ESA

Thank you Bicycle! It was good to read of your positive experience.

Definitely do it, and.  You'd be amazed at the number of very sick or disabled people who fail the assessments.  I failed one once myself, and the appeal, despite having the support of my doctor and a mental health worker.  I won the tribunal, though.  They were actually very sympathetic at that stage and completely accepted my appeal, over-ruling the DWP.  As soon as you appeal, too, they'll reinstate your money.  Good luck.

Just picking up on this thread, as I have just had a letter following my ESA assessment informing me my ESA has been withdrawn as I scored ZERO points!

Am diagnosed ASD and am long-term off work with 'anxiety and stress' and with a valid fit note saying 'unfit for work'.

Tomorrow I have a meeting with my autism support worker: I believe we are going to put in a mandatory reconsideration, which he says we will lose, followed by tribunal, which he is optimistic of winning having successfully done this process several times before. I am somewhat unoptimistic, but not pessimistic, and happy to give this a go.

I'll post updates as we progress down this path.

fiona79 said:

So - my son is considered 'too able' for ESA

-now Today -at a meeting at the Job centre we find out that he cannot apply for Universal credit - as I am his appointee - ie he is 'not able to look after himself'.

Our only option is to apply for Job Seekers allowance - but he is certainly too vulnerable to hold down any job with out full support!

What I find really frustrating though is finding one person / department / ANYONE who can help steer me through this maze - and I am supposedly the 'able one'.

Any ideas / pointers would be gratefully accepted. I am starting to give up hope

I feel for you.  Since I am in a similar situation.  Unfortunately I cannot give you any black/white answers.

My only suggestion is to exaggerate.  When they are looking at how 'bad' he is.  Exaggerate a bit and include every bit of bad behaviour that you remember.

At present you are in danger of falling in between the cracks in the system.  Except the cracks are actually wide canyons.

I am having difficulty finding work.  My specialist employment advisor says to be honest and don't lie.  Then he rewrites my CV, including a pack of lies about skills I don't process.

Good luck.  Keep us informed about how things are going.

So - my son is considered 'too able' for ESA

-now Today -at a meeting at the Job centre we find out that he cannot apply for Universal credit - as I am his appointee - ie he is 'not able to look after himself'.

Our only option is to apply for Job Seekers allowance - but he is certainly too vulnerable to hold down any job with out full support!

What I find really frustrating though is finding one person / department / ANYONE who can help steer me through this maze - and I am supposedly the 'able one'.

Any ideas / pointers would be gratefully accepted. I am starting to give up hope

fiona79 said:

My son has had his Employment Support Allowance withdrawn following his health assessment. I appealed -and lost - my point was that he would have had his support withdrawn anyway: 

Scenario 1 - he did not know exactly what the letter inviting him to the meeting was about - he did not understand what he had to do upon receipt of the letter - so he would have missed the assessment and by default have his ESA withdrawn.

Scenario 2 - I drove him to the appointment (he is not capable of catching the train / bus). I reminded him to have a shower and explained what the meeting was about - thus he got there and was prepared - and was deemed 'able' not entitled to ESA! 

My point - when I appealed was that 'he could not have attended the meeting without me interpreting the letter and physically getting him there' - so how does this make him 'able' and not eligible for employment support? His journey to any health assessment MUST be taken into account. They were silent on this point - no response.

Has anyone else had a similar experience?

I am my sons carer - and we have no support from social services - having his ESA withdrawn has been a really demotivating set back for me.

Hi Fiona79,

In short - yes, I have had a similar experience, though acting entirely alone.  I failed the appeal, too, and took it to a tribunal.  At tribunal stage, I won.  At the tribunal, you are not assessed by a faceless, government-appointed agency, or by an employee of the DWP.  You face, in a quiet room with no one else present (i.e. members of the public) an independent legal representative and a doctor.  My tribunal lasted no more than 15 minutes.

That's the best course of action I can suggest for you - difficult though it is.  You feel like you're not being listened to, and that no one cares.  I was dreading the tribunal.  But I needn't have.  These people listened, understood, read further testimony from my GP and counsellor - and accepted the appeal.

I wish you well with whatever you decide to do. 

Best regards,

Tom