Hi, I am in the process of being transferred from IB to ESA.Got the questionnaire I have 5 weeks to fill in, so I have been digging around and according to the Revised work capability handbook Support group criteria special circumstances (2.3.2) a circumstance which would result in a claimant being treated as having limited capability for work is "there would besubstantial riskto mental/physical health if claimant was not found to have limited capability"
They mention as possibilities "severely compromised immune function risk of infection"
Surely anyone on Anti TNF immune suppresants would possibly fill this criteria , what do you think? also could it not be argued that RA ,(being a disorder of immune system) could also fill criteria.

Thanks RichC, the terminology they use can be very "muckswaddling" as they say up here! your comments make things much clearer bless you Glen

Hiya Glen ,

As always when dealing with benefits issues , make sure you take copies of everything (including the ESA50 , if you can) and if possible send items recorded delivery.Remember, the ESA 50 form you filled out will be used in any appeal and any subsequent re-assessment for Benefits , and also can be for a DLA claim. I bet you are thinking now that you had kept a copy of your old IB50 form for reference .. I know i am !.

The old ESA 50 stated NOT to include reports . This caused confusion since people never knew where and when to send additional evidence , and in fact was the reason for many appeals , as the Decision Maker did not have all the information to hand.

This is not the case now , since the form actually asks you to supply medical reports with the form . Tick the box on page 20.

You could send additional evidence to the JCP Benefits Delivery Centre as well , since even though i hope the original documentation is available to the Decision Maker without being edited, i am unsure of this at this stage.( I will query this today )
If you did send documentation to the BDC you would need to send with a covering letter stating the contents purpose , and make sure the covering letter and any loose sheets have your name , date of birth and NI number on them . It might also be worth sending them nearer the time of the medical so that the documents are not disassociated with your claim.

Hope this helps and good luck with the conversion.

Rich

Hiya Glenys,
BDC is Benefits Delivery Centre , and you should have letters there from JCP with the name of a town and the letters BDC after them .. that is your area administration office .

When getting evidence, and if they accept it, give your GP a list of descriptors from HERE.
Obviously the ones in use now are the ones starting from 28 March 2011 , and you are most likely to need the physical descriptors , although in some cases it s possible to fit the mental descriptors as well.

It should be noted that the descriptors have an option for repeatedly doing something , the form does not highlight this as an option , so make sure you use the white space to explain that you cannot repeat something.
When you get your medical date , keep a diary for the week leading upto it , so you can explain and perhaps give that detail to the Assessor .

And again , Jamie would probably be interested in hearing any troubles , or indeed good practice, of your conversion from IB to ESA . Any Info could then go forward to shape the process in the future.

Any issues just post on here and i will try to help in a general way . In an ideal world it should be seamless, however there is no getting away from the fact that the Work Capability Assessment is now much harsher.

Rich :)

Hi Glenice, good luck with this. I am waiting for a reply to my form at the moment.

Bevxx

Hi Glenice, It is a real pain to fill the form in. I have just received a call today to arrange an appointment for assessment, in two weeks. I asked had they had a report back from my gp or consultant and the woman didn't know so i rang my gp's and they said they hadn't heard anything. I wish I had sorted out my own medical records as well now. I am very nervous now about it all. It said on the radio today that 36% of people give up on the process before completion. I am wondering now if i can manage on my small ill health pension alone.

Bevxx

Bevxx

Thank you very much Rich. I have an appt today at the rheumatology dept so will ask about report, and will ring the gp.

Thanks for your encouragement, it is much appreciated.

Bevxx

PS i have just had another look at the descriptors and they have changed the ones that would have given me the most points which were cannot turn star shaped tap or pour from a half litre container. So am even more worried now.

Thanks Glenice, I appreciate the encouragement. I went to see my gp and she said it's not worth her doing a report at this stage and if they want one later they will ask for one from atos. She said not to lose sleep over this as they seem to be calling in anyone and everyone for these assessments. She said she would be surprised if they say i am fit for work, but you never know. Mike rang our mp who he knows and he said if i have to appeal he will help me. He said he has had more complaints about this than anything else.

Thanks again and best of luck yourself.


Bevxx

PS i know what you mean about the photo. Last year when my anxiety was really bad i kept looking at a photo of myself in my twenties when i was young and fit, and kept reminding myself that that person was still there inside.

Wow, that's great news (I think?!). Such a worrying time,

Lyn x

That is good news in some ways , as that means that you will not have your ESA changed to means tested next year , as the support group are exempt ..It also means you will not have to compulsory attend Work Focussed Interviews or the Work programme.
The flip side is that your RA is severely affecting you :(
I presume you claim DLA aswell , if not do so .

Rich :)