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

[Guest]

Hi Everyone and thanks for your replies, i dont get online much as no internet at home now. I have my CPN attending the tribunal hearing with me (when it eventually comes around) so they will be able to confirm my illness at the time of the atos test, am hoping that will help as that is the only rep i will have. I have been in therapy for 9 months, was re-referred by my GP around the time of the atos fiasco. Am just hoping its enough to prove my illness at that time, and think it should be but what i think doesnt count lol both my pyschiatrist and cpn agreed i was unfit at that time to work and my illness is life long, bipolar doesnt go away, but it can be managed better with the right therapy and treatment, i dont want to be at home doing nothing now but i do want it recognised that i was ill at that time and should have had my benefit whilst i was in therapy, as i could not have worked and done the therapy it was too draining and challenging for me, i have sent letters already from my psychiatrist and cpn with my appeal papers so am hoping i will get the result i want.

[RaeUK]

Good luck hunni.

Best wishes

Rae

[drone69]

Unlike the profesionals who work for Atos the doctor at the hearing is actually qualified and knows what they`re doing. At least in my case anyway. Good luck.

[Guest]

well thats good news then, if the tribunal doctor is qualified and knows about the illness and therapy etc and with a cpn and the letters i have then i should be ok, can only do my best, thanks for the replies everyone, it really helps on my "shaky" days lol

[drone69]

Good luck. It only helps your case when they see you. I felt like a trapped rat with big ugly tom cat on my case. The tribunal isn`t there to get as many people off benefits as possible. Unlike AtoS they are thinking for themselfs, within the law, and are not being prompted by a piece of software that`s pre-programed to certify you fit to work.

[Guest]

thanks drone69 thats what i needed to hear, am happy to do what i can now but i really wasnt in any state to do anything back then and that atos test almost pushed me over the edge, had it not been for some research my daughter did and found this site for me i really wouldnt be here at all now, everything seemed so hopeless, will keep you posted...

[drone69]

I know what you mean about being pushed over the edge. Thanks to AtoS I`m now on even more tablets to help with anxiety, panic attacks and depression.

[ThunderBolt]

They're still faffing about with payments and back pay... Patience is a virtue I'm running out of quickly.

 

I wonder how I'd stand on claiming for interest built up on debts over the past year?!? No... Didn't think so!

 

Trouble seems to be with - as mentioned by others - a serious lack of communication between depts. It's always someone else's fault.

 

Hope all's going well for you and all those waiting and waiting... And waiting!

[commiekips]

IB still exists. They are, for those who have won IB appeals, automatically running ESA and IB claims together unless you write to them and request that your ESA claim be closed and your IB claim reinstated to what it was before it was wrongly taken away.

 

In having both claims running you get the difference top up to your higher rate ie what you were on before the appeal but you have to send in MED 3 certs.

 

If you close the ESA down and just have IB then you no longer need to supply MED 3 certs.

 

IB is being phased out gradually with ESA taking over. If you've won an IB appeal then any outstanding ESA appeals after you made the IB appeal are quoshed automatically, or should be.

[commiekips]

They're still faffing about with payments and back pay... Patience is a virtue I'm running out of quickly.

 

I wonder how I'd stand on claiming for interest built up on debts over the past year?!? No... Didn't think so!

 

Trouble seems to be with - as mentioned by others - a serious lack of communication between depts. It's always someone else's fault.

 

Hope all's going well for you and all those waiting and waiting... And waiting!

 

Agree here. Depts will not step on each other's toes, which leaves claimants having to deal with totally separate claims and only receiving info for any particular claim from that dept. There is taped evidence of staff fed up to the back teeth with a crazy system in place and one which some bright spark got paid a substantial salary for inventing.

[doktorjohn]

I've just been told my money goes down from 91 to 50 as well. - Gutted.

Got to lose the internet and phone which makes it harder to research for a good appeal.

 

Gutted like a fish flopping around high and dry on a dusty riverbank with beach-buggies running past about to squash me and..........oh I can't be bothered.

[honeybee13]

Doktor John, I'm really sorry to hear they've done that. I hope we can find something to help you.

 

HB x

[doktorjohn]

Thanx HB. My Dr is supportive and I can probably get previous employers to say I was stressed at work and left work for health reasons.

 

I think I might win the appeal but the way I was stitched-up was cruel and all the mis-information the jobcentre gave me also led to a hard sucker-punch.

 

It's true about not thinking it will happen to you. My previous PCA's were no problem and my meds are even stronger now so I should not be in this mess and nor should these other good people.

[honeybee13]

I know, I've been there too. Atos are nasty nasty people. Don't give up.

 

HB x

[ThunderBolt]

I know, I've been there too. Atos are nasty nasty people. Don't give up.

 

HB x

 

I'm inclined to agree with that...

 

I've been told today my next scheduled meeting with them will be in around 5 months time. They've not even fully sorted out the last faff up and it seems they're planning their next one.

