Hi all, I’m new to this site so please bear with me whilst I find my feet. Am I right in believing that if you are a powered wheelchair user that in the ESA assessment this qualifies you for 15 points?
Hi, welcome to the forum.
There is a self assessment test on ESA on line. Just key in ESA test and you can see what earns points. I am a full time powered wheelie user too.
There will probably be someone along soon, who can give us the answer to this straight off.
luv Pollx
Hi Poll,
Thanks for the reply. I am just a little confused as what I have read all seems to refer to self propelled chairs and how far you could propel yourself. I have not come across any information referring to powered chairs because in theory we can sort of get around but under battery power. It’s all a bit ambigious.
Yes, I get what you mean. I`ve just done the test and scored 84 points. This should put me in the support group. But there is a warning that people who carry out our assessments might put a different answer to the one we put.
Are you currently on Incapacity benefit? I have been on this since 2000. I believe we will all be transferred to ESA next year.
It is a worrying time and so many members on this forum have been caused untold problems by ATOS.
luv Pollx
Hi again,
Yes I have been on IB for a long while now so dreading the change to ESA. I tried doing the test also and between being in a powered wheelchair, unable to transfer without a carer, incontinence and tremor in one and hand and trying to control five sausages rather than fingers on the other I scored really high too (I bet ATOS will feel differently though).
Hi
The ESA question about mobilizing does not include use of your powerchair.
It’s about how far you can get using your own power. They include self propelling of a manual wheelchair or walking with the use of aids such as sticks and crutches.
I can do about 15m using a rollator and 15 miles using my powerchair!
Jane