My overall Benefits journey from 2013 to date - and on going still!!

[Guest]

Thankyou Margaret........I am ever suspicious of them lol. My daughter will always be with me if I have to ring them or worse still see them, I don't answer my phone unless its family or an expected call, and make very calls. Ringing dwp/esa was more for me than them, just awaiting the esa50 now, have gotten prepared as I can be, seeing GP next week and will grill him (nicely) and make sure he understands what the state of play is here.

[phil76]

I've received ESA50 for my ESA won my appeal last October so must be due to see me again,feeling awful that have to go through all this again especially as been going through tough time lately

 

What's the best to do?Get evidence from my doctor etc?i've been seeing psychiatrist and they have recently referred me to healthy minds for talking therapy,had my first appointment with the last week,do I need to get evidence of these people and was wondering if any of them would help me fill in form

 

I know I'll have to have medical with atossers again and they score me 0 points feeling awful have to go through all this again

[Nystagmite]

I've received ESA50 for my ESA won my appeal last October so must be due to see me again,feeling awful that have to go through all this again especially as been going through tough time lately

 

What's the best to do?Get evidence from my doctor etc?i've been seeing psychiatrist and they have recently referred me to healthy minds for talking therapy,had my first appointment with the last week,do I need to get evidence of these people and was wondering if any of them would help me fill in form

 

I know I'll have to have medical with atossers again and they score me 0 points feeling awful have to go through all this again

 

You're better off starting your own thread.

[**Margaret**]

: Phil76:

 

Yes, anything you can persuade your general practitioner, or the mental health professionals who are involved in your care, to write about the effects of your condition on your day to day life can be submitted with your ESA50 in support of your claim.

 

Don't think too many of them get involved with ESA50 forms. However there's a factsheet about work capability assessments, which includes the completion of an ESA50 for mental health conditions, at;

 

http://www.rethink.org/living-with-mental-illness/money-issues-benefits-employment/work-capability-assessment

 

In my experience an audio record tends to improve the accuracy of face to face assessments;

 

http://blog.atoshealthcare.com/2012/12/how-to-request-an-audio-recorded-assessment

 

Best wishes, Margaret.

Edited August 12, 2013 by **Margaret**

[phil76]

: Phil76:

 

Yes, anything you can persuade your general practitioner, or the mental health professionals who are involved in your care, to write about the effects of your condition on your day to day life can be submitted with your ESA50 in support of your claim.

 

Don't think too many of them get involved with ESA50 forms. However there's a factsheet about work capability assessments, which includes the completion of an ESA50 for mental health conditions, at;

 

http://www.rethink.org/living-with-mental-illness/money-issues-benefits-employment/work-capability-assessment

 

In my experience an audio record tends to improve the accuracy of face to face assessments;

 

http://blog.atoshealthcare.com/2012/12/how-to-request-an-audio-recorded-assessment

 

Best wishes, Margaret.

 

Thank you

[Guest]

So my anxiety has been gradually kicking in, and am thinking the best way forward for me. Ok I got the first letter re the benefit changes and the phone call info, after two weeks and no call I rang them to allay my anxiety, nice lady on phone said the form should be with me in the next 2-3 weeks, the 3 weeks will be up on the 26th August, so being in my anxiety bubble here, if it doesn't arrive by then do I ring again? or send my printed off online form? I know they give you a certain length of time to return the form but I cant remember how long, I think its 3 weeks?. I have a payment due on Friday so am thinking this is safe, I just dread the "we sent the form and you didn't return it" trick. It baffles me that anyone would think this situation is any kind of life choice.

[**Margaret**]

:Hiya Ruby_Tuesday:

 

Not quite time for the panic button, but even if I had a dagger it wouldn't pierce DWATO devised anxiety. So I'll settle for some snippets that may help reduce it a notch or two.

 

Time allowed for completion of an ESA50 is four weeks. If Tatos haven't recorded the receipt of a questionnaire after three weeks the computer automatically sends a reminder. There's no point to sending an initial ESA50 (for a new claim or reassessment) until you know one's been requested. (Neither Tatos nor their computer will know what to do with it.) So, if you don't receive a paper ESA50 within the next few days, it's either their call carousel or write to your benefit centre to say you were expecting one that hasn't shown. Use the time to make as good a job as you can of a downloaded copy so it's ready to send once you hear from them.

