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Will I get ESA from my medical assessment?

I have multiple conditions that I am going for an assessment. I would consider a few of them serious, but looking on the criteria for ESA not really sure if I will actually fit the criteria. My conditions are quite bad but i'm not sure if there so bad to score me the points, I could exagerrate a bit, they don't really have a clue what i'm capable of.

I have ADD, Spondylocostal Dysostosis, depression, insomnia, back and shoulder injury, social anxiety.

The way in which my ADD affects me is that I always phase out and sometimes it can actually be dangerous at work, I am forgetful and struggle listening, in the past i've actually rode into lamposts before being phased out, got sacked from my factory job because I forgot that I needed a plaster when I cut my finger, so got blood all over the products, didn't actually notice it though, also I have also nearly harmed other people forgetting to put signs down when mopping the floor, I get carried away, even nearly touched electrical equipment accidentally.

My spondylocostal dysostosis is a serious back + neck growth disorder, I was actually recommended not to ever go on trampolines or bouncy castles as a kid as I had a bad back, a lot of jobs require physical hard work consitently, over time this damages your back, for me I have done my back in from my restaurant job, even since 2 years ago since leaving it still hurts, I often wake up in pain from it, so even though I can actually do physical work it only makes my condition worse, I thought i'd be fine, but no it does make it worse doing physical things. Do they consider this? It is a lifelong incurable condition, that if made worse, when I get older could become a lot worse. They may say that it's not such a big deal, but I would say that's what I thought until it got worse, often we think our conditions will be fine until we make them worse.

I'm not sure if you get any points for depression, this makes it hard to be social and would also limit you from any jobs dealing with people, I always feel quite **** and empty when i'm not on amph, I find it hard to get motivation to do things, every thing I used to enjoy has become unenjoyable, I am very anti social because of it. Wouldn't say it affects me so much at work though, but I won't tell them that.

My insomnia also means that it would be very hard for me to go back to a normal work routine, I did actually become an insomniac at the restaurant that I worked at, so it made it unbearable the days when I had 3 hours sleep and having to work the next day, the work quality was poor and slow, I couldn't just go to bed early as I would be wide awake, no desire to get into bed at all, if I did I'd be up all night, this really did affect me. More than depression, nights without sleep are horrible the next day.

And my back and shoulder injury was done when lifting weights, that too hasn't healed since, it's like a tendon in my back has torn or has pulled, it gives way at times and my arm also when lifting overhead gives way, it pops also.

Social anxiety is not so severe, but I can struggle to talk to people, there was a point where I used to panic even looking at people, or go red, communication is key in the work place, so i guess that comes into it, but this not so much.

I feel that if I exagerrate everything they will be skeptical that i'm exaggerating, I do have some serious conditions though, maybe I don't need to and some people do genuinely have many serious problems. Are they that tough on you? Or do they just accept anything as a problem. I thought maybe just say with the more serious conditions that they are worse and add small points on where I can.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by NullDrone
I have multiple conditions that I am going for an assessment. I would consider a few of them serious, but looking on the criteria for ESA not really sure if I will actually fit the criteria. My conditions are quite bad but i'm not sure if there so bad to score me the points, I could exagerrate a bit, they don't really have a clue what i'm capable of.

I have ADD, Spondylocostal Dysostosis, depression, insomnia, back and shoulder injury, social anxiety.

The way in which my ADD affects me is that I always phase out and sometimes it can actually be dangerous at work, I am forgetful and struggle listening, in the past i've actually rode into lamposts before being phased out, got sacked from my factory job because I forgot that I needed a plaster when I cut my finger, so got blood all over the products, didn't actually notice it though, also I have also nearly harmed other people forgetting to put signs down when mopping the floor, I get carried away, even nearly touched electrical equipment accidentally.

My spondylocostal dysostosis is a serious back + neck growth disorder, I was actually recommended not to ever go on trampolines or bouncy castles as a kid as I had a bad back, a lot of jobs require physical hard work consitently, over time this damages your back, for me I have done my back in from my restaurant job, even since 2 years ago since leaving it still hurts, I often wake up in pain from it, so even though I can actually do physical work it only makes my condition worse, I thought i'd be fine, but no it does make it worse doing physical things. Do they consider this? It is a lifelong incurable condition, that if made worse, when I get older could become a lot worse.

