Migration process started, 3 initial queries

Hi, i have been on long term incapacity benefit (since 1991), my date for review was 21.12.12 and i have just received the initial letter telling me the process to migrate me to ESA is starting. I started gathering my medical evidence a while ago and have started completing the PDF version of the ESA 50, using your excellent guides to help me.

A this stage i have 3 questions.

1). I have several physical problems and these are the conditions I believe qualify me for the support group. I also suffer from long term depression though this is well controlled with anti depressants that i will be on for life. Do i put the depression down on my form, given that it is well controlled?

2). Looking at the question about walking distance in the moving around section, the lowest distance is 50metres. If i can not manage 50m without severe pain and having to stop, do i tick the 50m option then explain in the box below that it is actually less than 50m?

3). I may have dreamed this but around a year or two ago i recall a topic started by the now moderator bro58 detailing how he organised all his information when submitting his ESA 50. Does this topic still exist? I have many different and complex health problems and i am very worried about how to organise and submit what is going to be a huge amount of paperwork.

Many thanks.

froggylegs wrote: Hi, i have been on long term incapacity benefit (since 1991), my date for review was 21.12.12 and i have just received the initial letter telling me the process to migrate me to ESA is starting. I started gathering my medical evidence a while ago and have started completing the PDF version of the ESA 50, using your excellent guides to help me.

A this stage i have 3 questions.

1). I have several physical problems and these are the conditions I believe qualify me for the support group. I also suffer from long term depression though this is well controlled with anti depressants that i will be on for life. Do i put the depression down on my form, given that it is well controlled?

2). Looking at the question about walking distance in the moving around section, the lowest distance is 50metres. If i can not manage 50m without severe pain and having to stop, do i tick the 50m option then explain in the box below that it is actually less than 50m?

3). I may have dreamed this but around a year or two ago i recall a topic started by the now moderator bro58 detailing how he organised all his information when submitting his ESA 50. Does this topic still exist? I have many different and complex health problems and i am very worried about how to organise and submit what is going to be a huge amount of paperwork.

Many thanks.

Hi fl,

Firstly, as you may be aware, a new ESA50 was brought into use as of the 28/01/13. This new ESA50 01/13, is now the one available to download from the link on this page :

Using The PDF Version Of The ESA50 Questionnaire

However, the DWP have stated that the will still be sending out the older ESA50 03/11 to exhaust existing stock.

If you have started filling in the ESA50 03/11, you can keep this, and also copy and paste any relevant information over to the new ESA50 01/13.

When you receive your "Paper" ESA50 through the post, which should be in 2 to 3 weeks, you will then know which PDF to use. (ESA50 03/11 or ESA50 01/13)

As you will see in our : ESA Claims Guides , there are guides to cover the different scenarios.

1) You should go into detail regarding any diagnosed physical and mental health conditions in the relevant sections. Go into detail with regards to the resulting limitations from both. Provide copies of any repeat medication, any any side effect suffered from having to take these meds.

2) The distance that you can "Mobilise", should be the distance that you can do so before the onset of any significant pain, discomfort, breathlessness, etc. Balance issues and risk of falls should also be taken into account here.

To be able to carry out "Any" of the activities you should be able to do so Repeatedly, Reliably, and Safely, in a timely manner, with reasonable regularity, if you can't then you should state this.

Example of above, if you can only mobilise 20 metres before the onset of the significant pain, discomfort, etc, etc, as mentioned above, but can then carry on for a further 30 metres, only the 20 metres should be counted.

This is all covered in the ESA Claims Guides, which you should refer to as you are filling in the ESA50.

3) I seem to remember that I did, that does seem a very long time ago now.

If you have any particular questions regarding compiling extra evidence etc, along with the ESA50, please pose them on this topic, and I will try to help.

Don't forget though, that how you present your ESA50 and extra evidence is a matter of individual choice.

bro58

bro58 wrote:

froggylegs wrote: Hi, i have been on long term incapacity benefit (since 1991), my date for review was 21.12.12 and i have just received the initial letter telling me the process to migrate me to ESA is starting. I started gathering my medical evidence a while ago and have started completing the PDF version of the ESA 50, using your excellent guides to help me.

A this stage i have 3 questions.

1). I have several physical problems and these are the conditions I believe qualify me for the support group. I also suffer from long term depression though this is well controlled with anti depressants that i will be on for life. Do i put the depression down on my form, given that it is well controlled?

2). Looking at the question about walking distance in the moving around section, the lowest distance is 50metres. If i can not manage 50m without severe pain and having to stop, do i tick the 50m option then explain in the box below that it is actually less than 50m?

3). I may have dreamed this but around a year or two ago i recall a topic started by the now moderator bro58 detailing how he organised all his information when submitting his ESA 50. Does this topic still exist? I have many different and complex health problems and i am very worried about how to organise and submit what is going to be a huge amount of paperwork.

Many thanks.

Hi fl,

Firstly, as you may be aware, a new ESA50 was brought into use as of the 28/01/13. This new ESA50 01/13, is now the one available to download from the link on this page :

Using The PDF Version Of The ESA50 Questionnaire

However, the DWP have stated that the will still be sending out the older ESA50 03/11 to exhaust existing stock.

If you have started filling in the ESA50 03/11, you can keep this, and also copy and paste any relevant information over to the new ESA50 01/13.

When you receive your "Paper" ESA50 through the post, which should be in 2 to 3 weeks, you will then know which PDF to use. (ESA50 03/11 or ESA50 01/13)

As you will see in our : ESA Claims Guides , there are guides to cover the different scenarios.

1) You should go into detail regarding any diagnosed physical and mental health conditions in the relevant sections. Go into detail with regards to the resulting limitations from both. Provide copies of any repeat medication, any any side effect suffered from having to take these meds.

2) The distance that you can "Mobilise", should be the distance that you can do so before the onset of any significant pain, discomfort, breathlessness, etc. Balance issues and risk of falls should also be taken into account here.

To be able to carry out "Any" of the activities you should be able to do so Repeatedly, Reliably, and Safely, in a timely manner, with reasonable regularity, if you can't then you should state this.

Example of above, if you can only mobilise 20 metres before the onset of the significant pain, discomfort, etc, etc, as mentioned above, but can then carry on for a further 30 metres, only the 20 metres should be counted.

This is all covered in the ESA Claims Guides, which you should refer to as you are filling in the ESA50.

3) I seem to remember that I did, that does seem a very long time ago now.

If you have any particular questions regarding compiling extra evidence etc, along with the ESA50, please pose them, on this topic and I will try to help.

Don't forget though that how you present your ESA50 and extra evidence is a matter of individual choice.

bro58

Just to add,

With respect to ticking the boxes. If you feel that non of the boxes fit in with your limitations, don't tick them, write a comment of why you haven't, and explain your own limitations in the text box provided, and on extra A4 sheets if needed.

Make the ESA50 fit in with your limitations rather than the other way round.

bro58

thanks for the swift reply.

Re question 2, there is no box to tick saying the distance i can move safely on level ground is 20m. The choices are 50, 100, 200 or it varies. So if i can only safely move 20m which box do I tick?

Thanks bro, i just saw your second reply to me, please disregard my last question

Hi, my file is almost ready to return to ATOS. It has 52 additional pages so far which include additional sheets answering the questions and also 38 pages of medical evidence (i have several health conditions).

Should I include photocopies of all my appointment letters from the last 12 months? I am worried about boring them to death, as I said there are already 52 additional pages.

Many thanks