Advice help please

primetime

Hi there new to all this hoping someone can help I went for my assessment 17th October with great difficulty they did arrange a taxi for me Friday past I revieved a letter Friday past that a appointment had been made for me with coach then today I received letter to say a change in my esa stating I have been moved from support group to work related activity group I can't believe it as they sent my doctor a letter to fill in last week hench I have a appointment with him I guess it's to do with my disability so they have made the decision to move me even though they don't have the medical report they asked for my illnesses have got a lot worse than previous someone said I can ask for MR within 28 days which I will as there is no way I can make appointment at JC on 19th with coach when is this going to stop having to talk to a stranger I am in agony and petrified if I ask for MR will this also make my appointment void I seriously can't go there JC they never gave me reasons why I was moved sorry I have went on a lot just trying to put as much information I can will my esa stop completely when I ask for MD if so I can't sign on still  receiving DLA  high and middle rate my concern is housing and council tax benefit if they refuse MR I have no other choice but to apoeal haven't slept in a state anxious scared why are they being so cruel to people who genuinely need help I feel so alone no were to turn thank you for taking time to read x

poppy123456

Hi,

Firstly, as you've been placed into the WRAG then you need to attend the appointment, if you don't attend you're likely to be sanctioned. Unfortunately being placed into the WRAG you will have the Work focused interviews as part of the group you've been placed into.

Once the report has been returned to DWP they often make a decision shortly after this. Mostly they go with the report and it's rare to go against it.

Do you know the reasons why you were placed into the Support Group previously? It will be useful to know this so that you can base your MR request letter on this. You'll need evidence to support your claim.

https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/employment-and-support-allowance/esa-glossary/1353-support-group-descriptors

http://www.cpag.org.uk/content/making-exception

You ESA will continue while you wait for the MR decision but you do need to attend the WFI appointment at your local JC.

Only 17% of MR decisions change. I'd advise you to get some help with this because no one on an internet forum can tell you whether you rick losing what you already have during the MR. Contact your local welfare rights, CAB or law centre for help. Good luck.

PTSDdisabled

primetime said:

Hi there new to all this hoping someone can help I went for my assessment 17th October with great difficulty they did arrange a taxi for me Friday past I revieved a letter Friday past that a appointment had been made for me with coach then today I received letter to say a change in my esa stating I have been moved from support group to work related activity group I can't believe it as they sent my doctor a letter to fill in last week hench I have a appointment with him I guess it's to do with my disability so they have made the decision to move me even though they don't have the medical report they asked for my illnesses have got a lot worse than previous someone said I can ask for MR within 28 days which I will as there is no way I can make appointment at JC on 19th with coach when is this going to stop having to talk to a stranger I am in agony and petrified if I ask for MR will this also make my appointment void I seriously can't go there JC they never gave me reasons why I was moved sorry I have went on a lot just trying to put as much information I can will my esa stop completely when I ask for MD if so I can't sign on still  receiving DLA  high and middle rate my concern is housing and council tax benefit if they refuse MR I have no other choice but to apoeal haven't slept in a state anxious scared why are they being so cruel to people who genuinely need help I feel so alone no were to turn thank you for taking time to read x

primetime

Sorry to hear what you are going through.

Write to JC, send it via Recorded Delivery and ask them for "Reasonable Adjustments" 

If you don't have anyone helping you try the following:

If you have access to a computer look up:

LawWorks

https://www.lawworks.org.uk/legal-advice-individuals

If you do not have a computer, your local library may have computers you can use.

You can search for a Law centre near to you, where you can get assistance with Benefits.

I found 15 Law centres within 10 miles of where I live.

This is a short video from Mary Ward Centre, London.

What to do if you fail an ESA medical assessment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKwgX4IjIWU&feature=youtu.be

PTSDdisabled

primetime
write to them asking for Reasonable Adjustments, they may speak to you over the phone. 

Do you have access to any Disability Rights advocates? You haven't stated what you are suffering from, but they can act on your behalf, if you are too anxious to act for yourself.

If you have access to a computer look up:

LawWorks

https://www.lawworks.org.uk/legal-advice-individuals

If you do not have a computer, your local library may have computers you can use.

You can search for a Law centre near to you, where you can get assistance with Benefits.

I found 15 Law centres within 10 miles of where I live.

This is a short video from Mary Ward Centre, London.

What to do if you fail an ESA medical assessment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKwgX4IjIWU&feature=youtu.be

poppy123456

I'm not sure if the reasonable adjustments apply here because of being placed into the WRAG and the requirements are work focused interviews.

primetime

Hi poppy i so appreciate  all ur advice but that anxious i cant  think straight  who do i contact for reasonable adjustments i looked up law centers its 13 mile the nearest  i dont drive due to tumour u mentioned something about advocate  as for my illnesses  partically sighted due to tumour arthritis  of both knees disgenerated disc severe depression panic attacks scared outside cant cope with day to day issues this is very hard for me to open up about these things but i really need someone to talk on my behalf as i cant make sense in my head  with all this overwelmed i am on alot of medication for pain and strong anti depression pills beta blockers sleep prolems contstant pain 

poppy123456

I totally understand you're anxiety and stress but as you've been placed into the WRAG then you must attend the WFI. When you attend the very first appointment, you should explain to your job coach about your conditions and how much going to the WFI's will affect you. A lot of the job coaches for ESA can be very understanding unlike they are for Universal credit and some people very rarely attend these interviews. Some even have the interviews over the phone but you will need to speak to your job coach. Please do not ignore the letter because if you do and you fail to attend or at least ring to speak to your job coach then they could sanction you.

For the decision then the MR is your next step and i'd advise to put it in writing and look at the descriptors in the links i posted above to see which one you think applies to you and based your letter on that... or reg 35 (see link above) For help with this then its either your local welfare rights, law centre or CAB but you'll have to search for what's available in your area.

primetime

Git in touch with CAB they said to go to app to see wirk coach no matter how hard it is as for  the DWP they said to ask for MR then if that fails  an appeal i am terrified  to see someone i dont know  and family members are working thats why i was hopibg to get a disability advocate to go with me as i never travel alone or unaided the nearest obe is 13 miles from me us there any other  persons i can get to go with me i am desperate sorry i have went on and over things time  and time again i so am appreciateing all the help  your giving me i live in Windsor  area 

poppy123456

Advice agencies like CAB/welfare rights don't support people for WFI appointments, at least not that i know of. I know for certain the CAB won't. Do you have a friend that can go with you?

Maybe you can ring the number on the letter for the WFI and speak to your job coach and tell them your issues about going out.

Did you attend the face to face assessment alone or did someone go with you?

primetime

Yes i had family member with me 

primetime

Do i call and ask for this ea10? Many thanks to yourself and poppy can they refuse ? Do i ring the coach  sorry i sound  so stupid honestly i am losing my sanity ?its all too much to take in and register 

poppy123456

Thanks @Username_removed

PTSDdisabled

Username_removed said:

poppy123456 said:

I'm not sure if the reasonable adjustments apply here because of being placed into the WRAG and the requirements are work focused interviews.

@PTSDdisabled on this one. EA 10 applies and can be used to formally request a reasonable adjustment if the claimant is a dysavked person as defined. The interview can be switched to a phone call.

Thank you, I did exactly that when I was first placed onto WRAG in 2013, I wrote to the JC and listed my "reasonable adjustments", I was due to go in for a F2F and they wrote to me and cancelled it, and arranged for a telephone interview for  me.

During the recent debacle I wrote in twice for "reasonable adjustments, despite denying receiving either of them, apart from one F2F I have not had to go in at all!