what a difference to my experience. I phoned up to claim Employment support allowance. they were lovely. few weeks and got award through. it did mention in the letter about poss interviews. I work in benefits so know its a fickal system. however, my point is I have a job and am not in any fit state to do it at the moment. they need to focus more on the unemployed who are capable and not going through treatment of the most awful kind.
will see if I stay on it longer if they invite me for an interview. I wonder if as I have claimed DLA that this affects whether they pull you in???
Hi Vicky
I too had a good experience when I first claimed ESA, they were very helpful on the phone and the claim was processed resonably quickly. I had also claimed DLA and had no problems.
It all starts after this. When you first claim you are classed as under assessment! for 13 wks (I think) within this time they send out a large form for illness details and what you can or cant do - be careful when you fill this in, think of your worse day or go to welfare rights - they will help you fill it in. Then you have an interview at the jobcentre to see whether you have a job and what you are doing about getting back in work ?? Then you get the medical appt - beware they will ring you at night or at w/ends to arrange the appt. I did not answer the call (at 9;00 am on a sunday!!) but it seems you can refuse to give personal details over the phone and ask them to write to you with the appt.
I have now got an appt to attend a Pathways to Work interview in a cple of months! Do they lay healing hands on you and toddle you off back to work lol
I agree they should focus on unemplyed fit people but as there are no jobs they have to pick on somebody dont they!!
Please check this site for advice on the medical dwpexamination.wordpress.com/hello-and-welcome-to-dwp-examination/
Good luck xx
Hi Brenda
I also now have the Pathways appt in a cple of weeks. Im in the same boat, my employer is not putting me under pressure but the bloody DWP are.
As I said in another message here - do they lay healing hands on you at this interview and send you back to work??
Another comment I have read on the net is that the DWP see that everyone, no matter how ill, is capable of some type of work - just look at Steven Hawkins !!
I’ll let you know on here on the outcome of my medical, also what the report says and the Pathways interview details
I feel that under this pressure we should all be forewarned as to what they will put us through
Hi all, well ive had my medical result and they agree i am not fit for work yet but will be in the future. They do not tell you how many points you scored. I have now been placed in the ’ work related activity group ’ Then goes on about managing my condition ?? and following activities given by a personal advisor to get back to the workplace !!
My ESA also goes up by 25 pound
Just want to say thank you for all your advice and experiences and good luck to anyone else being summonsed.
I was diagnosed last september. Had WLE, lymph node removal then 4 weeks of rads. Am currently on tamoxifen and have had just about every side effect going. I’m self employed and my job involves a large amount of driving. The worst side effect for me is the tiredness and fatigue and I do not feel safe driving more than a couple of miles as I just fall asleep at the drop of a hat! I’ve also had terrible problems with my knee joints. When it first affected my joints I was unable to walk for about 6 weeks because of the pain. That cleared but has now started in the other leg.
I’ve been getting incapacity benefit since last september and had to attend the jobcentre in March who then said I would have to attend pathways for work - despite my not needing a job as I have my own business. I sent off the IB50 in April and have heard nothing from them since. I phoned in August to see what was happening and they told me I had been put on the system on July 8th but still not heard anything. I have my last appointment at the pathways to work in 2 weeks so don’t know what will happen after that.
From what I have read the Capability Assessment Medical is more of a tick list and as many of you have said, we do not come into the catagories of questions they ask. The pathways to work people told me that if and when I get my assessment, if they ‘fail’ me to make sure I appeal as it is almost a procedure they go through and hope that you can’t be bothered to appeal thereby forfeiting any benefits.
Like most on this site - I have worked all my life, paid tax and national insurance all that time and never claimed a penny. Now it is the governments turn to give us something back. It’s bad enough we have to put up with this bloody awful disease and everything that goes with it without having to justify our incapacity.