Firstly, many thanks to all who contribute here. I have followed the advice of many in filling in my wife's ESA form. She has been on IB for twenty years but were still expecting a fight. She is registered partially sighted due to diabetic retinopothy, and the damage caused by severe lazer treatment to her eyes. She suffers from recurring infections in her feet, and her hands have become deformed, again as a result of the diabetes. She also has other problems such as pernicious anemia, arthritis, athsma, hypertension and heart disease. Anyway, we were pleased to hear that her claim was successful, without a face to face assessment, but she has been placed in the WRAG group, this has currently been appealed but two appeal letters have yet to survive the postal service and arrive at their destination! One letter made it to us though. This morning she has been summoned to appear at a WFI interview on Thursday 27th Dec. Well, technically, Christmas is over by then, I suppose, so can't complain! The letter was pretty helpful, I thought, once you get through all the warnings about taking your money off you if you don't attend etc. It states that "We may be able to help with (amongst others) the cost of replacement care for an adult you care for." Seem's reasonable enough, but what if "you" are the one being cared for? Well, you can bring someone to the interview with you, but "...it may be helpful for you to know that JC+ offices can get very busy and there is limited space in the waiting areas." So "her" carer can attend (gratis, of course) but will probably be expected to stand in the corner. Ah well, if I decide to take her, it may be the makings of an interesting thread to cheer you all up over the holidays. Thanks again for all the help I have gleened from here, and please, everyone, have the best Christmas you can, and a Happier New Year. Good Luck!

Hi I did start a thread about the ATOS assessment under a different section but as it has moved forward I though I should now come to this section as the situation has moved on and appears to be getting worse where the Govt depts are concerned. Help is needed please. The person I care for has lodged an appeal after being put into the WRAG. He, his doctor and myself as his carer all strongly feel that he should have been put into the support group. His written appeal was sent in together with a statement from me as his carer plus supporting statement from his doctor. His doctor wrote an indepth supporting statement and stated that any structured regime is completely unrealistic for him including the work focussed group and that he loses control of his bowel and bladder during seizures which is extremely distressing. She also wrote a lot more but we felt that these were the main points to tell you so you can see how crazy this situation is. I wrote in my supporting statment that during a Grand-Mal epilepsy seizure he loses complete control of his bowel and bladder, and after a seizure care is needed including changing his clothing, washing him and cleaning any mess which has gone on the floor - I am cutting a long story short here! ATOS were asked on 3 or 4 different occasions to please send a copy of the DM report so I could see how the decision to put him into WRAG was made in order that appeal could be written but it was never sent. They sent a copy of the doctor's medical form instead. After this, they were called again but even now, after the appeal has been submitted, it has never been sent. We based his appeal on the doctors medical form which is full of contradictions, eg. she wrote on one page that he was incontenant during fits but then on the next page put that he is not. The report is full of this. We basically went through it and highlighted all these discrepancies and contradictions which was the basis of the appeal without the DM report - it's all we could do. An appointment letter for WFI has now arrived. I phoned ESA who said that I was to call the number on the letter and tell them that the WRAG is being appealed as he, his doctor and his carer all feel strongly that he has been put into the wrong group and supporting evidence has been sent in with appeal. the ESA operator also said that the WFI appt could easily be deferred until after the appeal if it was all explained. I called the number on the letter to be spoken to by a really nasty woman. She wouldn't listen to anything I told her and spoke over me the whole way through the call. Even after I did get her to listen and told her of the situation, she said that he MUST attend this WFI appt even though he is appealing and said that ESA had given wrong information and it cannot be deferred. What is the truth? She asked why he had been given a home visit for the assessment and agreed that ATOS deemed it as, if there was an emergency at the assessment centre, he couldnt go down all the stairs to get out and that the panic would induce a seizure. This woman said that if there was an emergency during the WFI appt, it would cause no problems as there are lifts in the jobcentre offices - she repeated this again after being told that if there is an emergency, you can't use lifts! She even said that it could be done on ground level probably. She stuck to her guns and said he MUST attend this WFI appt at 9.15 in the morning next week. I told her that he cannot go to any appts early morning as he has to get up very slowly and take his time as if he doesnt, he will have a seizure. She said she was going to send an email to someone in appts who is (allegedly) going to phone me tomorrow. She said that a telephone appt might be permitted but she isnt sure. Can anything be done? If they insist he goes to the appt and he does go, it makes a mockery of his appeal and supporting evidence written by his doctor and will most certainly cause him to have more seizures that day - he has between 6 and 8 per week as it is! If he doesnt go, the nasty woman today said he would be in trouble for failing to keep their appt and his benefit would be affected. My head is mush, he has had 2 extra seizures today because of all this. Please if anyone can help quickly it would be appreciated as they are allegedly calling tomorrow.