benifits are a farse the system is useless

handsy
handsy Member Posts: 209
edited 5. Jul 2009, 14:44 in Living with Arthritis archive
hi its john on a rant again,as some of you will know i have RA and am being tret by my local hospital. recently i was given a 3 month sick note from my doctor, i had to go for an assesment for the employment support allowance, i have just recieved my letter stating that i have scored no points. absolutley nil. what do we need to be doing, crawling in to the medical screaming in pain. the assesment says i have no touble standing walking, can raise from sitting without any difficulty, picking things up. this is really frusrtrating the whole system is not in touch with the real world.i have been informed that everyone is refused the first time i find this totally rediculass. iam going to see some one for some legal advice. some days i cant even get out of bed the forum and the web are my only touch with the outside world. any comments or advice would be greatly needed. cheers :cry:

Comments

  • jenzie06
    jenzie06 Member Posts: 708
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hiya
    Sorry to hear about your ESA troubles.
    I've recently applied for ESA too and didn't even get to the medical assessment phase. Because I've had the RA since I was 15 I've never been able to have a full time job (I spent 5 yrs at uni doing an undergrad and masters degrees). By the time I left uni I couldn't work full time and therefore couldn't contribute national insurance contributions. Without these contributions I can't claim any support. I have had part time jobs but I've recently had to give up on even these (I was doing 8hrs a week and it was still making me really poorly).
    So I sent all my P45's and P60's to the NI office to make sure my file was up to date. I called them today and was told if I fill out a specific form at the job centre my file will be updated quicker. So I called the job centre who have never heard of this form. Round and round I go!!

    I want to be a 'useful' member of society not just claim benefits but its the hand i've been dealt. But I can't even do that properly!! My total income is £74 per month. My husband has to work twice as hard to support us both. I'm not asking for a huge amount either just a bit to help.

    I've decided to push the matter as far as I can and will get in contact with my MP and party leaders in order to get this totally crap system overhauled.

    Sorry for the huge rant too but I'm hot and fuming.
  • tkachev
    tkachev Member Posts: 8,332
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    When you have to live with illness and pain it is bad enough, when you are made to feel like a liar that is infuriating. Not only is it difficult to get a job but employers are not always understanding.I feel for you both.

    take care
    Regards Tkachev
    Never be bullied into silence.
    Never allow yourself to be made a victim.
    Accept no ones definition of your life

    Define yourself........

    Harvey Fierstein
  • annebr
    annebr Member Posts: 730
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hi,

    I have been self-employed for 12 years and paid a small fortune in taxes, vat & NI. I haven't worked since January and do not claim any help. I have never once in my life claimed benefits of any kind.

    I decided to check on the gov website to see if I was entitled to anything and the short answer is NO. Because I haven't spend every penny earned & kept some for a rainy day and my husband works I am not entitled to a penny.

    I agree the system needs an overhaul.

    Anne
  • woodbon
    woodbon Member Posts: 4,969
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hi I'm having problems, they say I haven't paid NA but I've been working for years. When I asked them why this they have no record, they said its because I worked for the council. Anyway, they will accept about 3 P60s.!!! :x :shock: Fed up. Sue
  • joyful164
    joyful164 Member Posts: 2,401
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Could I suggest that you contact your Welfare Rights Office, if you have one. If you make an appointment with them, they will come to you if you have difficulties getting to them.

