Hi to all, just wanted to thank everyone for all help, info & reassurance especially honey Bee whos advise deemed invaluable. So i had my tribunal on friday, I won!! I went in with 0 points and came out with 45!! I was so so pleased and utterly relieved its over and in my favour!

yes thats true i guess. I would love to join `the wall of fame` but am not holding out much hope at this stage, although i do firmly believe they have made a mistake. If i had to do this all again in 20 years it would be a minute too soon!! so so stressful!

Hi honey bee, Firstly thankyou so much for the link to the template letter it has proved an absolute god send. I have gone through all the sections of the doctors report and as you suggested and actually found a few more things than before. What i was wondering is - i have just noticed in the pile of tribunal papers in section 4 The facts of the case (from the dwp) that they have made a huge mistake regarding my condition & dates, i was just thinking is it worth writing this in as well or should i just leave it?

Fisrstly- thankyou so much for replying & i am about to print your suggested letter, it looks perfect. I already have a copy of the report so can start to go through that the way you suggested. I just had a look at the handbook link but i dont think i can use it as it states those rules apply from 28th march 2011 and my examination was on the 17th!!! oh no does this mean im in trouble!

Hello All,This is my first ever post so please bare with me! I am hoping there may be someone, somewhere who knows- more to the point-understands about ESA tribunals. I am due to attend a tribunal next month & thought i should start to prepare but quite frankly have no idea where to start on top of being petrified of actually going to the hearing! What i was wondering is, is it worth pointing out at the tribunal that the supposed HCP who came to my home to do the examination was completely unaware of my condition? He was working from the ESA50 form that i had completed a whole year before the actual examination took place. during this year i became seriously ill and it was later found that after having the accident they had actually missed that i had a broken bone in my neck that was on its way to severing my spinal cord. I had surgery then the ATOS examination 8 weeks later but the hcp had no idea when he arrived (after going to the address i had moved from a mere 5 months before?) of any further problems only what had been submitted in the original esa50 as obviously at the time i didnt know either, although i had informed my local office dealing with my ESA claim the same day i found out. I was just thinking, surely for him to compile a medically correct report he would have had to do a little "knowledge brush up" seeing as he is not a specialist in complex spinal issues? Myself and my sister- who was with me at the examination were truly shocked (completely gob smacked) by the whole palava but shocked/ amused that i had actually been awarded a total of 0 points! i can not believe that they have put me in this position of a tribunal and rejected my appeal. I seriously nearly gave up because of the stress but knowing i have been dealt with so unfairly makes me want to fight on. I would be so grateful of ANY advice. Thanks in advance.