Hi, I am now in receipt of ESA at the lower level and have just received my ESA50 to fill in, It took me at least 3 wks with the help of a family member to fill in the last one. I don't feel I can cope with this right now A.) i don't know how to 'put things' as my explanation and other evidence wasn't so it seems put across well in my last form and B.) Mentally I just can not do it.what I would like to know is would I therefor be better off by using the services of either the CAB Who have set me up a home appointment visit for this) or the services of scope (dissibility charity) who also offer a form filling service. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. many thanks.

thank you for your reply, I will keep fighting, at the moment my head is 'mush' and im finding it very hard to cope, but I may well come back to you with some questions if that is ok with you .

thankyou, I did initially inform them that I do not go anywhere alone, the only excception to this was rarley to my gp alone. however since bieng hospitlised in oct of 2012 I no longer do this alone, but it was made clear to me at the hearing that they would only be taking into consideration how I was at the time of my medical assement in Aug 2012 (they were given this information in my appeal papers)

yes I see what you are saying, but I have not been able to go out alone since hospitalisation in oct of 2012, and although this was stated clearly in my appeal, it has been made quite clear to me by the judge that the decision they would come to would be based on how I was at the time of my assesment (august2012), not what may have occured since that date

Hi guys, well I recieved my Tribunal notification this morning REJECTED. I have been going through this whole thing since August 2012 ..16 months. I was initally scored 0 points by atos. the Tribunal have awarded me 12 points. What do I do now? am going to put in a new claim for ESA but what can I do to enable me to get the points I need to qualify. I just do not know how I can explain myself any more clearly or what more information my doctor can offer. I have depression..migraine Aura..arthritis of the spine and multiple joints which the tribunal are stating 'the resulting limitations are insufficient to score the required number of points' however i have been scored 6 points each for Getting About and Coping with social engagement due to cognitive impairment or mental disorder' under section c for both of these. so I can not go anywhere alone unaccompanied by another person... but i can get a and travel to a job? I cannot engage in social contact for the majority of time due to difficulty in relating to others or significant distress experience.. .but I can get a job? Can anybody give me advice please, thankyou

Thanks to all for replying.

Hi, yes I understand that they are only interested in what 'they deem to be my ability to work' but as they stating my probelms were alledgd now there is a clinical diagnosis they can at least no longer consider it 'alledged' but should now have to take into account the impact these do have on me.

Hi, I have my 2nd appeal in 18 days, the first was adjourned in september. when i originally filled in the Esa50 i did send a seperate information sheet, detailing my migraines and the effects I experience. Dwp report seems to sweeping these under the carpet, irrespective of the fact that I have had 2 mri scans in 3 yrs and been hospitalized on one occasion due to the symptoms and severity of attack. Finally last month my migraines have been given a clinical name 'migraine with Aura' Now that I have a clinical diagnosis from neurologist will these dibilitating attacks be taken into account at all... .any body have any ideas?

Hi thanks for your reply The judge said that there were discrepancies, when asked to elaborate on this he said that my GP describes a high level of incapacity. He then said that he wanted medical records as and i quote from the adjournment notice: 'Having considered the information in the papers, it appeared to us that the level of treatment being provided, was not entirely congruent with the level of incapacity described by the GP. We consider that the medical notes might assist in better understanding the discrepancy to enable a fair decision to be made.' My concern is that the amount of info they have been provided with has been extensive. The appeal submitted by a family member details my ailments in a 30 page document. This is corroborated by my GP, it appears now that they are trying to establish in my mind whether I have visited and complained to the GP often enough. Thanks

It is being said in the DWP response that medical evidence is insufficient, and apparently there are numerous inconsistances, with my ESA50 and the appeal papers written on my behalf by a family member …Not so. .my ailments have only been echoed .and if anything explained. more explicitly. The Welfare benefits team have written a submission for the hearing (my atos medical was 12 & 1/2 months ago) If the hearing is not found in my favour what if anything can I do as a next step? I have currently been out of work and claiming long term sick for 10 yrs, my heath has in fact deteriorated and not improved, I now also suffer with very bad migraines, the symptoms of which mimic a stroke. .these it seems carry no weight re: my claim. Fast forward to today my appeal hearing: my case has been adjourned, initially due to my paper work from welfare benefits team (community legal action) not reaching the judge until 5 minutes before my hearing started. I was asked if I wanted to proceed without the welfare evidence being read and was given 5 minutes to reach that decision .I did not know the best course of action and found it impossible to make up my mind. the judge decided on adjournment and they have now decided to request almost 3yrs of medical records, from what has been said I am under the impression that they do not think that my doctors description of my ailments matches the medications I am being treated with …..if this is the case where do I stand? If they were to find I am being inadequately treated medically will this go against me? surely I can not be penalised for this? can anyone shed any light on this for me. thanks marie123