Oh I expect the paper work to turn up later in the year near to the time the ESA is due to run out... Not sure of the waiting times... last time it only tool about 10 weeks from submitting the paperwork to getting an ATSO assessment....

Well doesn't ESA run out after an award period... I won the appeal in December 2013 and got award period was 2 years.... So what happens next

Hi all Don't wanna bore anyone with my story but its as simple as this...Back issue / injury had my employment contract terminated back in Nov 2012 due to fact needing further treatment... which ran throughout 2013 and part of 2014.... Applied for ESA and set for a ATOS medical which claimed fit for work... Fought it and won... The judge recommended the DWP left me alone for 2 years following the tribunal.. which I'd say they have done to a point, calling me in for an interview every 6-8 months.... But every time at these Work focused interviews, I have suggested courses or assistance to help for when I go back to work, it gets shot down with excuses " Oh well, We'll only consider it if your going back to work " So I do question what they doing to help me back to work... So I got possibly the last interview coming up as my ESA runs out in December and maybe its time to turn up the heat with the JC and finally see what hand of cards they are going to play I've got a HGV licence which I've not used in 6 years and am looking find employment in this field but need some refresher training. Lets see if they can help or is it a case of having to go into debt for it myself.... after all no company is going to offer me employment with out undertaking an assessment drive and if I cannot cut it due to the length of time no being behind a wheel, I'm gonna be like a fish out of water and don't stand no hope of getting employed... Something I would like to ask is how many jobs are you expected to apply for whilst on JSA and what is considered a reasonable distance... I've had a quick look on the universal job search, but of HGV's it seems to be all agencies looking to bolster there numbers, no real jobs at all... so how does this work...apply for 8 jobs with the same recruitment agency ? And also can someone tell me the deal with this agreement rubbish Ive been reading about ....whereas if the job centre tells you to apply for a certain job and you don't, then you get sanctioned.... Don't want to be rude to them but I have a class 1 HGV licence, doesn't mean that I'm going to apply for a pizza delivery or a parcel van type of work... Any advice greatly welcomed

Hi all Back in December 2013 I won my appeal for ESA... got called into the local job centre to discuss ways to helping me when I'm ready to get back to work, nothing was decided but the idea of exploring voluntary work or college to re-educate myself.... Following this I researched the education route to find that if I wanted to do a course then I would have to pay for it myself and the job centre wouldn't fund it unless there was a guaranteed job... then looked at the voluntary route, that didn't look promising either.... cant do the driving ppl to hospital/ drs etc etc because Id be using my own car and whilst they pay a cost per mileage, I would have to change my insurance to hire and reward then increasing the cost:|. And from the other local organisations they don't seem to want be flexible to the hrs I can give / do / prepared to work... as soon as you mention back issues, which causes problems for sitting and standing... these places seem to give a wide birth... when I have a really bad day. Laying down helps a lot...on good days I move around as much as I can tolerate but always have that option of knowing I can go for a lay down if it gets to much.... Maybe I'm moaning or is it just boredom getting to me , don't get out much, really don't like talking to ppl on the phone, even finding that I'm on a short fuse.... What does everyone else do to fight this boredom.....

Hi All Back in December 2013 I won my appeal for ESA and after a few weeks got invited into the local job centre for an interview. During this interview it was discussed what I could possibly do to help me back to work when the time is right, I made it quite clear that it wasn't possible to return to the industry that I'd worked in since leaving school as they couldn't guarantee no future lifting... If they had when I originally had the injury then I wouldn't be where I am now... Anyway it was discuss about either doing a course at college or doing some volunteering.... so I went way and not having much luck with either.... college courses are just very basic and if I was to want to do a more in-depth course I'd end up paying for it myself, plus it might span over 2 years and I raise concerns that what if I'm taken of ESA after say 14 months.... I also phoned around to do some volunteering to get told, " think you need to sort out ya back issues first "... My question is what financial support is there out there for someone to trying to get back into work, Ive got a class one HGV licence and I was wondering if they would either pay or at least contribute to half the cost to update my DCPC

Hi All Well I won my appeal in December, then the dreaded brown envelope landed on the door step this morning... not all bad just a letter from the DWP confirming the amount they owe me, and something else about a work related interview.. Can someone explain what these are all about, because its a first for me...seems that even though I won the appeal they still pushing to get me back to work sooner rather an later...

