Hi, Can some one please explain schedule 3 of esa regulations also 34(1),(2) in simple and plain terms Many thanks for help

Does anyone know if it is helpful or worth while to submit information leaflets with your ESA50 about the medical condition you have? Unfortunately what I have many people have but they are not too badly effected while I am seriously debilitated by it. In my experiance ATOS & the DWP seem to choose to see my illness as something managable and that lots of people have rather than be take into account that many people do have a chronic form of the illness. I am not sure if submitting say information printed out from the NHS website for example would be useful. The information does cover both milder and more serious forms of the condition so I am not sure how that would be. Also in my experiance they hardly even read the ESA50 so perhaps submitting anything else is pointless?

What are the differences between the old IB50 Personal Capability Assessment form and the new ESA50 form? The last time I had to fill in the IB50 form was 2008, and after a medical. was sent a letter saying I would next be reviewed in 2013. Will this have any leaning on the ESA50 judgement? Should I include the judgment letters from previous assessments? Any help or advice will be gratefully welcom. Thanks.

hi everyone hope your all ok. my sister who has mental health issues failed her last medical back in 2009 after scoring 0 point on her medical assessment ( nothing new there) but after we appealed and went to tribunal she was placed in support group after scoring (65 points), we have now received the dreaded esa50 questionnaire again to which had to be filled and pasted back by the 5th January 2013 after speaking to the DWP they said we been sent it to fill it in anyway so we did but what i wanted to know is we filled the form in and sent back 4 days later now i know the new changes take effect for esa with regards to new changes for mental and physical health descriptions on the 28th January 2013 does this mean she will be assessed on the old changed or the new ones? we have still not heard anything back from ATOS as yet either any help and advice would be gratefully appreciated xxx

Hi regarding ESA50 If I by some miracle im awarded 15 points in the Physical functions sec and lets say 10 in Mental Cognitive and intellectual functions, could Atos disregard Physical functions score of 15 and award only the Mental Cognitive and intellectual functions score,or are the two combined. ive read how the points system works but don't really understand it.

Brief timeline... December 2010 - re-assessment for IB, recommended further review in 2-3 years, benefit to continue. October 2011 - called for ATOS face-to-face interview as part of the IB to ESA transition. Failed. Appealed. Placed in Support Group for ESA on review so no Tribunal to attend. February 2012 - new ESA50 received, completed and submitted together with letter expressing disgust that another review was being made in only 3 months when my medical conditions could not possibly be improved in my lifetime. Had no reply but ESA Support Group benefit payments continued without a break. November 2012 - received letter from JobCentre stating my case had been reviewed and I was being placed in the WRAG forthwith. I telephoned to request a telephone interview for the first part of this assessment. I was called back and told an error had been made and I was to remain in the Support Group, but contact the department again in March 2013 to ensure I was being transferred to Pension Credits. January 2013 - new ESA50 received which I must now complete. I am aware that cases are looked at regularly and that up-to-date ESA50 forms are required, just as regular reviews of cases are required. But looking at the timeline above it now does seem rather excessive. My carer (who I pay for myself, I have never claimed any additional benefits) is now describing this as harassment, a blatant attempt to attack anyone who has succeeded following an ATOS failure. Does anyone else have a similar experience?

Hi all, I posted my ESA50 form on the 5th November. On the 10th November, ATOS advised the DWP that I did not require a WCA, and recommended I be put straight into the support group. Today the DWP confirmed they agreed with this, and have advised they will reassess in six months. I have been signed off from work since March with anxiety and depression. I have also been waiting since last year to be assessed for Asperger's Syndrome. I filled in the ESA50 form using the Fullfacts medical guide, and the Rethink WCA factsheet. I basically photocopied everything, and included as much additional evidence with the ESA50 as possible. This included hospital admissions and discharges, prescriptions, appointment letters and referral requests. I also paid my GP £30 for a two-page medical report, which included a request for a home visit due to my diagnosis of agoraphobia and social phobia. ATOS obviously went one step further and decided the evidence I provided was enough. I can't tell you how relieved I am, I was dreading the possible months of stress ahead. I would like to say a big thank you to this forum for the useful guidance provided. My best piece of advice would be to provide as much info as possible to ATOS. Give them yards of paperwork to go through, and go into as much detail as possible in the actual ESA50.

