ESA medical

Hi everyone.....I'd just like to share with you all my experience of the DWP and ESA medicals I have attended since December 2009
I first applied for ESA (after having found out I had Spino Cerebella Ataxia....a genetic disorder) in the sept of that year.
I went to the medical full of hope and cheer.......I was sent a letter a week later saying I only received 6 points and had a TOTAL capability for work.
I appealed straight away and after gathering much medical evidence I had a tribunal hearing 10 months later.....after 10 mins I was awarded 24 points by them and the DWP had to abide by it and back date my money.
I was supposed to be sent for a medical to update the DWP after a year from the tribunal date.....nothing came.
I had a standard letter from the DWP in November 2011 saying that if the new welfare reform bill went through Parliament I would lose all my payments at the end of April 2012.
I pre-empted them and sent a letter in to them in Jan 2012......basically appealing to them to put me in the support group......they acknowledge this and were waiting for 'Guidance'.
The following months and over a year they asked me (through my advocate) to send in copies of medical letters and EVEN a copy of the tribunal win as they hadn't a copy of it.
My Ataxia is progressive so between my tribunal 2.5 years ago and now, I have miraculously got totally better according to the 'Doctor'
I went for a new medical on the 7/8/13......and 2 days later they had made their decision and found me to NOT have a limited capability for work (a miracle has happened!)
Despite all the medical evidence and one of my consultants in Oxford saying in a letter, I am NOT fit for work and never will be.
I am having to go through all the waiting and stress again that I thought was over and done with the first time.
I would be glad to have anyones views on the situation.

Good read Simon... I am in a similar predicament although not so far back. Oct 2011.

I could not walk up to the examination room without stopping twice and as the Doctor stood at the door just watching, I basically crawled into the room saying, I hope your not expecting me to do further exercises for a while... All he said was It was not that type of medical but more of an examination with questions.

I too received only 6 points and a nice letter saying I was fit for work again. I have appealed but still await a date ? I too will run over and not be entitled to benefits from Dec I think, so hope it's before then. If not, I'll go Self Employed, register for Working Tax Credits, and do nothing !!!

I won my DLA Appeal with flying colours so can't see how if I couldn't walk for that, I could walk for ESA ?

Keep your chin up, It's a hard slog but you'll get there...



PS Gordon, If I've been keeping up paying my Self Employed Stamps going myself, will I still be entitled to contribution based ESA ? After all, I've kept paying my stamps while I've been off ...

Thanks for that Gordon... I'm not sure myself about my class 2 national Insurance Contributions too, as I've never been told to stop paying them so I've just kept paying them. So in reality when they check, I will have full contributions !!!

I'll ask the DWP about it, although I guess I know there answer !

Sorry, I'm not working at all too...