    They can advise and in some cases take any appeals through for you or they can give some 'clout' to your requests a bit better. For a start, they can understand your condition a bit better than any Job Centre Clerk, who all seem trained to treat everyone as a possible cheat, if you know what I mean.

    good luck

    joyful
  • plmb48
    plmb48 Member Posts: 125
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    handsy wrote:
    hi its john on a rant again,as some of you will know i have RA and am being tret by my local hospital. recently i was given a 3 month sick note from my doctor, i had to go for an assesment for the employment support allowance, i have just recieved my letter stating that i have scored no points. absolutley nil. what do we need to be doing, crawling in to the medical screaming in pain. the assesment says i have no touble standing walking, can raise from sitting without any difficulty, picking things up. this is really frusrtrating the whole system is not in touch with the real world.i have been informed that everyone is refused the first time i find this totally rediculass. iam going to see some one for some legal advice. some days i cant even get out of bed the forum and the web are my only touch with the outside world. any comments or advice would be greatly needed. cheers :cry:
    WELFARE RIGHTS GO TO LIBRARY good luck pauline
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 30,335
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Handsy
    Hmmmmph!
    You MUST appeal! Get some advice urgently. Well give yourself the weekend to get your head around it and then get actvely sorting it out.
    You WILL win this battle in the end.
    Take care
    Toni x
  • joyous
    joyous Member Posts: 179
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    hi all what is esa allownce i get working tax credit i work 16 hours a wk i had an op on 07 and had to go on incapacity benefit for a year till i went back to work after 8 months off sick ive never heard of this allowance at all all th best joy xx
  • lesleygraham
    lesleygraham Member Posts: 91
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    joyous wrote:
    hi all what is esa allownce i get working tax credit i work 16 hours a wk i had an op on 07 and had to go on incapacity benefit for a year till i went back to work after 8 months off sick ive never heard of this allowance at all all th best joy xx

    Hi Joyous
    I think esa is the new name for incapacity benefit.
    Les
  • sharmaine
    sharmaine Member Posts: 1,638
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hi

    Can you appeal? Your GP could also write a letter support your claim and outlining your condition.

    Give them a call but don't stop trying.

    I didn't think I had a chance in hell of getting Incapacity Benefit but I did. I'm not able to return to any work at the moment.

    Let us know how you get on.

    Regards
    Sharmaine
    handsy wrote:
    hi its john on a rant again,as some of you will know i have RA and am being tret by my local hospital. recently i was given a 3 month sick note from my doctor, i had to go for an assesment for the employment support allowance, i have just recieved my letter stating that i have scored no points. absolutley nil. what do we need to be doing, crawling in to the medical screaming in pain. the assesment says i have no touble standing walking, can raise from sitting without any difficulty, picking things up. this is really frusrtrating the whole system is not in touch with the real world.i have been informed that everyone is refused the first time i find this totally rediculass. iam going to see some one for some legal advice. some days i cant even get out of bed the forum and the web are my only touch with the outside world. any comments or advice would be greatly needed. cheers :cry:
  • woodbon
    woodbon Member Posts: 4,969
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    lesleygraham wrote:
    joyous wrote:
    hi all what is esa allownce i get working tax credit i work 16 hours a wk i had an op on 07 and had to go on incapacity benefit for a year till i went back to work after 8 months off sick ive never heard of this allowance at all all th best joy xx

    Hi Joyous
    I think esa is the new name for incapacity benefit.
    Les

    Hi Yes, Employment Support Allowance, as its now called, has taken the place of incapacity benifit. The only thing is its a lot harder to qualify for and their more forms and medicals and what not. You only have to claim it now if you make a new claim, if already have had incapcitybenefit then nothing changes for you yet. Love Sue
  • sandy123
    sandy123 Member Posts: 29
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    you have to appeal,
    my son was in the same postition for his throut and other problems the questions they asked him were nothing to do with what he had, they stopped his payments when he phoned up told him to appeal and it would take about 3 months before appeal, as soon as they recive his appeal form back they will start paying him again as long as he keeps sending sick notes in, this has happened at the moment,
    so you must appeal know it is a bit stupid the way the system is a the moment, good luck with what you have you shoundt have any problems, they are doing this to everyone.
  • topcatt
    topcatt Member Posts: 63
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hi - although I am new to the forum I was drawn to this topic and wuld suggest you take a look at a website called benefits and work which gives advice and guidance on benefit claims and appeals. I have found this invaluable recently and would recommend it to anyone having problems with the benefit system. hope this helps.

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