Have I made a really BIG mistake?

I really need some help here, I recently went through my re-assessment with ESA, I filled in the form and was asked to attend the dreaded ATOS medical, I suffer with severe anxiety and depression, and have been recently misdiagnosed with an overactive thyroid. The wrong medication left me in quite a severe state and have since been recovering.

ATOS offered me a home visit due to my anxiety and the fact attending the medical may pose a risk to my health and recovery.

After the medical was over with I awaited the decision, I got a call surprisingly to tell me I had qualified for ESA and it was handed over to the decision maker to decide which group I go in.

I was placed in the work related activity group last week. Now I am being asked to do voluntary work and attend interviews for at least 6 months by which time I will be re-assessed. forms, medicals and decisions more worry...

So considering ATOS had to give me a home visit and my doctor and CBT therapist are giving me home visits for the time being I decided to write to my local job centre to ask advice about the decision and whether it could be looked at again to see if I qualify for the support group, I have not appealed I have just asked somebody to look into my claim, mainly because I could not cope with the appeals process and I can't attend the interviews

Have I done the right thing here? I hear it is risky challenging a decision when you have been placed in the work related group but I felt I had no choice as it is impossible for me to attend interviews right now

many thanks

miku

Hi,
I am only having a quick look before going to bed.
I seem to see that you might be just a wee bit anxious, judging by what you write. It doesn't appear as if you are challenging anything, and probably the jobcentre would see that as well and maybe they would accomodate you.
I have no experience in what you are involved with, but maybe you should sleep on it and it will seem better in morning and be looked at by a mod on here to advise you.
good luck

Hi miku-star

Don't worry, from what you have said I do not think you have made a big mistake. Although there is always the risk that you can lose your entitlement to ESA by appealing or asking for a reconsideration to get into the support group, it would only be a big mistake taking that risk if you have little chance of getting into the support group or difficulty getting into the WRAG.

It does seem complete madness that you are asked to attend interviews when the very nature of your illness and the reason why you are on ESA in the first place prevents you from doing this.

As you have not appealed but I take it you asked for a revision/reconsideration, if it does not succeed you will have another month to consider whether to appeal.

Good luck

Derek

miku-star wrote:

I really need some help here, I recently went through my re-assessment with ESA, I filled in the form and was asked to attend the dreaded ATOS medical, I suffer with severe anxiety and depression, and have been recently misdiagnosed with an overactive thyroid. The wrong medication left me in quite a severe state and have since been recovering.

ATOS offered me a home visit due to my anxiety and the fact attending the medical may pose a risk to my health and recovery.

After the medical was over with I awaited the decision, I got a call surprisingly to tell me I had qualified for ESA and it was handed over to the decision maker to decide which group I go in.

I was placed in the work related activity group last week. Now I am being asked to do voluntary work and attend interviews for at least 6 months by which time I will be re-assessed. forms, medicals and decisions more worry...

So considering ATOS had to give me a home visit and my doctor and CBT therapist are giving me home visits for the time being I decided to write to my local job centre to ask advice about the decision and whether it could be looked at again to see if I qualify for the support group, I have not appealed I have just asked somebody to look into my claim, mainly because I could not cope with the appeals process and I can't attend the interviews

Have I done the right thing here? I hear it is risky challenging a decision when you have been placed in the work related group but I felt I had no choice as it is impossible for me to attend interviews right now

many thanks

miku

From what you have said you may consider that you qualify for the support group descriptor (amongst others), which reads "Engagement in social contact is always precluded due to difficulty relating to others or significant distress experienced by the individual?"