Hello all

just checked my ESA payment confirmation letter and they based my tax years from April 2009 to April 2010,

I guess this is because that's when I started receiving my benefit's.

Regards to all

The customer "services" didn't get back to us re the approx. waiting time....its just over 6 weeks now since they would have received the esa reassessment form. MY daughter hasn't emailed again, feels it could be like a stick poking a hornets nest, best to avoid a possible sting....

Apparently its still a thing that each area is different on waiting times...some say that the longer the wait the more likely they are deciding on which group ie support or wrag to put you in, a quicker reply is usually a face to face thing............so basically am none the wiser. Needless to say my anxiety level is not good right now.

I wrote in block capitals at the top and bottom of every page of my last ESA50 I WANT MY ASSESSMENT RECORDED. It was, and I was migrated into support group.

On my next form, I'm planning to sellotape a piece of paper over my name and address, list of conditions and anything else I think they will probably read saying that if they mess up and send me to a 3rd floor assessment centre 40 miles away with no accessible bus service and no parking again I will sue each and every one of them personally.

I'm hoping this means that if they decide I need a face-to-face again it will go straight in the 'home visit' pile and, when they find one willing to be recorded, the doctor allocated will read it properly the day before the appointment and decide that no visit is actually needed. Again.

If only they would get the degenerative and incurable thing, we wouldn't keep having to go through this.

So....today I have had a letter for a face 2 face assessment. No letter re the home visit which the head office told me I would get. The appointment is for next week. I cannot have a recorded assessment as

they only do them at 9.00am or 1.00pm and despite an appointment time, you still wait in a queue, similar to GP appointment they said and could involve an hour of more to wait but I would still have to be there at least 10 minutes early for the time of the appointment

My daughter is my carer and has to work around the school times for her son. So 9.00 is impossible, and anything after 2.00 is impossible. Given the definite delay and travel times.

Help with taxi costs will be available if GP can fax through the details

So the appointment for the beginning of next week at 9.15 is now the end of the week at 11.00. They have been advised we will have to be out of there by 1.30 to give plenty of time to get me home and for my

daughter to settle me and then do her school pickup.

I hope they don't mess me around and make me still wait hours....I cant be left there without my daughter and she cant wait there all day. Stress and anxiety already eating away at me.

I'm really worried they are going to keep us waiting and waiting beyond the appointment time..

Remind them when you arrive that you have a deadline, and remind them again at 1 minute past your appointment time and again half an hour before your daughter has to leave.

If you're still there when your daughter has to leave, then tell them their time is up and go with her - it's not your fault if they've been given plenty of warning.

Ok thank you RMW its so hard to have even a scrap of trust with them.

My GP has kindly sent them a fax to confirm I will need a taxi to get me to and from there. This was sent on Friday. So at least that's been done. I wont forget to get a receipt.

Apparently they organise a taxi.

My daughter has emailed them as to what to do etc.

They will ring the day before and advise of the time etc. and I don't need to make any payment.

I wonder if they will just use a local (to me) taxi or if they have a particular one they use all the time.

My daughter will speak to them tomorrow, I feel so sick and anxious before I even get there.

At least they have accepted I cant use public transport or attend on my own even via taxi.

Hi everyone, I am Ruby's daughter.

We are waiting for the completion of the power of attorney registration, but I am already doing it all anyhow.

Mum wanted me to come on as me and not write as if I am her, which is what she usually asks me to do.

mum had her assessment this morning.

We couldn't attend the centre for the 2 specific times for recorded assessments so it had to be a normal one.

They did arrange taxi, when it was 10 mins late I rang them constantly for another 6 or so minutes to get through, apparently traffic issues, any how it was almost 45 mins later before it arrived.

Mum was in panic mode.

We got there 15 mins late for her appointment but they knew why as they had the taxi details etc.

The assessor seemed a really nice lady, we had been told to expect to be there for an hour to hour and a half and that the assessment was in 2 parts?.....

...we have no idea what happened but we were only in the assessment for 20 mins and the lady said it was ended now.

I answered most of the questions although mum did participate, but she was in pain, very anxious, and although well mannered as usual she had really had enough.

The assessor said we will hear within 5 weeks..............holding breath, praying for the right result.

I don't want to raise false hopes, but I believe that such a short assessment is usual where it's clear fairly quickly that the support group criteria apply. Fingers crossed for you both.

That's kind of what I was thinking myself having been digging around online for info.

It seems the longer the assessment the more they seem to be looking for proof of criteria.

But I am not counting chickens as my nan used to say.

Will update when a result is received.

In my assessment, after the usual list of conditions, prescriptions etc bit,

the assessor went straight to one of the later criteria where she expected me to score 15 points and once she'd confirmed that, it was done.

I suppose there's no point dragging it out and wasting their own time if it's cut and dried - the more assessments they do each day the more they get paid apparently.

She went through the list of medication, then asked about the fibromyalgia, then the bipolar, we didn't get to the arthritis, recurring bursitis, or prolapse, or diabetes, although I don't expect they would be interested in diabetes as such.

I left her with a list of medication and illnesses, which I had also put in the original esa50.

I did ask at one point before going in if they would be much longer and the receptionist said "shes just looking at your file now and will call you into the office in a few minutes.

I don't know why they say to send it in beforehand, only once did mum get a paper decision and that was when they stopped them for a while.

I just hope this gets the right result if not they have another fight on their hands.

Hi everyone. Ruby's daughter here again.

Mum got her decision letter today.

Am so happy for her as she has been placed again into the support group

. She is so relieved.

I had covertly recorded it on my phone in case any errors deliberate or not found their way in to the report. So happy we haven't got the stress of appealing.

Mum's next pay day she is going to make a small donation.

We have also discussed making small donations every now and then.

Every little helps.

Excellent news!

Oh well done! That is awesome news, brilliant...

Thank you RMW and Bazooka Boo. I am so relieved now.

Hi everyone....so moving to a new area and having to end IR ESA and cancel HB and CTRelief.

So new claim for UC in new area plus a new home. Can anyone tell me if once the UC has been applied for and is processing can the new landlord be made aware so they know the rent will be paid asap or will I have to be prepared to pay a month up front full rent until its sorted out.

Sorry if this appears a stupid question but my whole world collapsed this week and I have to start completely again somewhere else.

You can claim an advance up to 100% of your UC allowance i believe.

oh thank you fkofilee I was hoping there must be something in place for when this happens....

Once you have had your ID, Bank details verified for payments at the job centre, then you can obtain a new claim advance for the personal allowance which is about £318 per month. If might be more, if you have other claim aspects verified earlier e.g. Children, privare housing rent.

Register the claim and get the earliest possible job centre appointment available. Try to get as much verified as early in the claim as possible. So if you are renting from a private landlord, take the tenancy agreement and any other documents you may have confirming your move to the address, to the Job Centre for your first appointment.

thank you unclebulgaria67 I currently have a council home which I have now put on a swap site for an exchange, my home is all completely new from top to bottom its had a lot of money put into it, so am hoping I may get a quick swap out of here, ive never had to close claims and apply for new ones before as I have never left the area but this move needs to be well away for me to move forward with my life now. I have noted down your advice and will use that to get my head round it all. Hopefully with an exchange at least I will have somewhere to go to.

I have found a website called the house shop, that advertises private rentals and takes benefit claimants, so if I haven't managed to get a house swap soon with my council home I will just give it up and go and do that. Not ideal but I want to get as far away as possible from where I am now. I am heartbroken and devastated.