I'm not sure if you get any points for depression, this makes it hard to be social and would also limit you from any jobs dealing with people, I always feel quite **** and empty when i'm not on amph, I find it hard to get motivation to do things, every thing I used to enjoy has become unenjoyable, I am very anti social because of it. Wouldn't say it affects me so much at work though, but I won't tell them that.

My insomnia also means that it would be very hard for me to go back to a normal work routine, I did actually become an insomniac at the restaurant that I worked at, so it made it unbearable the days when I had 3 hours sleep and having to work the next day, the work quality was poor and slow, I couldn't just go to bed early as I would be wide awake, no desire to get into bed at all, if I did I'd be up all night, this really did affect me. More than depression, nights without sleep are horrible the next day.

And my back and shoulder injury was done when lifting weights, that too hasn't healed since, it's like a tendon in my back has torn or has pulled, it gives way at times and my arm also when lifting overhead gives way, it pops also.

Social anxiety is not so severe, but I can struggle to talk to people, there was a point where I used to panic even looking at people, or go red, communication is key in the work place, so i guess that comes into it, but this not so much.

I feel that if I exagerrate everything they will be skeptical that i'm exaggerating, I do have some serious conditions though, maybe I don't need to and some people do genuinely have many serious problems. Are they that tough on you? Or do they just accept anything as a problem. I thought maybe just say with the more serious conditions that they are worse and add small points on where I can.


My advice would not be to exaggerate, however, describe how it is on your bad days. Have a look at the criteria before and think of examples of how each of your conditions affects these areas of your life. Have you got a support worker who could go with you?
Reply 2
Original post by bullettheory
My advice would not be to exaggerate, however, describe how it is on your bad days. Have a look at the criteria before and think of examples of how each of your conditions affects these areas of your life. Have you got a support worker who could go with you?


Yeah I have someone from social services that will help, will they notice if I exagerrate, I genuinely think some of my problems are quite bad though. They'll probably ask me to demostrate physically that my back condition prevents me from bending over, I can, so i would imagine I could say working only makes it worse, not that I can't do it, would they accept that or are they strict on the criteria?
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 3
Are you at university? If so there's a high chance you won't get it as they don't give ESA to university students. If not though then no worries!

Take any medical evidence you can from your doctor or any specialist you've seen, even if it's just them claiming that you've actually got these conditions and (preferably) how they effect you. It's worth looking at the point system they use and figure out yourself how many points you'd get if you were honest and see if it's enough. This can be found here - https://www.sense.org.uk/content/esa-descriptors-determine-whether-you-have-limited-capability-work

You need 15 points overall to qualify.
Original post by NullDrone
Yeah I have someone from social services that will help, will they notice if I exagerrate, I genuinely think some of my problems are quite bad though.


I can't say whether they will notice or not - however, it can be like opening a can of worms. It sounds like you would meet the criteria for some of the areas based on what you have said. I would say the best thing is just to talk to your key worker from social services and go through how it affects you with them. Describe how it is on your worst day, and take it from there.
Reply 5
Original post by bullettheory
I can't say whether they will notice or not - however, it can be like opening a can of worms. It sounds like you would meet the criteria for some of the areas based on what you have said. I would say the best thing is just to talk to your key worker from social services and go through how it affects you with them. Describe how it is on your worst day, and take it from there.


Also, my back condition doesn't stop me from doing all jobs, as I could get a web developer job if I had more experience, but things that are physical I am affected by. Would they consider that there are jobs for you but your not qualfied to do them, I can do some work, but i'm limited.
ESA is based on criteria and not the conditions you have. Don't just describe it on your bad days - you're saying you're more disabled than you are.
Original post by NullDrone
Also, my back condition doesn't stop me from doing all jobs, as I could get a web developer job if I had more experience, but things that are physical I am affected by. Would they consider that there are jobs for you but your not qualfied to do them, I can do some work, but i'm limited.


If they feel that you could work with support (i.e. you could get a job as a web developer which is fine with your disabilities) then you may be placed in the Work Related Group. However, if they feel that you cannot work in any role, then you would be put in the support group. So yes, they may consider that.
Reply 8
Original post by bullettheory
If they feel that you could work with support (i.e. you could get a job as a web developer which is fine with your disabilities) then you may be placed in the Work Related Group. However, if they feel that you cannot work in any role, then you would be put in the support group. So yes, they may consider that.


Hi, had my medical assessment today, seemed to go ok, but have some concerns...

