what can i expect

to be asked in the telephone interview regarding esa? somene is ging t ring me within a cuple f weeks and i aint looking forward to it. i am on incapacity at the moment.

x

Hi Zelda, I suggest you join a website called ‘benefits and work’. It costs about £20 for annual membership but is SO worth it. Run by lawyers who are benefits experts, it has guides on applying for all benefits and lots of info on ESA.

It will tell you what to expect and advise you on how to explain how MS affects you.

Good luck,

Pat x

[quote=“PatB”]

Hi Zelda, I suggest you join a website called ‘benefits and work’. It costs about £20 for annual membership but is SO worth it. Run by lawyers who are benefits experts, it has guides on applying for all benefits and lots of info on ESA.

It will tell you what to expect and advise you on how to explain how MS affects you.

Good luck,

Pat x

[/quote] thanks for replying pat but i was really after peoples personal experiences of these phone calls. i dnt find it easy to hear on the phone, any backgrund noise and ive had it. and if we have to filll a form in too whats the point of the phone call?

x

Hi the lady who did my interview on the phone was lovely, the questions were easy to answer, she was understanding,but she did not know much about M.S apart from the fatigue, i was quite worried about it, but i needn’t have .

Best wishes

Sue

Hi janet, good luck for when the phonecall comes. I only have one good ear…the left, so as I am left handed it is difficult to listen and write at the same time.

Let us know how it goes.

luv Pollx

The purpose of the phone call is just to explain to you what is happening.

ESA is quite a complicated benefit and it’s hard to put it in writing. For many people this change of benefit will be very much out of the blue. After being on IB supposedly “indefinitely” it must be quite a blow for folk to discover that they have to start again filling in forms and having medicals.

The phone call will not determine any outcome and so you should not worry about it. The form ESA50 is the important thing and will come a couple of weeks after the phone call. Most people report the phone call as being helpful and the caller friendly.

I understand your worry about not hearing well. I have very bad tinnitus and sometimes just cannot hear everything that is said to me on the phone. Be up front about this – it’s up to them to speak clearly but don’t worry if you miss anything because you are already ahead of the game if you join Benefits and Work.

Jane

The woman who did my ESA interview was lovely and answered all my questions.They just explain the change over and why and then answer your questions.

I am new to this and my esa came about because my work sick pay had ended.

The lady was really nice and went as slow as I needed. A copy was then posted to me to check it was right and all the bits that were wrong had to be highlighted and returned to them so they could amend it.

If you really have major problems with phone calls Im sure they will have alternatives if you explain.

Pip

thanks for your replies all. they have phoned twice today, i wasnt in either time but 1471 actually said the dwp had phoned.i had best sit next to the phone tomorrow. x

Hope it all goes well Janet

Love and hugs Kathryn

[quote=“kruffley”]

Hope it all goes well Janet

Love and hugs Kathryn

[/quote] aw thanks kruff. sat by the phone all day but they never rang. grrr. now get back on scrab you, im on a roll. (in my dreams) x