Attended my ATOS medical yesterday. The woman who saw me said she was a nurse. She checked my pulse and said it was irregular. She checked my blood pressure, it was higher then normal!! She then asked me a lot of questions, and all I could do was answer her as honestly as I could!! My MIND advocate stated to her that I was currently waiting an outpatient appointment with adult mental health because I have long term issues, and that my gp has said I am not fit for work!! I described as best I could how my heart problems were - I have sinus tachycardia which makes me breathless on the least exertion. How my mental health is - not very good which is why the mental health team have been contacted again!! She also asked about how do I pay the bills - I stated my partner does that side of things because he pays the mortgage etc etc!! Various other questions like do I cook, do I bath or shower, do I watch tv to which I replied I have to be in the mood!! She then asked me can I walk to the shop - I replied no because it was too far, then she asked can I walk to the bus stop to which I said yes but I take my time and when I get there I stop and rest as I am out of breath!! She seemed to be polite though and sympathetic - but I am aware of the lies that re told on the reports!! I have already requested a copy of the ESA85 ATOS medical report - I phoned them up when I got back!! How is best to appeal if I get turned down, and can I ask my gp for a medical report to send in with the appeal!!?? Thanks!!

I will attempt to be as brief as possible. I am sure a number of my queries have been answered previously, but if somebody could kindly guide me to other links etc it would be greatly appreciated. I will happily post (albeit with peronal info deleted) the final version of my/our submission once completed. In a nutshell my sister is based in the South and has been on IB since 2007 and is now to be transferred to ESA, if she passes tests etc. She is clinically depressed and on bad days stays at home and in bed all day. She is on medication , but because she does not threaten to commit suicide or is addicted to drugs his local mental health service have essentially abandoned hier My folks get her shoppiing and take her meals. Other than that she is a virtual recluse and does not bother washing or dressing. She (and I) have read posts on here and other sites re ATOS etc and my sis has convinced herself just to give in as she is certain that she will score zero points and will not be taken seriously. Further as she has substantial savings ,she's on contribution based IB and thus even if she is transferred she will only obtained a max of 12 months entitlement. I want to help and can fill out her ESA50 and get an advocate to attend an ATOS medical. I have following queries : 1) I get the impression that i will have to overstate or even overly emphasise her disability. I intend to simply focus on her worst/ bad days, as ref to a good day may be misinterpreted. Does that sound sensible or fraudulent !? 2) The two main sections which apply to her on the ESA50 are Sn 13 and 17. Re Sn 13 at worst she does nothing all day, and has even been known to stay in bed all day. She does grab a bit of food , takes some, if not all, her medication , and makes a cup of tea. Would that be considered adequate to conduct 2 personal actions as per Sn13 decriptors? Re Sn 17 as a recluse she does not come into contact with other people regularly , but when she does she can behave in a disinhibited manner. For example in past 2-3 years she was arrested for a public order offence , for which she has medical reports confirming disinhibited behaviour ; she went to solicitor's premise and threw all her files out of the window....and was thrown out of a former golf club ( she doesn't play anymore) for violence towards staff. She also left hierlast job due to her mental disorder and disinhibited behaviour. If described adequately could this warrant a score of 15 points alone? Does she need to obtain another medical report from her GP - problem here is that she never really opens up to scale of her problem to GP, who is more concerned about physical problems....hypertension and insulin diabetes. Will it be a disaster if she does not obtain a detailed report from her GP, which will doubtless be caveated anyhow. I sense i can better describe her ailments as per ESA50 descriptors. How long is typical timeframe between receipt of ESA50 and date of ATOS medical ? Is this timeframe extended if a request is made on ESA50 for assessment to be taped ? I have seen numerous guidance docs on how to fill out Part2 of the ESA50. Anybody know which is most apt for clinical depression suffererers. There's a forum who charge 9.95 pounds to download ESA guide packs - are they really any better than pro bono advice avialble on internet and via this most helpful forum ? I will attempt to be as brief as possible. I am sure a number of my queries have been answered previously, but if somebody could kindly guide me to other links etc it would be greatly appreciated. I will happily post (albeit with peronal info deleted) the final version of my/our submission once completed. In a nutshell my sister is based in the South and has been on IB since 2007 and is now to be transferred to ESA, if she passes tests etc. She is clinically depressed and on bad days stays at home and in bed all day. She is on medication , but because she does not threaten to commit suicide or is addicted to drugs his local mental health service have essentially abandoned hier My folks get her shoppiing and take her meals. Other than that she is a virtual recluse and does not bother washing or dressing. She (and I) have read posts on here and other sites re ATOS etc and my sis has convinced herself just to give in as she is certain that she will score zero points and will not be taken seriously. Further as she has substantial savings ,she's on contribution based IB and thus even if she is transferred she will only obtained a max of 12 months entitlement. I want to help and can fill out her ESA50 and get an advocate to attend an ATOS medical. I have following queries : 1) I get the impression that i will have to overstate or even overly emphasise her disability. I intend to simply focus on her worst/ bad days, as ref to a good day may be misinterpreted. Does that sound sensible or fraudulent !? 2) The two main sections which apply to her on the ESA50 are Sn 13 and 17. Re Sn 13 at worst she does nothing all day, and has even been known to stay in bed all day. She does grab a bit of food , takes some, if not all, her medication , and makes a cup of tea. Would that be considered adequate to conduct 2 personal actions as per Sn13 decriptors? Re Sn 17 as a recluse she does not come into contact with other people regularly , but when she does she can behave in a disinhibited manner. For example in past 2-3 years she was arrested for a public order offence , for which she has medical reports confirming disinhibited behaviour ; she went to solicitor's premise and threw all her files out of the window....and was thrown out of a former golf club ( she doesn't play anymore) for violence towards staff. She also left hierlast job due to her mental disorder and disinhibited behaviour. If described adequately could this warrant a score of 15 points alone? Does she need to obtain another medical report from her GP - problem here is that she never really opens up to scale of her problem to GP, who is more concerned about physical problems....hypertension and insulin diabetes. Will it be a disaster if she does not obtain a detailed report from her GP, which will doubtless be caveated anyhow. I sense i can better describe her ailments as per ESA50 descriptors. How long is typical timeframe between receipt of ESA50 and date of ATOS medical ? Is this timeframe extended if a request is made on ESA50 for assessment to be taped ? I have seen numerous guidance docs on how to fill out Part2 of the ESA50. Anybody know which is most apt for clinical depression suffererers. There's a forum who charge 9.95 pounds to download ESA guide packs - are they really any better than pro bono advice avialble on internet and via this most helpful forum ? Finally, I refer to SN10 - physical symptoms . My sister occasionally has a loss of consciousness due to either hypoglycaemia and /or hypotension (eg a low blood pressure when she gets off the sofa). This may well score high points, but she is paranoid that ATOS/ DWP will reveal such info to the DVLA and this may result in her driving licence being revoked. Also do any members have examples of what specific questions were asked by an ATOS assessor at a medical , specifically in respect of Sn 13 and 17 and/or Part 2 of the ESA50 in particular. Any feedback on above would be greatly welcomed.