A lot of what I had claimed to have were not diagnosed disorders, rather they were what I said I thought I had based off coming to the realization that I have ADD, the assessor said "you are self diagnosing" or something like that, I said I'm not saying I do for certain as I don't have the diagnosis, but I have a lot of certainty that I do have it, later on went into the assessment and said something like "rather than assume that I'm fine...", he got a little angry and said no he wasn't assuming, so not sure what to think, but I got the impression he was trying to downplay what I think is wrong with me. He said no he isn't, but it seemed very defensive. The energy was very aggressive, harsh rules with tricks to screw you, like there was all these tactics they were using to **** you, it reminds me of how the police would approach with intimidation, making you think that you are lying, which knocks your confidence in what you say even if you were innocent, the police will put it in your head your guilty if you know what I mean, didn't like it.

I said that I would ride my bike, I couldn't make up that I didn't, I said that I can sit down but not straight as this hurts my back, I then went onto show him the curvature of my spine I have from spondylocostal dysostosis, I said it's not so bad if i'm laying down on my bed, but if i'm required to sit at a desk all day with a straight back, that's what hurts, the bike isn't so bad because it's leaning forward, he also asked if my mum would take me in her car to pick me up, I said yes, but she doesn't live so far away, I guess he calculated the distance, it wasn't more than a half an hour drive though, so guess that would qualify for not being able to sit for 30 minutes which is 15 points.

Also about the depression, I am not sure if they even give you points for it, I emphasized that I feel dead and empty, I lack emotions, I feel low and at times get on a downer feeling like putting an end to life as I was tired of it, he asked if I actually attempted to commit suicide, I said when I was younger i had attempted to do stuff, and just thought now when I'm low I wouldn't actually make an attempt to take my own life because it's quite a hard thing to do. My social worker was there, so I could say if I didn't score points from that at a later date, that it was uncomfortable to admit something like that in front of a social worker.

I also said I had trouble remembering everything that was wrong with me because of ADD, so maybe if I didn't quite put in a big enough word, I could mention what I forgot, would they allow that? I also said would it be possible for me to get the diagnosis at a later date and them take this into consideration, my point was that I had good certainty that I do have ADD and that just because I wasn't currently diagnosed, didn't mean I don't have it, it does affect me anyway as I've been sacked from not listening to safety advice.

The insomnia I am surprised is not considered an illness in itself, I told him that my bedtime was 5AM, getting up for work at 6AM would be a challenge for me and that I've tried to get to bed earlier, but am stuck. I said that at my first job, the reason why he got rid of me was because I was so ****ed in the morning, turning up late, feeling nackard, not being able to do it, so it does prevent me from holding a job down, especially morning shifts.

I've been without sleep for like 3 days now, so I think he could see that I do have insomnia and it always helps to turn up looking like ****, I kept breathing out heavily, I mentioned that spondylo affects my heart, going without sleep is really straining on it, and yes it may not be so bad now, but later on in life, if i'm forced into work with a heart that's only getting worse, that's not a good idea, this is what my first job required of me, I had heavy breathing from lack of sleep, the work ****ed my back, my point was more that it's not that I am incompetent, it's that forcing me to do this, is going to screw me badly. However, when asked to bend over I just said "nah I can't do this".

If he knew my memory was piss poor, then why didn't he go over everything that would remind me of everything I had wrong with me? he did check with me doing a memory test, and I failed to remember three words, so maybe that helps, even a few seconds later I forgot, even went around in circles forgetting what I previously said, hopefully that gives them the impression I am like this.
(edited 7 years ago)
You have to remember that ESA is based on criteria and not the diagnoses you have. Although, I'm really confused as to why you've mentioned ADD and then you go on to say you've not been diagnosed with it?

They don't care what you've actually been diagnosed with.
Reply 10
Do you get ESA for depression? I told them all about that, but on the list it didn't really say anything about it, many people do sign up for ESA because of depression though, i've even heard people getting awarded ESA because of it.

Also @Tiger Rag I have said that I basically do know I have ADD, if they don't care whether you have a diagnosis, then you just say how it affects you, these traits I have do affect me, which is probably what they want to hear, I tried to say it was a consciousness problem, he said no, what they mean by that is that I'm not falling on the floor and fainting etc.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by NullDrone
Do you get ESA for depression? I told them all about that, but on the list it didn't really say anything about it, many people do sign up for ESA because of depression though, i've even heard people getting awarded ESA because of it.


No. I get ESA because I have dual sense loss and Autism. Or rather, the effects of the conditions I have, do make holding down a job impossible, as do the side effects of the medication I'm on.

What list are you on about?

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