 

With your diagnosis it's unlikely (but not impossible) that you'd receive a 'failure to return'. Your entry on the medical services referral system will almost certainly be flagged for mental health. And if so, and you don't return a completed ESA50 for whatever reason, your case will be progressed automatically to the next stage of the Tatos assessment. Good cos claimants don't get done for 'failure to return'. Bad cos a whole heap of claimant evidence is lost to the decision maker.

 

Take care, Margaret.

Edited August 20, 2013 by **Margaret**

[Guest]

Thankyou Margaret. I am looking at my esa print off copy each day, adding bits here and there, particularly with the fact that I can lift an empty box, but once is ok, repetition definitely not ok, twisting turning to maybe move it from here to there would have me in pain if done repeatedly. so I have lots of extra notes and paper to add with it.

Thankyou again .....

[Guest]

My daughter was with me this morning and I rang the same office as before and they have said that they have been told by "medical services" that in this area is approx. a 6-7 week wait for the esa50 to be sent out, that's 6-7 weeks from the first phone call, so its likely another 4 weeks-ish before I will get it, she said not to worry yet, as she was aware of my anxiety. I will leave it be now for a few weeks. I have both calls made on phone records, and if I write it will be sent recorded. Just breathing now and keeping my pre-done forms handy to check and add to if necessary.

[**Margaret**]

:Ruby_Tuesday:

A refinement to DWATO devised anxiety!!

Margaret.

[Guest]

And still nothing.....a letter to dwp office next week, I cannot bare another phone call.

[Guest]

Well hey ho the questionnaire arrived this morning....can see what people mean about it now, as in writing as much info and adding to the form, as not much on it really. So I have until the 11th October to get it back to them, and having already worked on a downloaded copy I have time to fill it in and do my necessary multi checks before sending it off by recorded delivery so can check and prove it got there. Am going to photocopy it before I send it also.

[**Margaret**]

:Ruby_Tuesday:

 

Just dropping by to wish you well with that unfit for purpose form.

 

Keep , Margaret.

[Guest]

Thankyou Margaret....ive been offline due to not having any internet. Well the form had to be back by 11th October and it was, I sent it recorded and they signed for it on the 7th.......usual payment went in on the 18th, just wondering how long before I hear back from them.

[reallymadwoman]

just wondering how long before I hear back from them.

 

It could be anything from a week or two to months. It depends on where you live, how busy your assessment centre is and whether they contact eg your GP.

[Guest]

the last time I was at this stage with them, was in 2009 and it took about 6 weeks to get the letter saying I was no longer entitled to incapacity and to sign on for jsa, this was 3 days before my benefit was due and nothing went in the bank, I was in turmoil and highly bi polar.....hoping they wont pull the "we sent an appointment but you didn't attend" trick this time, I will be on their case if I don't hear soon my anxiety wont let it rest. Am sure there is email addy somewhere on here for them.

[**Margaret**]

:Ruby_Tuesday:

 

'the last time ......' Yes, that's what happened to Starryeyes. Introduction of employment n support and Tatos nurses reinterpreted the criteria for incapacity benefit.

 

Given the current Tatos tatters, there's simply no way of knowing whether they'll keep you waiting six weeks or six months. But as you're after a conversion award there's a slightly higher than 17% chance of avoiding the face to face trial. Especially as you appear to have supportive medical evidence.

 

Two suggestions for slightly less chance of missing an appointment letter;

 

The address for electronic mail; [email protected]

 

And the ever unhelpful desk on 08002 888777.

 

With your daughter's help contact each on alternative weeks to make sure they've not sent an appointment. And leave neither of them in any doubt that you need to do this cos your diagnosis is spiralling out of control. And for your own peace of mind, keep copies of the electronic mails and log/record the phone calls.

 

Best wishes, Margaret.

[Guest]

Thankyou Margaret

[Guest]

I cant face the unhelpful help desk on the phone.....but they will get emails and plenty of them each time my anxiety reaches a certain level and I haven't had a reply......they had the form on the 7th so have emailed them making it clear its my anxiety with it all which is why am emailing with help of daughter. I will update.

