To think the assessment phase of esa is cruel?

[AllTheFluffyAnimals]

When someone (for example, me) becomes too ill to work they have to spend 13 weeks on the assessment rate of esa, which can mean their income is around £50 less than what it will be once the assessment (which is massively stressful) is completed.

I am 99% certain I will be in the support group and previously have been put in it purely on the evidence from my psychiatrist without the dreaded medical so it seems extra cruel and pointless to make me struggle even more for 13 weeks.

Sorry, just venting really.

[AllTheFluffyAnimals]

Plus of course my bad luck is to get ill at one of the more expensive times of year. 2 kids to entertain whilst ill with no money.

[Lurkedforever1]

I agree with you in theory, but in light of how benefits are currently administered I think it's the lesser of two evils. Lots of people get turned down at the assessment, not cos anything but a tiny minority are fakes, but simply because the assessments declare people fit to work who really aren't. So they get turfed off onto jsa, despite the fact the stress just sets them back and the pre-existing condition makes them unable to meet the ridiculous obligations, so they are sanctioned. At least this way those people all get a brief breathing space.

Ideally, people would be assessed sooner, but accurately. I'm not holding my breath though.

[MrsTerryPratchett]

It's shit. I used to be proud of how the UK worked WRT support for people with disabilities. Not perfect but very far from where I live now ($906 a month all in, and rent on a one bed is at least $800/month). Now it seems demeaning, punitive and blaming.

[AllTheFluffyAnimals]

Yeah, I'm 'lucky' to have such an obvious illness with supportive medical professionals etc or else I'd be petrified of ending up on jsa.

[Oswin]

I waited over a year to be assessed they then rejected my claim and I appealed . I won. That was two weeks ago, they still hav not sorted my money out. I'm so broke, I need it sorted asap.

[ToxicLadybird]

I think the whole thing is cruel. People with disabilities forced to live out their entire lives in poverty. And we're a civilised society? We should be properly supporting our vulnerable citizens, not throwing them the scraps off our table.

[lalalalyra]

Oswin I hope they sort it soon.

The thing that grates me is the blithe "Oh if you win on appeal it'll be backdated". My friend waited over a year for her PIP appeal (and then 9 weeks after her appeal while they DWP decided if they were going to appeal the appeal!) and it's as if she should be super grateful that she got a "big lump sum" (as one man from the DWP called it). Well it all went on repaying the money she'd borrowed in the year. She also had to give up her weekly social support group as she lost her motability car so couldn't get out. She lost her bus card which meant she lost the right to use the little Dial-A-Bus or whatever it's called now which isolated her further.

She finally got her back pay 3 weeks ago and last week she got an ESA review letter. I worry for her, I don't think she's got the strength for another battle.

[littleprincesssara]

It's terrible! But I'd def recommend anyone appeal if they can. Seems like they automatically deny a lot of claims to meet their targets, but most do get overturned on appeal.
Mine blatantly lied and it was overturned on appeal.

[MatildaTheCat]

And another trick currently being used: I was awarded higher rate pip for both categories in May 2014 for 3 years. Because I had to appeal I didn't get my Motorbility car until December 2014. I have now been summoned for reassessment 10 whole months early and face losing my car ( which I paid a substantial amount for) if I am down graded. It has 5000 on the clock.

Apparently this is all for my benefit.

[Lurkedforever1]

I have no doubt whatsoever that turning people down wherever they think they can feasibly do so is deliberate. It conveniently weeds out all those who for whatever reason aren't able to appeal it. It's a form of social cleansing that is not only legal, but appeals to all those benefit bashing twats. After all, it's only the disadvantaged/disabled/ill that suffer as a result, not 'proper' people.