I ask jobcentre for my medical report, for my records? Ive done a number of medicals and appeals, and finally been awarded ESA. Im pleased with the outcome. Just not sure if i need to do anything now and checking all is correct. Also should i ask for a written statement of reasons? I dont want to appeal or have them reconsider, im just thinking maybe i should get as much info from them for my own records. Or will they reconsider automatically if you ask them for statement of reasons? What can i expect at the Personal Advisor Interview? Also the arrears of backdated ESA. Would this directly affect Housing benefit and council tax benefit? The esa arrears will have deductions for above? If so, seems the added esa wrag £ component, although good news, will be used to offset some housing benefit reduction...? not sure. complicated, not sure how better off or worse off i am, after this WRAG £. And DLA, would that push housing benefit / council tax benefit down? thankyou for any help given.

hi, been awarded DLA, lower rate care, dont know whether to appeal or not. What are my chances of getting Middle Rate Care? My GP report says she needs freq attention throughout day in connection with bodily functions. That is relating to middle rate care i think. What is the process of appeal? Just based on paperwork, or a similar medical like atos kind? Would LRC stop whilst appeal is in process, or LRC would continue? If they decide no DLA/LRC is awarded, they will ask for money back? I hear an appeal could cause the LRC award to be revised to nothing, so thats a worst case scenario. thankyou

thanks to all here. Update, complained to DWP, received letter pretty much saying nothing is wrong and its standard procedure, not sure whether to take next stage for complaint now, whether worth it or not. MP is contacting jobcentre on my behalf. Wrote to tribunal, they replied saying it was me who delayed proceedings and the appeal has been lapsed and stuck out /stopped and no longer happening and they are happy with jobcentres responses to me. Can write again to higher up judge to ask for appeal to go ahead, not sure what to do. Do i really want previous appeal to go ahead or shall i just await new medical result and follow procedure? ....eg if fail, appeal, if win ESA, accept the result. Also appealed the decision that said appeal gone in my favour, which was misleading as they just made me do medial and esa50 again with no conclusion.

thanks. Help me. Lost faith and confidance in CAB. They have been very difficult to deal with. Cab are saying continue with process of filling in new esa50 etc. Dont think theyve come across a case like this so are just saying do what jobcentre say. Tribunal are saying appeal is still going ahead. Job centre are saying its not. Job centre say no extra esa component awarded, still on assessment phase, need to do medical again. So the appeal they say has gone in my favour, but I fail to see how it has. So best option to appeal this decision and complain? ie request to continue to tribunal or award ESA component and backpayment as you would when appeal goes in claimants favour. So not been put into support group or WRAG. Never spoken to DM. ....CAB may have, not sure. Always a call back or esa helpline. I need serious help and support in all areas of my life, and im not getting it. No progress, just pain and confusion and anxiety/stress. Where do i stand with backpayment? is it limited to 3 months? or goes to very beginning of claim? or only to date on appeal paperwork ie the most recent appeal..?

what would I say to local MP? have never done that before. when i called jobcentre they said they would call me back, when they did the person on phone wasnt too sure himself of what was going on. i asked if i had been awarded esa, he said no, i need to do medical again, but he was asking me what my letter said, and it was diff to what his computer was saying. He was sure that there would be no backpayment, he said if i go onto JSA or job I would lose all back payment. He told me i was still on assessment rate. Not spoken to DM. thankyou

the decision/letter says the original disallowance for esa has been revised in your favour. You will be reinstated ESA at rate you were reciving prior and arrears will be payable. (but ive always been on assessment rate) and that further medical assessment needs to be done. So sounds best option to appeal this decision? Do I have the right to continue to tribunal?

the atos faults were highlighted months ago, yet they leave it till almost tribunal date, to stop proceedings and start again. they says appeal has gone in my favour, but what is the favour? there has been no esa award/damages/reward. complain to who? Its the complaints to atos that have stalled this whole thing. the letter does say you have appeal rights against the revised decision. So best option is to appeal this decision and request tribunal goes ahead or to award ESA? (i know its 1month deadline from letter date to appeal, yet they dated the letter exactly 1 month before the day i recived it). thanks.

tribunal hearing was going ahead, awaiting date, then get letter from jobcentre saying appeal revised in your favour, appeal will no longer proceed. but when i call them they said its still going ahead, then staff say its not going ahead. So i dont know if tribunal hearing is still on or not. They keep saying medical report not done properly so they start the whole process over again.

