Another who has been refused ESA... now what??

Sadly, as expected (sad at the fact it was expected!), I have now received the dreaded letter from the DWP stating that I am not entitled to ESA after my medical. I scored 6 points in total but of course, as with everyone else, the rest of the statements are highly disagreed with. I suffer with CFS/ME making the whole thing a bit harder as there is no medical evidence to get hold of so to speak...

I am intending to appeal but I don't know what evidence to start gathering for this and who from? My GP hasn't been greatly supportive on the whole issue and I do have a specialist at Frenchay that I speak with but don't see very often (the last appointment was in November at my request) because as you all know, there's not really much she can do to help other than support and advise.

Can anyone help me with where to start please? I had a hard job at my appeal to get DLA, which was awarded at the lowest rate for care for a year, but I have failed to get the mobility rate twice now even though the appeal staff advised I fight for it. I would really like to win this but fear I will need lots of pointers to get there... and unfortunately, I will probably have to do it on my own as I don't have any friends who can help me.

Hi I don't have any answer, and i don't know what to say. I so wish I did, it just breaks my heart to read posts such as yours, to see what is happening, life is always hardest for those of us that live with difficulties and ill health. We live in difficult times.
Be strong, take comfort from this site, you are not alone in your struggle, when it feels like people don't care take comfort in the fact that people do care. However it feels just now you are not alone
i send you a hug
Carole

hi. first thing to do it, ask the DWP for the full medical report. read it and note everything thats wrong in it

wile your waiting for it, contact your local welfare rights at your local council.

ask your doctor for a report on your medical conditions. welfare rights will need both reports.

google the following

CAB What the doctor ordered?

it will give you the report from the CAB

if you want more info, look on youtube for

who's cheating who? it's a bbc scotland prog about the medicals and how the doctor takes no notice of you

hope this isn't an information overload for you

good luck

Hi Pxxuk. Ther is a post on the forum that gives a direct Link to WWW. Parliament.Uk. It is to do with ME, CFS/ME. It goes into quite a lot of detail going back to 1994, when the then head of the benefits Agency Medical services, stated he would arrange for doctors training manual to be re written to take into account fluctuating illnesses like CFS/ME also IBS. (Dr Aylwood) was the doctor.If you type i the web address its the Daily Hansard. Hope this Helps.

Thank you all very much for your suggestions and I will follow them through. I have made an appointment to discuss this with my GP and have emailed my Specialist to ask for her support and a report also.

I have sent off my appeal form today asking for the detailed full medical report and as I write this, my local news has just talked about a local man waiting for a liver transplant who has also been turned down for ESA... they expect him to look for work for the 6 months he has to wait before his transplant... and he has already supplied letters from his specialists!! What a joke the whole system is!!

Some Good News I had my medical 4 months ago, got the letter Friday, I have been put in the support group and got £30.00 extra a week to £90.00 and they will contact in the next few years.

Thank you to the team and the web site I filled the form in just like you told me in the notes.