Hi everyone i have today received the dreaded letter about changing from long term IB to ESA. The letter says i will receive a phone call followed by a questionnaire and possibly an assessment.

I have had ra for 15 years, and had both wrists fused nine and seven years ago. I have also had a partial shoulder replacement, after a bad fall, and when outside walk with a stick. I get dla at low rate for personal care due to not being able to prepare a meal without help. I worked until after the second wrist fusion, as a staff nurse in an outpatient dept. I then took ill health retirement and have been on IB since then. I have recently suffered fom anxiety as a result of all this and other family issues.

I wondered if anyone has any tips on how to deal with the questionnaire and assessment. I have looked on the gov .uk website and i think i will have enough points to qualify but you never know with these people, and having gone through a tribunal before for dla, i need to be forearmed.

Thanks

Bevxx

Hi Bev,

Have you rung the NRAS helpline? They have some good advice on form filling and, in my experience, are usually up to date on benefit changes and criteria.

Good luck with it, I hope you can get through it without too much extra stress

Vicky xx

Hiya Bev,

First one i have heard of so far, and i am going to have to go through that process myself.
Firstly i should state that those in power deliberately changed the "descriptors" for the process to one that is even more strict.

These can be found HERE (these are the physical descriptors..the mental ones are on a link at the bottom of this link)
It is worth reading them since you get an idea of what constitutes as being unfit for work. You have to fit descriptors that add up to 15 points and you only get one score from each section.
Get friends or family to help you with the form and remind you of occasions when you were less able.

Firstly, the form , when you receive it will have a time limit for you to return it , so make sure you adhere to this . It goes with out saying to read everything that you get very carefully.

This is the form they are currently using HERE DO NOT USE THIS FORM BUT USE THE ONE THEY SEND YOU You can print this out and use for a rough draft.

The first major part to fill in is the section "About your illnesses or disabilities" and there is a lot of white space there . Fill this in with what your illness is and how it affects you .. Give good examples and use all the white space bearing in mind they are looking to see if you fit any of the descriptors and also whether something you say means you don't fit certain descriptors.

Do the same with the rest of the form , use all the white space .

When filling in the various sections for example "1. Moving around and using steps" .. if you can move 50 metres without a problem but could not repeat it within a reasonable length of time or doing that would put you in bed for a day or two ..then in effect you cannot move 50m . The repeatability is in the legislation but NOT on the form. So state you could not repeat it if that is the case.

Use this logic for all the other descriptors and even if you can do something ..write down any troubles you have and give examples .

Using a DLA "trick" start keeping a diary , perhaps start preparing your GP and /or Consultant for a letter and maybe show them the list of descriptors above .

It is highly likely you will have a medical.. this will be locally , and it pays to have someone go with you , bear in mind the ESA50 asks if you will have any difficulties getting to a face to face assessment.

After the medical , all the evidence ESA 50 etc will be read by a Decision Maker and possibly a Health Care Professional aswell , and they will reach a decision from this.

According to CPAG Welfare Benefits .. you can then expect a call to tell you what the decision is likely to be and to outline your options .. Remember that this call is for info only and don't be swayed into a decision (if one needs to be made. You should then receive the decision in writing .

Hope this helps , and i think Jamie of the NRAS might be interested in how it goes .. see HERE


Let us all know how it all goes :)

Rich

Hi Bev
Just to say good luck with everything its really not fair that we have to go through so much stress through no fault of our own! Hope you manage to sleep ok tonight let us know how you get on.. Take care xx

Good luck with it all Bev, you really don't need this worry.

Doreen xx

Well a report from my consultant would seal my fate , as it basically says nothing and arrives 2 and a half months after the appointment..:O . My GP is the best option ..:)

Rich

Remember ... anything you send to them put your name and DoB and Ni number on loose sheets and also send recorded delivery .. sounds overkill but i see many people who have no evidence they sent forms etc through the post ..

The thing to remember is that the Decision Maker sits in an office and makes a decision on evidence in writing that is before him .... so the more evidence the better :)

Best of Luck , and if the info i have is correct mine will be due in October 2011 as that is when my IB is supposed to be reassessed .. and yes I am worried too :O


Rich X

Hi hun,

The best advice that I could give you is to contact your Local Welfare Rights office.

I was turned down for mine, I appealed, then it went to the Tribunal, the Welfare Rights officer helped me prepare with the Tribunal, and I won.

I wish I would have gone to welfare rights in the first place as they are really helpfull and they know what you need to put in the forms.

Hope this helps

Michelle.x.x

Hi Lyn ...
There have been many ideas put forward to how they are going to do this , some have stated under 25's first .. however the latest from the Child Poverty Action Group and Disability Alliance is that "Conversion" (as it is now called) will happen on your normal Personal Capability Assessment date . More info.....
DA Conversion/Migration Fact sheet

As with any decision it is appeal able within one month, however the date this month runs from is the Notification of Conversion date (i.e. the date they make a decision that you are found fit for work)

If found fit for work you can appeal and will receive the Assessment rate of ESA until a successful Tribunal , or you can claim JSA and all the conditionality that comes with it .

There are still plans to make ESA contribution based time limited to a year in April 2012 , which is fat approaching ..

Rich >

Thanks again, Michelle, Lyn and Bevers. Michelle just out of interest where in Manchester are you, i live in Failsworth between Oldham and Manchester. My letter about all this came from Oldham jobcentre plus.

Bevxx