Hi What's the cause of your chronic back pain, what an MRI showing, what did the consultants offer you in the way of treatment.

Hi all ...Its all over and done with Infact it wasn't as daunting as I expected, both Judge and doctor where totally approachable, made thinks clear and happy with the direct answers I give, also let me have my say about the inconsistency's of the Atos report... They accepted that I had made an error on the ESA50 but was understandable as I was tripping on medication... Final result was 9 points for walking, 9 points for sitting and standing, recommendation to DWP that I be reassessed in 24 months .... weather DWP accept the recommendation is anyones knowing

The day is almost upon me Wonder what tribunal is really like, I mean they show you this clip on Utube, whilst quite a few ppl on here have commented on how rude and unhelpful they have been, if they wanna behave like that with me then I'm just gonna walk out I really don't hold my breath with the appeal, to many doubts, I mean I filled in the ESA50 and it would seem that the DWP told Atos what to look into which is all wrong, report full of rubbish that's been twisted and turned around .....reckon it will either be adjourned and another hearing or thrown out.... Hey but its been 6 months since the original decision, so it might just be a cause of making a new claim on Wednesday

No I hit with the appeal as soon as that brown envelope turned up with a fat zero... didn't give them a chance to reconsider..... and no Ive been pretty much left along... haven't had any interviews... just sit tight... enjoy the ride..... wait for your appeal... even if you don't win.. just reapply and jump back on the roller coaster of ESA

Hello Sounds as though you medical was done by the same person that did mine... total load of rubbish and paints a picture that there nothing wrong with ya... I appealed and got my tribunal next week and I only just submitted the statement of facts / evidence to the tribunal 7 days before.... I mean ive waited 10 months for this appeal... and should I fail I'm just gonna re apply

I have a question If I put in a new claim and get awarded 0 points again by the DWP... should I appeal do they still pay the appeal rate whilst you wait for the tribunal or have they stopped that now

Then on the flip side does it matter if I did win the appeal...Bloody ESA will only send me another ESA50 and get me to go to another ATOS medical... so its just on the merry go round of the ATOS & DWP

Hi Margaret... 2 discs L5/S1 & L3/L4 both with bulges ...Pains running directly across the back at L5/S1 and radiating pains in to both left buttock.. and right buttock down to below the rear of my knee.. plus pins and needles in my right foot... so sitting lasts about 15 mins and standing for 10mins... I find that doing the morning school run which takes 15 mins and I'm home after a 1hr of yo-yoing I find that taking medication and laying flat on my bed for a few hours helps with the pain....but its no life when I got two children. plus the medication makes me feel wasted / spaced out a lot of the time, this is why I'm very cautious when and how much I take... Getting up and down from a seated position is painful along with walking any distances, spend half my time up and down like a bloody yoyo...From the consultants & physio's I have been treated by have told me to keep as mobile as I can... A stick isn't really going to offer me much support, a wheelchair wouldn't offer me much support in my lower back as it more of a stooping seated position...plus lifting it in and out of my car would cause more issue where as my back is concerned... From what I recall one of my medical reports stated that issues with anxiety and high GAD score, which I'm told isn't good....and progressively my mental state has got worse since the assessment... no answering the phone or the door.... getting very angry over stupid things...out bursts at ppl and to cap it of getting all teary eyed and in floods of tears over something on TV......