[Guest]

they replied this by email today..........

 

Thank you for your email. We have received your ESA50 questionnaire, thank you.

This is currently waiting to be reviewed by a health care professional to see whether you will be required to attend for a face to face assessment, or whether advice can be provided to the Department for Work and pensions without the need for you to attend. We hope to complete this stage of your referral as soon as possible, and you will be notified of the outcome of this in due course.

Generally, we hope to complete a referral within 13 weeks, however we are experiencing some temporary delays due to the high volume of referrals we are currently dealing with. We will deal with your referral as quickly as possible however. If you are asked to attend for an assessment, then this would be the time to contact us to request audio recording and a taxi, by calling 0800 2888 777. The agent you speak to will advise you further regarding this matter.

with regards

Maggie

Customer Relations

Atos Healthcare

[**Margaret**]

:Hello Ruby_Tuesday:

 

How you doing?

 

'...... some temporary delays ......' Well that's one way of putting it. And somewhat economical with the truth.

 

Most of us find the ever unhelpful desk difficult to deal with, even on a good day. Even the super efficient administrator who helped me a few weeks ago gave Cardiff a miss. Which is why, if needs must, I suggested your daughter's help to cope with them.

 

Wish there was something I could write to lessen your anxiety, but there isn't. Fraid we're down to empathy and :panda:, Margaret.

Edited November 6, 2013 by **Margaret**

[Guest]

Hi Margaret........I actually emailed them last night, as I hadn't made contact since receiving the email reply I posted on here, and they replied this morning, saying the 13 week period starts from when the esa50 is sent out, but they are experiencing delays to the amount they are dealing with. Mine is still in the queue. I had asked them to confirm if they had sent or not anything out to me and they confirmed nothing has been sent yet....so its still the waiting game.

 

With the benefits changes and this new reconsideration period, which still doesn't have a time limit? I am just expecting them to throw me off onto jsa, it would seem easy for the to do it in the knowledge that claimants will have no money to live on if they don't claim jsa. However we shall see...........

[Perseus1]

PS: I took a completely different attitude.

 

I went with the attitude "cure me and give us a job". I got nil points , of course. So I am now on JSA. If your tests at ATOS come up with some serious off the chart readings they are obliged to fill in a form and advise the NHS.

 

I had to negotiate the JSA agreement with the Job Centre to take note of physical inability to do certain things.

 

I am now going for nerve conduction studies at the hospital because ATOS did not miraclely cure me and suddenly jobs are not available for everyone.

 

It is a DWP that make the decision so I could not give two hoots what ATOS say or do. It does mean I don't have to put Disability on job applications any more. ATOS say I am fit and it was a medical Doctor (from Romania). At least he was called Doctor.

 

And I learnt how to do charades. The ATOS Doctor was not an expert in musculoskeletal disorders but by the time the NHS had booked me up with a physiotherapist it was nearly a year later.

 

If I avoid going to see my GP, I am fit for work. My career as a left handed slip fielder for Sussex has gone awry. I can do right handed operation of a trackball (not a mouse).

 

PS: Is it always Doctors that do the ATOS tests? On reflection, I think I would insist on this. It might be bad for your health otherwise.

Edited November 6, 2013 by Perseus1

[Guest]

And still nothing from atossers.......seems the delays are in every area. Am still emailing every two weeks to check they haven't "sent" anything out to me, to avoid the trick they pull about non attendance etc.

[**Margaret**]

:Hello Ruby_Tuesday:

 

Yep, and the further south the longer the delays. Know you're worried about an alleged 'failure to attend' but what you're doing, the electronic mail trail, is your best possible defence, even if it feels like an unnecessary chore. Several years ago I won an alleged 'failure to attend' at reconsideration cos I'd got a recorded delivery paper trail. (We'll gloss over that referral to the Atossers was a mistake by Jobcentreplus. A mistake that they didn't realise, until nine months later!)

 

Margaret.

 

 

So far, Work n Pensions are refusing to be time limited for reconsiderations. Yesterday Ms McVey was rather optimistically predicting fourteen days for a straight forward case without additional evidence. More realistic, in my opinion, is Work n Pensions internal target of fifty working days.

Edited November 27, 2013 by **Margaret**