Good afternoon everyone. Hopefully life and MS is being kind today.
I warn you now, this is quite a long post!
I have read with interest the thread regarding “PIP Report from ATOS”. I know you’re all going to tell me not to worry about something that may not happen but I receive DLA and it was awarded indefinitely and will not be looked at again until 2015 when we all have to change over to PIP. I have been off work since October 2013 and it is now obvious that I will now not be able to return at all so I am now in the position of having to claim Benefits for the first time in my life (I’m now 51). My MS has become extremely aggressive and all symptoms are extremely active and progressive. Thank you everyone for your input on how unfair and stresssful this interview is and the pitfalls that we should look out for. Why should we have to prove our existence to the point of still being able to breathe. I can no longer do anything without to help and assistance of my OH. I could list everthing I can’t do but the list would be endless together with the list of all symptoms that I have. My mobility is now virtually nil and cannot move without aids or assistance. Everyone who knows me (medics, MS nurses, neurologists, neuro physios, occupational thereapists, family, friends, colleagues etc.) have all known me since diagnosis in 2000 and have seen the deterioration over that time. How on earth do you convince someone who has never met you before that you are no longer fit for work (in my case fit to carry on with normal life without other human help). I was a legal secretary and this has taken me an age to type (I used to be able to do 100wpm, now I’m lucky if I can do 10!). This whole situation is even now making me extremely nervous and I would appreciate everyone’s thoughts and experiences. I am in the course of trying to claim ESA at present and this is bad enough so the next streps are terrifying. Thanks in advance for your replies. Linda x
Hello Linda
Who is doing your ESA claim for you Linda? My husband handles my claims, on the grounds of my confusion/cognition problems…that in itself is part of the claim, the fact that you are not able to do these things yourself. I don’t even speak to them on the telephone, that too is written on my paperwork.
My award will not be looked at again until 2015 and to be honest, I’m happy to forget about it until then.
Reading what you’ve written above, I really don’t think you have anything to worry about.
I know you don’t want to hear it but please, you must try not to worry and just concentrate on the here and now.
Take care
Noreen xx
I relapsed twice in 6 days my ms is extremely active at the moment i got out of hosp and was greated with a atos health assessment. As i cant walk or use my arms i couldnt get anywhere in my self propelling wheel chair. I called atos and asked for a home assessment and was refused but offered a free taxi. I asked was this taxi it s wheel chair accesable one and they dont do them so i said i cant go. They said if i dont go they will sanction me. I got onto my local mp and sent him my report stating 3 new lesions and send 1 also to the wellfare rights officers. My local town mp secutary said its been raised in the house of commons and to wait a few days. I then got a letter off atos saying my appointment has been cancelled and theyve looked at my proof and they dont need to asses me. D.w.p then sent a letter saying ive been stopped from receiving any assessment and been put in the support group. They didnt like it of course as ive been on esa for 14months and only got 56 a week. They back paid me just short of 3grand. DO NOT LET THESE PEOPLE INTIMIDATE YOU. i got totally pissed off with them saying jump and if not get sanctioned. After sending youre proof reports from neuro or what ever if they still wont budge get onto youre local mp. Youll be shocked how quick things turn out when the shoe is on the other foot. I got put in support group in 11days without assesment. Good luck
Thanks for your replies. It has made me feel a little better about the whole thing. I’ve just come off the phone after a 50 minute phone call to claim ESA. My boss is coming out to see me this afternoon to terminate my employment and give me my P45 and Form SSP1. As off today I am no longer employed! As you have said Martin no to let these people intimidate me. I’ve paid in all these years so now I am surely entitled to get something back! Noreen I am at present doing my own claims but if it all gets too much for me I have a really helpful lady at the CAB who I can call on. My OH has no idea about Benefits (as I don’t) so I’m on a totally new learning curve. Oh the joys that MS brings. Life used to be easier when I had an income!! Linda x
I’m glad to hear you’ve got support with the ESA claim Linda. Good luck with it. I’m glad we helped to make you feel a little bit better 
There is a lovely lady on here who is very knowledgeable about benefits but my stupid ms brain is letting me down lol and I can’t remember her name. Yes!! Earning a wage was easier. ((((hugs))))))
Blossom,
Are you thinking of ‘Wendels’ as the lady with benefits-knowledge ??
Dom
Did I hear my name mentioned?
The best piece of advice I can give at this stage with an ESA application is – don’t be daunted by the size of it. Download the online form so you can do it a bit and save it off for tomorrow. And don’t feel that you must cram your answer into the tiny boxes that they provide. In each box I wrote ”see extra sheet” and then gave as full an answer as I could on an additional sheet. I sent 8 extra sheets of typed A4.
I found it helped me to try each of the activities (moving a box, standing at a workstation etc) I could then describe fully the difficulties I had doing the task or the effect that it had on me. Fatigue is such a big part of MS but there is not a specific section of the form dealing with it. You need to bring it into your answers when relevant.
The other thing that will help loads both with ESA and PIP is to join Benefits and Work website. It is about £20.00 per anum - they have excellent guides to filling in the forms and what to do if you need to appeal.
Good Luck.
PM if you have any questions that don’t need to be in open forums.
Jane
Yes Dom thank you And here the lovely lady is