hi Have been on ESA for 2 years, have never been awarded it, been on assessment phase all that time, have done 3 medical questionnaires, 3 atos medicals, 'failed' all 3 times, appealed every time, tribunal stage never reached or decision never been made to award ESA to me, every time jobcentre say their atos medical reports were not up to standard, not fit for purpose, ie they made mistakes, so they send me back to the beginning stage. They have said if i go on JSA or find suitable work now I will NOT be entitled to the backpayment of ESA for the 2 years, as their reports are not fit for purpose. So it seems i would lose money because they have not done their jobs properly. I was preparing for the tribunal hearing, and they pulled out at last minute. I just want a conclusion, the whole ESA process is bad for my health and im fed up with it. What if my symptoms are less than they were a year ago? or go on JSA out of esa frustration? How can they ask me to do another medical now, but link it to the beginning 2 years ago? they should treat it as separate claims. I have a CAB caseworker, but he is not allowing me to come in and see him to go through it all. They dont have time. Its all quick phone calls. I feel alone in this with no support or help. I dont know what to do. Deadline for 4th esa50 questionnaire is approaching. I need to be focusing on my health and getting better, not fighting this esa procedure. Can anyone clarify my rights, or what i could do, if i try helping myself by finding any sutiable work or go on jsa, i lose my esa from the past two years? feels like they are trapping me on ESA. The whole process is a pain, form, medical, fail, appeal, deadlines, reconsider, tribunal. thanks for any advice.

Thankyou all. Cab are helping me, CAB contacted NHS, and it was suggested by NHS that I appeal this charge/fine, by getting a letter to support my case from my GP, stating im not well, with mental health difficulties and so therefore was unable to determine the diff between the diff types of ESA and what dental fees were relevant in my case when dealing with dentist, dentist still seems to think i shouldnt have to pay, so im going to send various esa paperwork /letters to NHS, explain the situation, proove my illnesses/treatments, along with doctors letter. send it all off to NHS, see if they can reconsider. just wondering, what do i need to tell doctor to write exactly? situations like this, i thikn the wording is important, just want to make sure my gp writes a suitable letter in my favour. I think this letter will cost me too, GP charges for stuff like this i believe. no mention of low income scheme or refund avaible to me. thanks.

hi, popped into local NHS dentist to ask if i could get treated / check up and if it would cost me, they said it would be for free as i was on ESA, so they asked for proof, i took esa proof, they signed me up, then i had some treatment, over 2 visits, at no charge. Few weeks later recieved letter from nhs, routine check unable, so please send proof of esa and fill in questionnaire. totally forgot about this, was going to go to dentist to sort it out. then i get another letter from nhs, ie pentalty charge notice and fine, totalling a sum of over £300! if dont pay, debt recovery, county court, more charges. So i go to my dentist with my paperwork, they say if im on esa its fine, there should be no costs and thats its between me and the nhs as dentist did not charge me, so i need to proov to them now. So im now so stressed and already got mental health problems and awaiting urgent psychiatrist help and on some strong medication...i dont how to deal with this. I cant afford this cost, i only went to dentist as they said it was free to me. looking at my esa paperwork and nhs letters, i think it might be to do with income based esa or contribution based. around the same time of dental treatment i was switched from one to another, i believe from contribution to income, but the switch over date was just after dental treatment, but surely the dentist would have checked this? i took some ESA paperwork with me to dentist and they inspected it and gave me the go ahead for free treatment. the dentist has assured me, all esa claiments do not have to pay, twice now. do i need to go to cab? debt advisor? i dont know how to deal with this. i simply can not afford this Fee, i am in debt and cant even afford rent and food, im overdrawn, and on esa, unfit to work, no savings. can anyone advise please? thankyou

hi been on ESA for awhile, doctors not helping my illness, its taking too long, and i have no money ill be homeless soon. having thoughts of trying to work eg looking for a job, would it be as simple as finding a job, then telling job centre to stop my ESA? or would they kick up a fuss? ie why looking for a job on ESA, do i need to get on JSA first, before i look for work? also i have an appeal for ESA (eg not entitled to it atos medical etc) in near future. would that appeal go against me, if i turn up, being employed, ? say if someone recovers enough to work, then is working, but still attends appeal for esa for period x to y, not a problem, and you just answer questions as they related to the past? thankyou

my appeal is going to tribunal, ive had two medicals, and both times atos have admitted that theyve messed up and the medical report not accurate, how can decision maker agree with 0 scoring if the report itself is not done properly and atos have admitted it? also the appeal papers and facts have errors and omitted info. so atos admit fault, then thats the end of the matter? i should be having a proper medical and reconsideration/decision, before it goes to tribunal. I really dont want to go to appeal tribunal. Can i say ill go to hearing in person, and say, if i am unable to attend or change my mind, will they just go ahead with paper hearing? or will they disqualify me and not go through with appeal? Say if im better by then, and am working, or on JSA, etc, would i simply still go and state my case for dates x and x during which i was on esa and entitled to it? eg if i decide i can work or try to atleast in near future, and go on jsa, or get a p/t job, would the appeal still be ongoing? eg 'i was entitled to ESA during that period'. ? thanks.