fed up with my E.S.A. And need help A.S.A.P. — Scope | Disability forum
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fed up with my E.S.A. And need help A.S.A.P.

sarahD80
sarahD80 Community member Posts: 7 Listener
Hi all my name is Sarah and I'm new to this forum. I really need help despretly. I'm on E S.A. In the support group and I was recovering £250 a fortnight. As I suffer with high BP, anxity, depression, and panic attacks. But in 2017 when I had a medical. I was deemed fit to work. I put in for a mandatory reconsideration then turned down so I sent it to the tribunal. But since then that's all I receive is £122:40 a fortnight to know where it's dropped again to £114:00 a fortnight. I've got a job to cope on this amount never mind live. And according to the tribunal people I did not have enough evidence to support my case. And owning to my mental health issues and anxiety. I will not phone nor ask anyone. I'm still sending in medical certificate'ş. But nothings never changing. I'm just getting less and less and it's making me really really ill. And I don't know where else to go or do. Because I won't even go anywhere on my own either.........
Please please please help me please. 
As I am in a complete mess and in constant 
Diastrates. Many thanks in advance for reading this. I just really need someone to help me
A.S.A.P.
.

Comments

  • debkenzo
    debkenzo Community member Posts: 110 Pioneering
    Dear Sarah

    I genuinely am so sorry and very sad to hear what is happening to you right now.  It is important to keep talking about how you feel and please take some comfort to know that people on this site do care and understand mostly about what it feels like to go through what you are experiencing.  x
  • hartill77
    hartill77 Community member Posts: 97 Courageous
    Hi sarahD80 
    Here is a link to a website with some help on ESA. 
    https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/employment-and-support-allowance
    I can imagine you have looked at lots of these but could be worth a try. 
    I was advised recently to keep a dairy for my child so it shows the day to day lifestyle/struggles that we have to cope with. It may be worth doing this for yourself to use as evidence. 
    The website may help getting other kinds of help too. 
    Charlene
  • janice_in_wonderland
    janice_in_wonderland Community member Posts: 265 Pioneering
    Hi @SarahDH80

    Sorry to read of your challenges in more ways than one...
    You have joined a v gd support forum so many value

    I hope youre going to be alright which i an sure you will feel relieved with the right advice and guudance 

    Sounds like you need a v gd support worker 

    Please let us know how you get on 

    JiW x
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 273 Pioneering
    Hi SarahD80

    I'm sorry to hear that you are having a really bad time with your ESA. I'm not quite clear about whether you have had your tribunal hearing or not. 

    If you have, and you lost the appeal, then your options are limited. You would have to either claim JSA, or universal credit if you are in a full-service universal credit area; or if your condition has worsened and your GP will write a fit note to confirm this or that you have a new condition, then re-claim ESA - but you are likely to need another assessment before you are paid. 

    The alternative is to ask for a statement of reasons with a view to asking for your case to be heard by the Upper Tribunal, because the First Tier tribunal has made an error of law. 
    See the information here:
    https://www.scope.org.uk/Support/Disabled-people/benefits/DWP-benefits-appeals/Upper-Tribunal

    If you haven't been to tribunal yet - have you? then in most cases you would be paid, the assessment rate - £73.10 per week, if you are 25 or over, or £57.90 if you are younger. It is really little to live on. Your housing benefit, council tax reduction, but not your universal credit for rent should continue - if you contact the council and tell them what's happening. You can try to speed the tribunal hearing up by asking for a cancellation appointment or by writing to the district judge to say you are in hardship and you would like to be given priority for an early hearing date.  Otherwise, it is time to call in favours from family and friends, to use www.glasspool.org.uk, or food banks., or a combination of these. 

    I realise this may not significantly help.

    Gill_Scope


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