ESA - support group descriptors

Everyday living
1

As I said in my previous post, I was put in the WRAG group for ESA. I intend to appeal this decision as I cannot believe I can be expected to work when I never leave the house alone (because of crippling fatigue, feeling vulnerable because of lack of balance, and because I cannot walk any distance without stopping for a rest) and I suffer from fatigue and pain/numbness which makes me feel ill and overwhelmed when I attempt the smallest task - taking a basket of washing upstairs yesterday left me having to lie on the bed to recover for half an hour, for instance. I feel like death for the first hour and a half of the day before my painkillers kick in. If I get stressed the ‘hug’ rears its ugly head leaving me breathless and distressed. I suffer with bowel and bladder urgency which is another thing which limits my going out, but I rarely have an ‘accident’ as I’m always near the loo at home. This wouldn’t necessarily be the case in a work situation of course. I was granted ill-health retirement from my job and the doctors involved agreed I would not be able to work in any job and my condition would not improve.

HOWEVER, none of these symptoms appear to fit the descriptors for the support group (descriptors here - http://www.tameside.gov.uk/esa/lcwra). There is nothing to take into account fatigue or numbness, or the effect of stress on symptoms. The mobility question asks if you can travel a set distance ‘with or without’ a manual wheelchair - I do not used one but maybe could mobilise that far with one, so I could fail to meet that descriptor for that reason.There is no question addressing the need to sleep or lie down during the day. There is a bowel and bladder question, but if you manage to get to a toilet on time at home, it doesn’t consider that this might not be the case in a work environment or while travelling to work. The system is blatantly discriminating against those with MS and similar conditions as none of the descriptors are relevant to many of our main, disabling symptoms.

Can I ask, those of you who were put in the support group, what descriptors did you meet?

2

I have to appeal EVERY year for my esa,you must MUST appeal and explain over and over again these issues,especially bladder and bowel problems and im sure you will,win…and quite frankly,if you dont go as far as you can…once you have won one appeal,the next year you appeal u reffer bk to the year previous and point out that ms is a progressive chronic illness and point out the points from the last appeal…its a pain,but has to be done yearly unless u have a terminal illness…hth Sam

3

I managed to get into the support group for the walking less than 50 mtrs, but with a fight having to go to tribunal then appealing another decision.

I too have the bowel and bladder problems like you, but as I am only about 12 ft away from my bathroom I can normally get there in time. I very rarely go out and if I do it is to my parents house who have a downstairs loo, but even then it is hard work trying to get down their hallway with all these obsticles in the way.

I cannot self propel my wheelchair at all outside the house but can do a few metres on laminate flooring. I have numbness and pain in my right hand which also prevents me from being able to write…but can just about sign my name badly

I recieved another ESA50 to fill in and have had an arguement with the person at jobcentre plus this morning about this as I had only been in the support group since november, but as she said it is a year since I last had one.

I cannot get out of the house at all on my own, I cannot drive anymore and will be losing my licence in the next couple of weeks which saddens me, but as I have not driven for nearly two years it will be no real loss.

I cannot prepare or cook a meal for myself or do any household chores.

I am now looking forward to what the outcome of this new claim will be

jax