ESA50 - help re. chronic pain

Can anyone advise please? I have to complete an ESA50. I have neurological problems which include walking difficulties, optic neuritis, numbness, fatigue and all sorts, but I have not been diagnosed with MS or anything. My greatest problem is chronic severe pain and I don’t see how to get this across on the form as it doesn’t seem to allow for this. I am in constant pain which the medication I take only touches the surface of. I can’t up the pain killers as they make me feel very sick. I believe the pain is responsible for the fatigue as I don’t sleep well and am constantly battling it. Pain is present in everything I do and even when I am not trying to do anything but am just lying down. I can sit for a reasonable period of time without help but even so I am in pain but as I am also in pain standing it isn’t really a great help to keep getting up and down (and getting up from a chair often results in my falling). Pain even affects my eating as holding cutlery and raising my arms to eat hurts a lot – yes I can do it but the pain wipes me out. Typing is done in short bursts of a couple of lines then a break as my hands are bad (eg. I typed most of this in word this morning so I can pace myself and then paste it into the forum!!). Any ideas on how I can get this over on this form that being in constant severe pain doesn’t mean I can’t physically manage to do some things but as I am always battling the pain there are consequences?
Thanks
Sara

Sara wrote: Can anyone advise please? I have to complete an ESA50. I have neurological problems which include walking difficulties, optic neuritis, numbness, fatigue and all sorts, but I have not been diagnosed with MS or anything. My greatest problem is chronic severe pain and I don’t see how to get this across on the form as it doesn’t seem to allow for this. I am in constant pain which the medication I take only touches the surface of. I can’t up the pain killers as they make me feel very sick. I believe the pain is responsible for the fatigue as I don’t sleep well and am constantly battling it. Pain is present in everything I do and even when I am not trying to do anything but am just lying down. I can sit for a reasonable period of time without help but even so I am in pain but as I am also in pain standing it isn’t really a great help to keep getting up and down (and getting up from a chair often results in my falling). Pain even affects my eating as holding cutlery and raising my arms to eat hurts a lot – yes I can do it but the pain wipes me out. Typing is done in short bursts of a couple of lines then a break as my hands are bad (eg. I typed most of this in word this morning so I can pace myself and then paste it into the forum!!). Any ideas on how I can get this over on this form that being in constant severe pain doesn’t mean I can’t physically manage to do some things but as I am always battling the pain there are consequences?
Thanks
Sara

Hi S,

Welcome to Benefits and Work

To be deemed able to carry out any of the ESA Activities/Descriptors tied to the questions in The ESA50, you must be able to do so Repeatedly, Reliably and Safely for the "Majority" of the time.(>50% of the time)

Or in the case of the SG descriptors, on the majority of occasions that you attempt the activity :

ESA Reg 34. (2) Applicable to Support Group :

“A descriptor applies to a claimant if that descriptor applies to the claimant for the majority of the time or, as the case may be, on the majority of occasions on which the claimant undertakes or attempts to undertake the activity described by that descriptor”

www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2008/794/regulation/34/made

You must also be able to carry out the activities without suffering significant pain, discomfort or breathlessness, etc,etc.

If you feel that none of the tick box options are applicable to your own limitations, don't tick them. Add a comment to say that none of the options are applicable then add your own comments in the text box and continue on added A4 pages if needed.

You may find it easier :

Using The PDF Version Of The ESA50 Questionnaire

Whilst referring to the guides under the heading of "ESA Claims and Appeals - Current forms"

On this page :

ESA Claims Guides

See also :

How long do I have to complete the ESA50?

ESA50 too big for the envelope

&

Sending Documents to the DWP or ATOS

Also see :

Qualifying for the WRAG

Qualifying for the Support Group

The WCA Handbook is well worth perusing, as it gives guidance to assessing ATOS HCP's on how they should approach the WCA.

It can be found under the heading :

"DWP Resources"

Also on this page : ESA Claims Guides

After reading through the above, you can return to this topic if you have further queries, and we will do our best to help.

You may want to Bookmark/Favourite this page in your internet browser so that you can find it again easily.

bro58

Many thanks
I've had a good read of everything and done my best on that dreadful form - now we wait and see (not hopeful!)
Cheers

Sara

Sara wrote: Many thanks
I've had a good read of everything and done my best on that dreadful form - now we wait and see (not hopeful!)
Cheers

Sara

Hi S,

All as one can do is one's best !!

Most ESA claimants prepare for the worse and hope for the best!

Hopefully, it will be the latter, in your case.

Good luck, and please keep us updated.

bro58