 

doktorjohn Please forgive me if I'm stating something that's already been said, but is that down to the fact they mix and match now... ie top up your ESA with IB, so your IB might be 50 and ESA normal?!? It does get confusing doesn't it?!?

 

What I thought would be ONE phone call a couple of weeks back, turned into 3 - all of which I had to wait for a call back.

 

commiekips I'm sure you're right about the miffed staff. Sadly, it's them who get it in the neck. While there are a few that deserve it I know most don't. And the clever dicks who clearly lack the ability to organise the proverbial in a brewery sit on their backsides - and wallets - in complete ignorance of what they've set up. Or worse still arrogance, as they may well be aware of it but just not give a stuff!

 

After I won both appeals they sent me the sick note back. Another example of wasting money some would say!

[doktorjohn]

ThunderBolt, ESA has not entered the equation for me as yet.

I was on Income Support plus Disability Premium but treated as an Incapacity Benefit case.

 

All I will get now until the appeal is 80% of the Income Support and no Disability Premium.

 

I thought I would get my 91 quid minus 20% but I learned yesterday that the Disability Premium is just stopped.

 

They really don't know what they are doing because they said to send a medical certificate in, I did and still got no money,

then after phoning them a few times, they said I don't need medical certificates.

 

Different people kept saying contradictory things, it really sounds as though they make it up as they go along.

[commiekips]

ThunderBolt, ESA has not entered the equation for me as yet.

I was on Income Support plus Disability Premium but treated as an Incapacity Benefit case.

 

All I will get now until the appeal is 80% of the Income Support and no Disability Premium.

 

I thought I would get my 91 quid minus 20% but I learned yesterday that the Disability Premium is just stopped.

 

They really don't know what they are doing because they said to send a medical certificate in, I did and still got no money,

then after phoning them a few times, they said I don't need medical certificates.

 

Different people kept saying contradictory things, it really sounds as though they make it up as they go along.

 

You have to make sure that you send any material in to the correct dept as they will not talk to each other regarding your claims unless it suits them to. They spout rules and laws then contradict themselves when you make it a bit tough for them.

IE: We will not close your claim and revert things back to the status quo unless you give it to us in writing - next day, done over the phone. We cannot deal with this claim,it's the other dept you need -whisper whisper whisper. Ok Ill have a word with them.

 

This is now the law changes to we can do as you request. The system is in a shambles.

[doktorjohn]

Thanks ck. Can you just clarify the sentence, "This is now the law changes to we can do as you request."

 

I'm not nit-picking, just curious.

[commiekips]

I'll put it another way. That was very poor grammar and you're right to pick up on it.

 

This is now a case of, it's the law, but then it suddenly changes to we can do as you request if you ask for it in writing. But then, it's actually done over the phone without writing in. I wish they'd make their minds up about what and what is not the current legislation regarding successful IB claims and interim ESA claims running side by side.

[doktorjohn]

Very good point.

 

Your avatar is very hard to look at. That is nit-picking.

[ThunderBolt]

I can tell you now that my back pay has been paid in. Seems a bit less that I'd worked out but really can't be bothered.

 

Relieved? Yes and no... My sleep patterns are still all over the place and to be honest I feel worse within myself both physically and up top. At least I've been able to clear some of my debt and if I penny pinch a bit longer should be straight within reason soon. That's the only relief though.

 

I feel destroyed.

 

My "Mental" side is a mess now. Even though I've had things going on for as long as I can recall the last year has surfaced a lot of things I didn't want to or even chose not to face. That option was taken away throgh all this and instead of talking it over I kept it tight under my hat. I'd highly recomend anyone thinking of doing the same didn't! Easier said than done, but try at least.

 

The findings of the DLA I applied for said I was entitled to nothing again. That I could handle, after all I was acting on advice as a way to top up my cut down IB while appealing, but the reasons... Farcical. Blatant bullplop. Either they're all on drugs or I'm Superman. and I'm not Superman!

[honeybee13]

Hello there again. I don't know what to say at the moment but will have a think soon. Can I send a virtual hug for now because you deserve it?

 

HB x

[Guest]

Hi all, I am still waiting (since October last year) for a tribunal hearing for IB and wondering if I will still get one? with the new government etc, I wrote to the tribunals service but not got reply, am a bit puzzled as to what is happening. Anybody got any info?

[ErikaPNP]

Yes, you will still get your tribunal. There are no immediate plans to change this that I am aware of. Have you received the DWP submission?

[Guest]

Am being a bit thick here, submission?...I can tell you that when the dwp sent the case to the tribunal back in October last year I did get a copy of their case paperwork etc and I sent in my statement etc of which they were sent a copy by the tribunal, is that what you mean by submission? Sorry if i dont reply quickly but i dont have internet at home now and have to use it elsewhere when i can. many thanks Erika.