Hi Margaret Pretty well much screwed in my appeal then, don't see the point in going now to have someone tell me the DWP was right.... but then in hind sight, I am still in pain everyday, weather it being sitting for short periods or standing for short periods... find that laying on my back still helps.. My GP has been signing as not fit for work due to the pain and the fact my anxiety and depression is spiralling out of control is just something else I'm having to deal with.. yet all the time the DWP will maintain I am fit for work... From what I gather from information on the super high way is if my appeal fails and I am still unwell for work then reapply for ESA

If a consultant that's been treating me recommended such aids then I would have used them but even after the ATOS assessment I spoke with one of the consultants and he nearly fell of his seat laughing at the comments about a wheel chair... End of the day the medical professionals of the NHS have been treating me.. not ATOS or the DWP

Hi Nysagmite. No it wasn't painless ... stopped four times because the pain was getting to much....and after a few minutes of standing still / leaning against a pillar /wall when the pain dissipated to a acceptable level I then carried on

Hi All With my appeal looming in December I am just a little concerned that I am not clear on one of my descriptors or one that is gonna be play against me.. When we went to the assessment the place I could park thecar was in my view just under 200m, yet it took about 20 minutes with 4 stopsdue to pain and discomfort... Can someone clarify that wouldfall in to this categoryof this descriptor Cannot either: (i) mobilise morethan 200 metres on level ground without stopping in order to avoid significantdiscomfort or exhaustion; or (ii) repeatedlymobilise 200 metres within a reasonable timescale because of significantdiscomfort or exhaustion Yet when wementioned these facts,all she was interested in that we had come by car...bigdeal as the assessment centre is on a main route into a town with no drop offpoint, so I question is this a set up by Atos.. even the bus station is aboutthat same distance.. And yet it could be argued that someone whocame by train and bus would of had to walk more that a total of 200meters toget to the centre... Yet when the ESA wrote to me after the assessment they used some phrase that my mobility would improve with the use of a mobile wheel chair... talk about cop out or what

Yes when I sent in the appeal I think that a second decision maker reviews the case and either awards points or not as the case maybe, probably they are trying to get me to drop the appeal

Has the person passed away at home or in a hospital ? From experience with in the funeral profession if no DWP grant has been raised or no one is prepared to pay for the funeral due to the lack of funds, then some hospital / council trusts do hold contracts with a nominated funeral director for a basic funeral, The simplest arrangements are for cremation only and the times are normally early morning. This is normally reserved for deceased's with no family and no money, where as an investigation team will look at the assets of the deceased, ie property , bank accounts, person property within a household that could be sold to contribute toward the funeral You could certainly ask the question and advise them of the family circumstances.

Hi Guidance of funeral grant & I Hope this gives you some guidance on this situation. First and foremost are you or the person that will be making the funeral arrangements in receipt of benefits, if this be the case then an SF200 needs to be completed no, most of the form will means test to see if there is anyone else with in the family who can pay for the funeral. Please bear in mind that the funeral grant from the DWP does not and will not cover the full funeral expenses and will only cover the basics.. the time to be advised what your entitled to varies from area to area but its about 10 days.. Even though the funeral grant will only cover a percentage of funeral expenses, once you sign the funeral estimate and confirmation of the arrangements, you are liable for any costs not covered by the DWP. i.e DWP agree to pay £1200,but the funeral cost is £2100, then a short fall of £900 is liable by the person who signed the arrangements...

Hi all Recently completed an ESA 50 form, got sent for a Atos medical and failed with 0 points being awarded, yet DWP where aware I had issues sitting and standing due to a accelerated disc changers. Well the decision maker came back and advised that I cannot get ESA so I am appealing but I have noticed something that I have misunderstood on the ESA50 form which has a bearing on my claim How do I rectify this... do I phone the DWP or do I just make it known when I have my appeal ? Whether it was my misunderstanding or my interpretation of the question which I must say is somewhat misleading in the first place....

Hi All I was advised to apply for DLA as I have been off work with Acclerated disc changers L5/S1 & disc changers in L3 with is leaving me in alot of pain 80% of the day...yet it came back and told me that I didnt qualify....even though Im struggling to walk pain free or stand for more than 10mins with out being in pain..... DLA is a joke..... according to them whilst they undertsatnd im in pain Im not considered disabled enough