Hi, I have a new ESA50 to fill in before the end of November. I have been in the WRAG group for some time now after going to tribunal the first time after a looong wait. Can someone tell me how long it takes from when I return my ESA 50 for ATOS to arrange my medical now. Will they contact me by phone or letter to arrange an appointment. I just want them to leave me alone until after christmas, I have butterflies just thinking about it all again. How quickly will they move once they receive my ESA50. Thanks. SJ

Hi In the past few days i have been gathering info on ATOS and esa to know what to expect and it's pretty scary. I have been ill for 7 years, appealed and won my last tribunal and passed the previous medical. From what i have been reading i don't stand a chance as my condition is undiagnosed so i'm going to struggle to get backup even though i've been through a process with the doctors and hospitals to try and find out what's wrong with me. People a lot worse than me are failing but people with mental health issues apparently don't even register, is this true? I suffer with anxiety and depression due to my health and was even referred to liason pyschiatry a while ago. I'd expect to go onto esa from doing the esa test online, i have episodes where i go dizzy and nearly fall over and severe fatigue and chronic sinusitis plus breathing/cardio difficulties which combined are pretty debilitating and cause severe distress but i have adapted to it and this is partly cause of the benefits i receive, i don't know how well i would cope if it was taken away due to a semmingly brutal and unfair system. My question is whether i should even include anything physical or just focus on the mental health issues, they are intertwined. I'll have to get help from CAB filling in the form anyway but i've seen the way things are used against people and people with mental health issues don't seem to stand a chance otoh how physically sick do you have to be to pass the medical?! Other people in a similar situation to mine are being failed so i'm expecting the worst. I feel like i should include everything as it will be relevant if it comes to appeal and a tribunal, it's gonna take some effort for me to fill out the forms and any extra information. I'm trying to prepare as best i can for what happens next. Thanks in advance, Teej

