‘ESA claimant journey’

The DWP has published a new ‘stakeholder information pack’ on the ‘ESA claimant journey’ -

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/esa-stakeholder-information-pack.pdf

And here’s the claimant journey they don’t want their stakeholders to know.

Claimant wakes up one morning, opens post and sees strange looking form about something called limited capability for work Has no idea what this means, has panic attack and quickly shoves letter in draw.

Two days later claimant opens draw and retrieves form.  Flicks through form gingerly, doesn’t properly understand questions.  Has another panic attack.  Shoves form under couch.

A further two days later retrieves form from under couch, uses it for coaster.  Slowly completes form.  Takes a week.  Returns dog eared form replete with coffee stains.  Retires to bed for three days.

One week later, claimant gets letter inviting her to attend an assessment.  Claimant has no ides what this means.  Has another panic attack as assessment centre is miles away and she hasn’t left the house for the last three months.  Recovers from panic attack, rings DWP and asks for home visit.  Told no!  Has another panic attack.

Spends next two weeks throwing up, kicking cat, counting out pills.  Sister takes fortnight off work, moves in with her and worries sick.

Sister drives claimant to assessment.  Claimant has panic attack in the waiting room.  Enters assessment room, sits down.  HCP fires loads of questions at her about mundane things such as walking dogs and texting people.  HCP never once looks her in the eyes.  Claimant, thoroughly bewildered by questions about dogs and texts, goes into tailspin, briefly recovers and mumbles her way through assessment on automatic pilot.  When the assessment is finally over she finds she has no recollection of just what transpired, goes outside and has another panic attack.  Goes home, throws up and retires to bed for a fortnight.

Next day gets letter saying fit for work.  Faints.  Several seconds later comes round, throws up, kicks cat.  Phones sister, sobs heart out, contemplates putting head in oven until realizes cooker is electric.  Phones DWP asks for copy of report, argues with contact centre worker, has panic attack.  Half an hour later, sister comes round, writes letter of appeal.

Two weeks later, gets medical report and thinks “stupid b*ggers, have sent someone else’s report”.  Quickly realizes her mistake, has panic attack. Eventually calms down, reads report, kicks cat.

One month later, sister takes her to see a welfare rights adviser.  Claimant bemoans the fate that has befallen her, “how can they override my doctor”?  “I never said I could do that”  “She said I can go out on my own…”  “She said I declined to squat.  I didn’t. I said I couldn’t”, etc, etc.  Adviser inwardly groans and listens politely.  Adviser shows empathy, explains entire process to her and carefully carries out own assessment.  Adviser agrees has a case and tells her she will represent her.  Claimant bursts into tears of gratitude.

Over the next few months adviser prepares case in the usual way, gathering evidence, etc, etc.  Apprises claimant of appeal hearing procedures and roles of participants.

Six months later claimant, sister and rep’ attend hearing.  Tribunal members show empathy, treat claimant with respect, giver her time and room to give evidence, then thank her for coming.  Tribunal allow her appeal.  Claimant faints.

Claimant subsequently comes round, clerk gives her a glass of water.  Claimant profusely thanks everyone present a thousand times.  Sister takes her home.

Next day, claimant realizes full magnitude of yesterday’s events.  Faints.  Comes to, strokes cat, feels happy.  Goes for short walk to the corner shop. 

Two weeks later, claimant wakes up one morning, opens post and sees strange looking form about something called limited capability for work Has panic attack, kicks cat, kills herself.

That’s so true.

You only left out the bit where hot on the heels of the letter telling her she is fit for work client receives letter from her LA telling her that her HB/CTB has been suspended/cancelled. Client has further panic attack.

