ESA assessment

Joycemaryon

Hi i am 50 years old and have arthritis in both S1joints and both L4-L5 facet joints,i find walking very painful and need to use 2 crutches to walk and struggle to sit down without being in pain and my muscles going into spasms,i also have 2 slipped vertabrae at the L4-L5 level but fusion surgery has been ruled out due to the arthritis,i also get pain and muscle spasms all over my back and in both shoulders which is made worse by having a low b12 count,
Anyway to cut a long story short i had an ESA assessment and got 9 points for not being able to sit for more than 20 mins,but although she has put i walked slowly with 2 crutches for 20 mins and agreed with my pip assessment thst i could walk 200 meters which would of given me 6 points ,(the 15 i need),she gave me 0 points because i have the upper limb strength (according to their stupid exercises )to use a manual wheelchair over the required distance ,where i think the combination of sitting down and pushing the chair would cause me pain and muscle spasms ,and i think it's wrong to say that without even providing a chair for you to try
Do you think i have grounds to appeal,as they say u shouldn't have to do something that could make your condition worse

[Deleted User]

Hi Joycemaryon and welcome to the Arthritis UK forums.

I’m sorry to hear you have had trouble with your ESA assessment, not an uncommon event, sadly. The web site has a useful factsheet titled “If you are unhappy with your benefits decision” along with links that may be if some help:

https://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/living-with-arthritis/financial-support-and-arthritis/if-you-are-unhappy-with-your-benefits-decision

You may also like to speak to the Helplines for confidential discussions. Further info here:

https://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/our-services-and-support/helpline

Do come back & let us know how you get on.
All best wishes
Brynmor

Joycemaryon

Hi,is the decision based purely on getting the 15 points or do they take what was written about your typical day into account as well as basically i spend most of my day laying face down on my bed strecing my back out/keeping as much pressure off my spine as possible although i do try and go for a walk as much as possible as i know i need to keep active,i think sitting in a wheelchair would make my condition worse ,i'm seeing my consultant tomorrow and i'll talk to him about it and also ask for a physio assessment,
Its stupid to say you are fit to work then expect you to turn up for a job interview in a wheelchair alongside able bodied candidates

Djamel25

Am same
I’ve got arthritis in my lower back
Am on crutches
I’ve scored 0 point as I couldn’t walk in examination room
But she put on report that I can walk Moore than 100 metre


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[Deleted User]

Hello Djamel25 and welcome to the forums from the moderation team.

I am very sorry to hear about your Arthritis in your lower back and your problems with your assessment for (was it ESA?) benefit.
I attach a link to Arthritis Care’s information if you are unhappy with your benefit decision:

https://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/living-with-arthritis/financial-support-and-arthritis/if-you-are-unhappy-with-your-benefits-decision

Did you have anyone with you during your assessment who may have witnessed what actually happened? If so that should help with any appeal.

Many of our forum users get support from agencies such as Citizen’s Advice or Dial with their applications and appeals.

As Brymor mentioned to Joycemaryon please do contact our helpline if you feel it would help to talk things through with someone: 0808 800 4050

We have a great community here, who have lots of experience of arthritis, I know they will make you very welcome and help in any way they can.

Best wishes

Ellen.

Djamel25

moderator wrote:

Hello Djamel25 and welcome to the forums from the moderation team.

I am very sorry to hear about your Arthritis in your lower back and your problems with your assessment for (was it ESA?) benefit.
I attach a link to Arthritis Care’s information if you are unhappy with your benefit decision:

https://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/living-with-arthritis/financial-support-and-arthritis/if-you-are-unhappy-with-your-benefits-decision

Did you have anyone with you during your assessment who may have witnessed what actually happened? If so that should help with any appeal.

Many of our forum users get support from agencies such as Citizen’s Advice or Dial with their applications and appeals.

As Brymor mentioned to Joycemaryon please do contact our helpline if you feel it would help to talk things through with someone: 0808 800 4050

We have a great community here, who have lots of experience of arthritis, I know they will make you very welcome and help in any way they can.

Best wishes

Ellen.

Hi Ellen
Thanks for getting back in touch
Yes I had friend with me on the assessment day and he witnessed everything
I haven’t been examined at all
All what she asked me is
Can you walk at all
I reply no
So she said ok fine
Then when I received the letter it shows.
0 points
And she put that
He couldn’t walk 5 metre on examination room and he needed help getting up from chair
But on other paragraph she put
From my experience I believe he can walk up to 100 meter and he can move from one chair to the other without help
I wish there is someone out there who could help me with my next step
As I’ve asked them for mandatory reconsideration
Many thanks


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Cosmic

I am again having to deal with the work capability assessment Centre.
When I eventually get the assessment it will have been my 4/5 time of doing it, spanning 12 years.
I had one assessor lie on the assessment report and stated I walked a dog for 20 minutes a day, I didnt even own a dog.
I won that appeal.
To cut a long story very short, I cannot travel to the assessment centre and was asked to send a doctors letter confirming this so a home assessment can be done. I sent them the doctors letter and now they have decided that they won’t accept the letter from my Doctor and are asking for more medical evidence. They have already had all the medical evidence but decided that there is no medical evidence and that my Gp and myself are making it all up. I have given them my permission to talk to my Doctor direct but they are refuseing to do so.
The work capability assessment centre have returned my file back to the dwp 3 times stating that I did not turn up to the assessment.
I was then asked to call dwp to explain why I did not attend the assessment.( If they are not happy with your explanation they close the claim and you have to start all over again) I explained that I cannot travel due to the constant pain and being unable to walk/stand or sit for more than a few minutes because of the extreme pain. I also informed them I had sent the requested Doctors letter and they would not accept it. 3 times Dwp have sent my file back to the Work Cabability assessment centre to give me an appointment but they still wont give me a home assessment appointment even though they have given me a home assessment for a previous claim. This has now been going on for the last 8 months. My Pip assessment was fine and I am on Pip until 2020.
I have a fully functional wet room paid for by the council but still they will not accept I need a home assessment.
If you claim for Benefits that involve the WCA please be pepared for a long drawn out fight with them, Ive been fighting them for 12 years. I am now housebound, I can barely walk and constantly tired due to lack of sleep and medication. I’m lucky if I get 4 straight hours of sleep a night.
I am currently taking :
15mg Lansoprazole - 1 per day
25mcg - Clonidine - 2 per day
50mg - Tramadol - 8 per day
500mg - Naproxen - 2 per day
50mg - Setraline - 1 per day
50mg - Amitriptyline - 1 per day
10mg - Amitriptyline - 1 per day
I also take for Diverticular disease (affects the bowel):
500mg - Mefenamic Acid - 3 per day
125ml - Laxido.
Still they wont accept that I need a home assessment done or that I cannot work.
Now and for the last year I’m having to deal with going through my change. Its only 15 points. But their job is to get you off benefits. Which is why its impossible by their standards to get the full 15 points. But what is most disgusting and laughable is that previous assessments and the pip assessment I got the full 15 points. For pretty much the same questions.
I will keep you updated.

wazz42

Hi Cosmic,

Poor you, it really makes you wonder sometimes. I guess the only thing to do is keep on ringing until they finally listen. I found this link, I know you know all the info on it but at the end there are a couple of phone numbers for Dial, etc that might be useful.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/media/1412/employment-and-support-allowance-factsheet.pdf

I claim ESA too and have used the website benefitsandwork.co.uk, you have to pay for guides but they are very helpful and have a forum

Do let us know how you get on Wazz x