Hello PMRs
Have been off line for a long time as I have gone to stay with elderly parents!!.....(they are remote and have no wifi) because I am struggling physically and have ZERO money as I have been refused ESA ..... failed my work capability assessment.
Last time I wrote I had to appeal. Well I did and was refused, so I have to go to tribunal.
This situation is tying me in knots.
How do I convince these people??
They are my last chance.
I have chronic depresssion, fibromyalgia and frequent PMR flare ups.
Also I am on the breadline... had no money since JulyThis process has made everything worse
I hate myself
I can't imagine how awful this is for you, but I send my love and support.
I presume that by 'failing' you have been assessed as capable of working? I also presume that you had a job that you can no longer do?
Seems so unfair.
You could google ESA - Appeals Benefits and Work or .....Challenging an ESA decision citizens advice .....maybe you could get a social worker to help you, and get proper documentation from a good doctor. I hope you get the help you need in the end. Good luck.
I'm so sorry you are having such a tough go of it. Filing for disability is frustrating and aggravating. I see people get rejected over and over before the finally getting approved. And then there's my brother in law who gets approved on his first try and he's working part time during the application process. I told him that there was no way to get approved while your working at all but he proved me wrong. Stay strong. Sending you hugs.
Thanks people
yes I was in work and earning a good wage but these medical problems ended
that.
Its tough going to a food bank and having 28p in my purse.
I have been researching and looking at this from all angles so am tired and will have to finish the form tomorrow.
Did you know that a tribunal is Not interested in how you are on that day?
They only assess you on how your WERE on the day you were rejected for WCA
and if they decision makers made the wrong decision????
So if your condition has intensified since then (largely due to the stress of DWP
situation) it is irrelevant.
Is it right to stop any benefit for a claiment for 4 months?
Cannot get Jobseekers cos am unable to work
hi there
i know exactly how you feel. I'm in Canada and went off on sick leave gor 15 weeks paid by the government called our unemployment sick benifits. during this time my PMR got worse but we didn't know it was pmr. i finally got diagnosed my benefits ran out so then i apply for my long term sick leave through work. i went through all the appeals processes to know they admit a disability but prove i had it at the time i left work in april 2015 to diagnosis in September 2015. both rumi and dr wrote i did and they still are denying. I've hired a lawyer who will take 30% when we win which could take yrs.
i applied also for our federal disability and they also denied saying i have a disability but should be getting better. it took me weeks but i wrote a 15 page report breakung down every ailment i had and how it relates to my work and would an employer want to hire someone who may or may not sjow up. if there fatigue may hit and have to leave. brain fog etc.
facts that this is not a short term disease for me over 1 year to drop 4mg.
i just won that appeal.
it has been a very tough year+ with this stress so i feel for you.
i also saw my member of parliament and recomend you do
If you are having frequent PMR flare-ups it suggests you are not being well-managed. You need to be on enough pred to keep the inflammation under control all the time - and not trying to reduce and causing flares. But without knowing more that is all I can say about that.
Since you mention ESA I assume you are in the UK - the system does seem to stink at present. You have to answer their questions using their buzzwords - so it is always useful to get a charity worker or someone experienced to help with the forms. CAB used to do it - but some offices have stopped due to lack of staff and funds. It seems even turning up for an assessment clean and with brushed hair and a bit of slap for moral support is enough for them to assume you could manage to work - never put a brave face on, it obviously isn't worth it! And always provide answers based on your WORST day.
But otherwise all I can say is good luck.
hi gone girl
me again, the site was having problems so i never finished.
working in this field for over 35+ yrs in Canada i know here how the system use to work things have gotten tougher.
whenever we got anything from a member of Parliament we had to act quick. so i wrote my appeal and for me i knew how to break it down since i did these for past clients but with PMR it took me 2+months vs 1/2day when i did them when i worked. i then put the appeal in and saw my MPP and got a letter of support and they investigated.
as i said i took every symptom whether it be pmr or prednisone related and broke it down as to how it would effect my work performance. one symptom may not be much but when you actually put the multitude together you say what employer would want you.
as i said to friends if i didn't have money i would be on welfare which is so sad and you may have to go.
i know someone in England who works but has a disability and gets a free car etc. I'm amazed.
even with money saved this was a strain for your use to a certain lifestyle with that income and yes we could and did sell our home which was stress.
for you my heart goes out. please seek out help and keep me posted
Mariane
Hi Gone Girl, I do hope you take some comfort in all the replies you have received. Please seek some sort of help like others have mentioned - Citazens Advice Bureau or local advice centre. From past experience I have heard that it's not what illness you have but how it affects you day to day. Are you not entitled to Income Support until such times your ESA is sorted? My heart goes out to you, but please don't hate yourself, this is not your fault, for being sick or ESA being rejected. Much love and many invisable ((((((((Hugs))))))))) over the airways. Regards Pat
Some councils (Norfolk do) send out someone to your home to help fill in the forms....and they know exactly what to say...and will even accompany you if necessary ring up, it`s worth trying...if not as others on here have said....Citizens advice Good luck...
I volunteer at Citizens Advice. You can get help by phoning 03444 111 444. You should do this NOW.
We have a website citizensadvice.org.uk, but I guess you need to speak to somebody.
Phone now!
There is one charity that can help you now and that is Citizens Advice. You should phone them now on 03444 111 444
I volunteer at Citizens Advice and deal with clients with this problem regularly. There is a lot of information on our website, but I can't write the link as it will be moderated and this will be blocked.
Make the call NOW.
Andy - for next time you need to do this:
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/ will not now go for moderation.
Thanks Eileen. My first post mentioned the website and was blocked then cleared. Maybe I should start a thread about Citizens Advice. Anybody who is having problems with a disability benefit: Personal Independance Payment (PIP), Disability Living Allownace (DLA) or Employment Support Allowance should get in touch with Citizens Advice. They can help with completion of forms, Mandatory Reconsiderations and Appeals. None of this is easy, but there is help out there and it's free. The first thing people are liable to get wrong is the completion of the application form. People understate their problems!
So I keep telling them!
Not sure whether a new thread helps - they get lost so soon! And believe me - NO-ONE goes back and looks at old stuff. A question may have been asked and discussed in detail just a couple of weeks earlier and someone arrives and asks the same thing.
Your post with the link was captured automatically - the moderator does pass stuff like that pretty quickly except a weekends obviously. But we could ask for the CAB link to be added to the Resources thread
https://patient.info/forums/discuss/pmr-gca-website-addresses-and-resources-35316
Then you always know how to find it quickly without messing about searching.
Oh - meant to say. On one forum someone said she'd had an appointment at CAB and got a phonecall to say it was being cancelled, their office was no longer doing it - what do you know about that?
Our Bureau does not have the resources to actually go with a client to a Tribunal. We used to refer clients to Oxford Welfare Rights who would go with clients, but their funding has been cut so they can now represent 50 clients per annum down from 300 last year! However our bureau will help clients complete a Mandatory Reconsideration(MR) which is the first stage. We will then help them complete an SSCS1 form which is the next stage before Tribunal. We would then help them prepare for the Tribunal meeting. Clients who go to tribunal have a 65% chance of success. Different CAB offices have different levels of resources, but every one should be able to help with the MR and SSCS1. If not face to face then by phone or webchat.