And the bit where, following sister lodging appeal and ESA being reinstated, client discovers ESA hasn’t been paid. Client rings contact centre who state her med cert has expired. Client explains she sent new med cert in 3 weeks previously. Contact centre arrange call-back from local BDC. Local BDC tell client there is no trace of it and she will need to submit another one. Client has row with BDC who hang up on her, followed by further panic attack. Rings sister, who contacts surgery for her. Surgery eventually produce duplicate med cert. By then, client has received further letter from her LA suspending/cancelling her HB/CTB claim. Client has further panic attack. GP increases her medication and refers her to Crisis Team.

And the bit where, following her visit to welfare rights officer, client is advised to claim DLA. Does so with assistance of sister/welfare rights officer. 2 weeks later, she receives letter refusing claim. Info used includes the WCA report. Client has further panic attack, rings sister who contacts welfare rights officer. Welfare rights officer lodges appeal….

Etc, etc, etc…

Yes, the ramifications are multiple aren’t they?  A bit like shouting “fire” in a crowded theatre.  I dunno about the “claimant’s journey” (and that phrase should be taken out and shot) the DWP’s “journey” is about as subtle as a nuclear war.

Nevip, one omission from your chonology.  What happened to the pre-appeal phone call from a DWP Appeals Officer stating s/he is phoning to see if s/he can “help” the claimant to avoid the unnecessary stress of a hearing by taking down further details in order to pass on to a DM to see if the decision can be revised?  DWP submission then contains conveniently selective aspects of the call, even to the extent of being twisted beyond recognition.

Other than that, spot on.  And, good luck in finding an MP (certainly one in government) that is remotely interested.  I may or may not expand on that at some point in the future.

Nevip - Why does no one have any sympathy for the cat?

I’m afraid that that hasn’t been catalogued.

I was on the verge of calling the RSPCA but all is now ok!

Cat has been rehomed!

Or the bit where the tribunal clerk rings on the morning to say the tribunal has allowed the appeal on the evidence and there is no need for the claimant to attend (0 points to support group).

Or today where the tribunal recorded on the decision notice:
“The appellant’s niece who accompanied him to the medical assessment gave evidence that the appellant was on that occasion in exactly the same state of panic and distress that the Tribunal witnessed today. We find it astonishing that the Health Care Professional could have come to the conclusion that she did, when faced with this evidence.” (0 points to support group).

Oh, fair play to them. I wish more panels would do that.

Incidentally, I was worried about the cat too. I assumed the client was metaphorically kicking the cat. If not I would definitely have been calling Cats Protection.

1964 - 10 May 2012 03:12 PM

Oh, fair play to them. I wish more panels would do that.

Incidentally, I was worried about the cat too. I assumed the client was metaphorically kicking the cat. If not I would definitely have been calling Cats Protection.

Perhaps ‘nevips cat’ is like ‘Schroedingers cat’, capable of being kicked/not kicked at the same time.

I bet this is the first time quantum physics has got into an ESA thread!

They also don’t mention the length of time a client has to wait before being paid arrears and the correct rate of ESA.

I won an appeal for a client last October and she still has not been paid!!

I’ve had this happen on more than one occaision, DWP say they have’t had the Decision Notice and Tribunal Service say they have in fact sent it weeks ago and I would up as a sort of go between.

After the third time I just sent DWP a letter with my copy of the decision notice which was fine, and I have done so ever since. It saves everyone lots of time and trouble!!

I have also had a case recently where DWP asked for a statement of reasons but I didn’t get the usual letter from the Tribuanl Service. The first I knew of it was when I rang the appellant to ask if they had been paid yet.

‘I bet this is the first time quantum physics has got into an ESA thread!’

I suppose being simultaneously entitled to CB & IR ESA is another example?

I’ve long since come to the conculsion that the DWP operates from a different brane (or whatever they’re called in string theory) from ours. I think we need Professor Hawkins.

Isn’t the whole of benefits based on Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle?

You can know if someone’s entitled or you can know how much they should get if they were entitled but you can’t know both.

And now there is a new letter being sent to claimants.

http://www.socialscrutiny.org/formication/benefits_files/page4-1000-full.php