So sorry if this is in the wrong place, I am new to this. I have had the medical with Atos and received the dreaded 0 points letter everyone seems to get. I need to appeal but am not sure what to write on the GL24 form 1. I had to attend the MAC twice as I was told by the first doctor he wasnt able to assess me due to 1 of my complaints needing a specialist doctor. 2. I attended the 2nd one and was actually assessed but he had not got my ESA50. I rang DWP and they infact told me it hadnt been received and I stupidly did not send it back recorded mail. 3. DWP then rang me after receiving the report to ask some questions after asking me 2 he said he was sending it back to Atos as he couldnt understand their report as it contradicted itself. I then got the letter to say not entitled to esa etc. i am not well enough to claim JSA and I have to go into hospital for the same condition in 6 weeks time so wouldnt be able to claim esa again either Any help would be very much appreciated as this is really stressing me Thanks

I have been on ESA for almost a year now, put in support group, without a medical, with no time limit, this morning I received the dreaded esa50 form through the post, its no problem filling it in as i remember exactly what i put on the last one, my question is do I stay on the benefit rate I am on now or will I be put back on the assessment rate till they decide my future?

Hi everybody, I hope you can help. In May this year, after going to Tribunal, I was placed in the Support Group. The First-tier Tribunal document says: "The descriptors satisfied in Sch. 3 ESA Regulations are 15(b)". This is basically as a result of being fed by a tube up my nose for 12 hours a day. Is this a mistake? I fear not, having read around a little. There is nowhere I can put on the form my inability to eat/drink and being hooked up to a machine 12 hours a day, except for the other information, I suppose. Do I need to call them and explain that I am in the support group? Or, as I suspect, is this putting me back to square one so I can look forward to having my money reduced and going through the whole appeal process again - getting up tp date letters from my doctors and everything else? Or is there another course of action to follow?? Blurred:)

Hello.. got my esa50 form to fill in today. ill just be honest, but not sure about a few things 1. new doctor for about a year now, but my previous doctor signed me off sick. can i go to old doctors and get a copy of this, or get one off my new doctor.? 2. had spine damage, really bad for 14 months, there are lots of doctors appointments, put on pain killers. doctor said it was trapped nerve 4-6 weeks but after 4 months asked for scan, she still said trapped nerve 4-6 weeks, demanded physio, and was told by him i had spine dasmage. i do lots of steching exercises, but theres always a slight pain, if i pick heavy items my back can just go. so ive written him a letter for him to explain my problem and things that will cause pain , still not recieved letter back, but should i include a copy of this with the esa50 form? 3.i have epilepsy (had it since i was 14) can have up to 10-20 attacks a year. so ill bring medication with me. should i get a letter from my doctor to prove this i have a doctor just for my epilepsy should i get something off him? 4. had a stroke left side arm hand are useless, my foot shakes a bit my leg isnt great, but i can walk its obvious my arm and hand are bad, but are they going to test my leg, foot (haslf as strong as right foot and leg) i do fall over because of this and stumble alot as i lean heavily on my paralysed side. is this taken into account? 5. ive always been told im unemployable, if i fail and have to go to JSA how are they with helping disabled people get work? ive on IB and DLA (low rate) for a long time. is there other evidence i can include with my esa50 form ? thank you all very much for any advice / help you can give me

