Employment Support Allowance

[2old2beamum]

Has any one here had their DC's incapacity benefit changed to ESA . DD has been summoned for an interview and medical (60 mile round trip) She has Down Syndrome congenital heart defect now has pacemaker and poorly controlled asthma. Also has drop attacks when pacemaker doesn't kick in quickly enough, I would like to know what it entails BTW she is 27.
TIA

Sorry, can't help. DD went straight on to ESA in 2010. Didn't have to go for medical. They had initially said she would need to, but sent us a medical form to fill in, and decided an interview/medical wasn't necessary.
AFAIK it is a computerised questionnaire which gives X no of points depending on answers. Think I read somewhere that they make you do things such as pick a £1 coin up off the desk, touch your toes, and other such pathetic tests.

Sorry thats not much help - hopefully someone else will have more info.
Good luck with it anyway.

I'm on Esa 2 old. I'll reply in the morning when hopefully my hands will work a bit better.

PM'd you

Hi 2bold

I'm on ESA (c).

I had to complete a form which was similar to but not as bad as the DLA form. What I found is that it wasn't helpful at telling you how much detail you needed. As I had done DS's DLA form though, I knew.

I was sent for a Work Capability Assessment (WCA) which is the medical. However I know that as Bigbluebus has said not all claimants moving from IB to ESA have to attend. Anyway the questions were triggered by a computer system that the doctor read. I have a rare condition and I was lucky that the doctor (not all claimants have a doc) knew how the condition affects pain/movement etc. I found that I minimised the effect on my symptoms as you do when you live with somethng all the time. I was lucky that he pulled me up on this and put the actual reality.

I'm hopeful that with the many conditions that you've listed and as they are life-long conditions, that they won't send her for a medical. I'll PM you.