WRAG & Support Group / Sanctions / Mental Illness

Hi

I am new to the forum so not overly sure how it works. I am seeking advice on my Mum’s behalf.
She is currently in the WRAG, she was placed in the WRAG following an appeal in Feb 13 where the decision was overturned to award her as she had previously been removed from ESA altogether based on an incompetent and untruthful “medical assessment”.

At the time we didn’t fully understand what it meant to be put in the WRAG and what was involved but just felt grateful her benefit had been reinstated.

She attended a meeting at the job centre accompanied by my brothers. Obviously since then she has been hounded to attend WRA workshops.

She suffers from severe depression and anxiety issues, the problems are all over her medical records spanning 40 years and it doesn’t look set to improve. The descriptors the judge overturned the decision on were based on her inability to go out on her own as she has panic attacks and suffers anxiety. She says the thought of just getting on the bus never mind attending the workshops brings her out in sweats, she doesn’t sleep for days before an appointment and its making her condition significantly worse because of all the pressure to attend. The reality is she just can’t go. The fear and anxiety is debilitating. However, mental issues just dont seem to be acknowledged in this process?

Her benefit has now been sanctioned and she is living on £25 pw which isn’t even enough for food and electricity – despite the hardship it cannot change her inability to attend.

Recently she has been receiving “good reason letters” where she is asked to detail why she didn’t attend, to which we have responded in full with medical evidence of her conditions and explaining what happened and why she didnt go.

She has never received any notice that her benefits have been sanctioned or instructions as to what it means and what to do next. These sanctions are now overlapping with all the appointments she didn’t attend. She always lets them know she can’t go and why in advance of the appointment, but they say there is nothing they can do, we have also asked whether she can do it over the phone but is told no. There is nobody that can go with her and it wouldnt necessarily help if they did. When she gets worked up in to a state she will just lock herself down in her house and nobody will be able to get near her for days.

I am totally confused about the system and what to do now, just completely at a loss with what to do next.

Can anybody advise me please? Any advice would be very greatfully received.

Just to add a comment to Gordon's excellent advice - if your mother's tribunal really was in Feb 2013 then I'm afraid you can no longer ask for a Statement of Reasons from the Tribunal Service as there is a strict one month time limit for this.