ARGH!! Sorry Ex-husband (EH) suffers with anxiety and depression. He won ESA appeal in December 2011. Received next ESA50 in January 2012, sent it back February. Received appointment date for May. Attended appointment.(requested it be recorded, but they phoned the day before and said the recorder was broken, so we went ahead with it unrecorded.) A month later (end of June) EH received a letter stating that the DM was about to make decision but EH would probably be found to be unentitled to ESA and did he have any supporting evidence. He re-sent the four letters ATOS/DWP had already been given, and waited for the letter that said he had failed/passed/fit for work/back in the WRAG etc... But nothing arrived until today. YET ANOTHER ESA50!!! This is utterly ridiculous! He only had his "medical" just over 2 months ago, and he's awaiting the resulting decision from that, yet they want ANOTHER ESA50 to be completed and returned?? (by end of August) His anxiety is again through the roof, and is talking about going to the drs to get "something strong" to help him calm down - he really isn't being allowed to get better! He will be utterly strung out for the next 2 or 3 weeks while we fill in the form and gather supporting evidence, then again once he receives the next WCA appointment, then again if we have to postpone because of no recorder - he cannot get better all the while his anxiety is being put through the wringer! Anyway, I phoned ATOS and they said he HAS to fill it in as DWP has asked for it (just the same reply as the January one). What can he (or *I*) do about this?

I was assesed for esa for ESA earlier this year and placed into the the support group for 6 months. This began at the end of April although my ESA payments did not start until early May. At the time I was awarded ESA I was told it would last for 6 months from the end of April which is until October. So I was very surprised when on Monday I recieved through the post my new ESA50 form to be returned by the 1st of August. Does anyone know why they are sending this to me so soon? Are they thinking of changing the length of time I am on ESA?

Having being recently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis I found the esa50 help document very useful since i've recently been called to fill out that form for re-assessment. The CAG link I refer to is:- http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?316210-ESA50-Guide%281-Viewing%29-nbsp My esa claim up to now has been (and still is relevant) for anxiety/hypertension and panic attacks. The Multiple Sclerosis is something they should be aware of (since I did send a letter to ESA as my welfare rights adviser suggested). Perhaps the assessment form is their response to that? Just wondering if a part 2, for the mental health side, has been published yet or if there is any link on here that deals specifically with that side of the esa50 form. The form is a particularly stressful one and any help with this appreciated.

On the ESA50 form question 11 asks about a persons ability to learn new tasks. If someone has depression and anxiety and has a good IQ and although sometimes could learn somthing new but due to severe depression and/or anxiety struggles to do more than be awake almsot all the time, how should that question be answered? Technically the person has the ability to learn a new task but in reality is not going to be able to be in the position of needing to if that makes sense. There are many questions on the ESA50 that have the same dilemma and I'm hoping answers can reveal how to answer the all. Thanks.

I'm applying for ESA on mental health grounds (currently on IS+DLA). Is it worth mentioning my back problems on the ESA50 too, or will that just confuse the issue? I've had physiotherapy for lower back problems in recent years. It's very painful and debilitating when I get a flare up, but I wouldn't currently meet any of the descriptors on physical health grounds as far as I can see. Is it actually worth putting it down on the form, or could it maybe even be counter productive? I kind of picture the ATOS examiner spending half the assessment interview asking me to touch my toes or stand on one leg, instead of spending the time on questions that are relevant to my case. I also wonder if it might look like I'm just trying to put down any old thing I can think of that might get me benefits.

I would really like to see the descriptors for the mental health section of the ESA50 guide from leemack / Honeybee13, even if it's not finished yet: (I'm not allowed to provide a link to the thread, due to CAG anti-spam paranoia, as I'm a new member) In the meantime, I found this document from NAWRA which seems very good but covers the older version of the ESA50, which had more pages and questions: Fit for Purpose A Guide to Completing the ESA50.pdf It's a shame I can't provide a link, but if you google that title you should find it easily. A lot of it still seems relevant to the current ESA50.

Hello, My mom has just received a letter from Atos asking her to telephone to arrange a medical (within 2 days of receipt of letter). Now my mom is in no state to be calling them, we are dealing here with severe mental health issues and she doesnt speak to anyone, she doesnt even know we have a letter! She has recently been referred to the Mental Health Team and we are awaiting contact from them. When the questionnaire arrived, a local agency helped me complete the form on my mom's behalf and they said she will need a home visit if a medical is needed. The Job Centre recently wrote regarding a 'back to work' meeting, I called them and explained the situ and they called me on the day of my mom's appointment and I explained to them that my mom could not speak with them, they were great and said they would do the same thing next time they needed another one of these meetings. y worry now is, how do I handle the telephone call when I ring Atos, any suggestions. I notice on another thread that maybe I should have enclosed a letter with my mom's questionnaire asking for details of the 'qualified healthcare professional' who is assessing my mothers questionnaire. Any help is greatfully received.