Appeal Update

Well I got a letter from the benefits people at the Department for Works and Pensions. Short and sweet again but good news this time.

We have looked again at our decision.

You made an appeal against a decision about being placed in the Work Related Activity Group. We have looked again at the facts and evidence used to make our decision. As a result we have changed that decision.

What happens now.

Your appeals will not be sent to an independent tribunal as the decision has been changed in your favour. 

The latest letter was dated the 6th of January, so after waiting around 3 months total since I received the first results of my assessment in early October.

So for once good news for me. After the DWP decision maker decided in December that he/she would stand by their initial decision of placing me in the WRAG, it's been reversed by the higher level DWP before being passed along for the independent appeal. I know I got a letter less than a month ago from this benefits department who would review my original evidence provided with the ESA form as well as the points I raised on the letter I submitted in October after initially being put in the WRAG. With only my appeal letter and evidence given in my initial assessment claim I am being placed into the SG (Support Group) as I asked to be looked at for eligibility in my appeal letter in October stating why I thought I qualified for it, the DM in December stated I didn't provide enough evidence in my appeal letter and intial form for this and it was being passed onto the appeal process. Re-assessment by the DWP/Appeal section at DWP have decided that the evidence is enough to warrant my claim on SG.

So, for the moment I can breathe easier and concentrate on the therapy I am currently undergoing.

Appeal Going Ahead

I have a post written on my positive experience on the WFI I had to attend last Monday, exactly a week ago today, which I will post once I have access to my tablet which it's on but today I got another letter from the DWP about the appeal I lodged a month ago.

After my relief about my WFI my good mood, and relaxed deposition which has allowed me to actually achieve a few  hours uninterrupted sleep which hasn't happened since this whole WCA review began months ago, has come to an abrupt end.

My nerves are once again shot and building up as I now face an appeal process which could include an ATOS medical and a firing squad face to face appeal to the DWP and whoever else attends such boards.

I got a letter just an hour ago saying that the decision maker at the DWP had looked again at my WCA and other documents that he used to make his initial decision taken into account the points I made - which is ludicrous as I meet the first descriptor on their own paperwork for the ESA Support Group - and can see nothing that would make them change their decision.

So apparently meeting one of their own noted descriptors for the SG isn't good enough to allow you to actually be placed into said group?! Sounds about right for this whole process which is supposed to be fair and give help to those who actually need it.

No time limit, no information on how meeting one of their holier descriptors wasn't enough evidence to get moved into the SG, nothing except my appeal would now move onto the next stage and I would get more information on the appeals process later. Again no time frame or anything.

I had hoped that if I didn't meet the descriptor I would be informed how I didn't regardless of my proof that I do meet said descriptor.

So my happy relaxed period is now over again. I had hoped that I could now enjoy at least the coming festive season without the pressure and depression that this whole process has brought onto me but alas that is not to be. Every time I feel I can relax a bit and concentrate of myself and my health when I overcome some hurtle thrown in my path something happens to scupper it. Last time it was the less than 24 hours that came between my lodging my appeal and my WFI interview date/time arriving. This time I got a whole week where I didn't suffer nightmares, depression and nerves before I now get this appeal hurdle - my biggest hurdle yet - thrown in my path wrecking any inner peace I've achieved in the past few days.

GRRR...

My mother who is attending this stupid WFI with me first thing Monday morning is insisting on washing my hair tomorrow so I can be 'all neat and tidy' for my appointment.

I'm not so fussy to be honest. My hair is clean and non greasy and doesn't need it in my opinion and as I pointed out to her the more effort and dressy I attend as could backfire badly on my claim as I can't do this for myself, let alone on a daily basis as mentioned on my claim forms and turning up like I'm attending a job interview would be misleading on my actual circumstances.

But she's insisting that's better than showing up scruffy - which I assume she's saying my normal appearance is - will make my advisor think I'm too lazy to dress as I should when attending appointments.

Can't win, can I?

As I am relying on her to accompany me as a witness as well as support I have no chance of changing her mind. I will get my hair washed regardless of my physical condition tomorrow but I am intent on dressing only in my usual comfy clothes as regardless of the terminology my mum uses this isn't a interview that I see necessary to dress up for.

Especially if I can be expected to sitting in an uncomfortable chair for an extended period. Something I am unable to do in the most comfortable of chairs let alone those found in JCP offices.

Well I've moaned enough about my appointment on Monday for today, one last thing to mention before ending my posting for today. I got an appointment through for the physiotherapist today, no sign of any for the occupational therapist yet. Rather stupid to send a physio one through before I'm fully assessed which was supposed to be this month in a dual appointment with both therapists together where a therapy course would begin to take shape before I started the actual therapy courses.

But then this first physio isn't till December the 22nd so there is plenty of time for my dual assessment appointment to be sent through before my first physio date arrives.

WFI Day Approaching

Well it's now Thursday 10th and another day closer to my first WFI (Work Focused Interview) at our local JCP (Job Centre Plus) which is this coming Monday (the 14th) at 9.45 am.

As well as struggling from the nearest disabled parking spot and the early time I'm not looking forward to this meeting at all. The form and initial phone call I received at the start of re assessment to move me over to ESA it was made clear I was unable to begin functioning before 11 at the earliest due to my diseases as well as my medications and they give me an interview over an hour earlier.

Also I can't manage to walk more than a dozen steps without stopping due to pain, fatigue or in most cases both. The nearest disabled parking is quite a distance for me although the shopping centre the JCP is housed in has a car park with disabled parking the hourly charge is too much for me on my limited income especially as this interview can take up to an hour plus the time it would take me to travel to and from my car could take be at least an hour combined for me to walk said distance.

Once I make it to the entry to the JCP I pray frantically that the lift is working OK and there isn't too long a queue to use it as it only holds 3 or 4 adults at a time and I can't walk up the 5 or 6 flights of stairs to the actual office.

Once I wait my turn I can look forward to up to 60 minutes sitting, or in my case moving painfully about in a chair when I am unable to sit for more than ten minutes at any given time in my own luxury padded leather chair at home.

The only light at the end of my tunnel is my cousin attends interviews with his advisor regularly and says although his letters mention an hour he is generally finished in about half an hour each time.

My assessment with my hospital therapists haven't come through yet but my check up with my specialist has for May 10th.

So I'll only be able to tell me advisor Marion about what the therapists said at the hospital last week, mentioning my injection and other concerns that my specialist and therapists had when attending.

Still no response to my appeal which I put in exactly two weeks ago yet but not so surprising given the backlog on appeals lodged so far. Another person who appealed on a board I belong to put in his almost two months ago and has also heard nothing back yet either.

I'm ready to call it a night now and try to get some sleep with try being the objective word here.