I was actually told in the past by people who work for DWP as well as staff at Ingeus "It does not matter if you can't drive, the employer might make an exception." In what world would any employer advertising a job that requires a full driving license, consider someone who does not have a full driving license, or even more so a person who does not even have a provisional? When you make such a point to them, the answer is almost always "Well its worth a shot."

Not sure if this is the right place (What is ESA?) I need advice on ADHD. The sooner the better. Thanks.

Its employment support allowance. It is paid for those unable to work due their health issues. It split up into Wag ( work related activty group) and support group.

Wag bascially means going to the job centre and meeting certain requiments. Support group means you get a set date within 1-3 years for another medical. No need to go job centre or meet any requirments.

To get in either you will have get accessed at a medical. I cant imagine adhd being serve enougth to stop you working, and passing a medical would unlikely.

The NHS advice about ADHD can be found here http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Attenti...roduction.aspx and if you feel you need more help then I suggest going to see your GP and the consultation will be 100% confidential. I hope that things work out for you.

As for ESA, that's the Employment and Support Allowance benefit and there is an explanation of that benefit here: https://www.gov.uk/employment-suppor...wance/overview

I'm no expert when it comes to benefits but as part of the service I provide I have to acertain what income people have and how much they spend on fuel and in my experiance ESA varies greatly from the basic level of about £72 a week (what the goverment are going to lower it to to equal JSA) to with add ons adding up to £100 plus I have 2 clints getting £189 a week ESA with all the disability add on's, and if they get DLA they are quite comfortably off! in benefit terms that is, but not in relation to health, I have no problem with what people get in benefis if they are entitled to it then claim it! the most benefits I have found a client getting in excess of £33,000 pounds I know you will gasp as the goverment have set a limit of £25,000 but some benefits don't count as income so it can mount up and exceed the limit, I don't have a problem with the claiments if they qualify they Qualify!

Any family where someone is getting PIP or DLA is exempt from the benefit cap, that's why they can get so much.

People in the support group for ESA are also exempt from the cap.

In contrast to your experience, I just had an assessment and the assessor (so called doctor) was a complete bitch to me. Her tone was acerbic, rude and condescending. She was purposefully trying to confuse me by firing off unclear questions. I am clever enough to know when someone is trying to trick me so I asked her calmly to be clearer on her questions....this was ignored. She then was very insensitive to some history in my medical file which was (to my surprise) supplied by my GP to a rather traumatic incident a few years ago. I mean really insensitive!
I really wanted to lay into her with a verbally about her manner and attitude, but I though better off it as it was very much her intention to get a reaction from me - having done my homework before attending I knew exactly what they would be asking and looking for! Thank God!
They DO watch you in the waiting room! (some poor cow was using her mobile phone in there obvious to being watched and assessed) - using a mobile phone will definitely go against you!
She DID walk behind me on the way to the examination room to examine my walk - I was prepared for this!
She DID ask me to perform movements to assess my mobility in spite of the fact it would cause me pain - I simply could not do them as I told her that it would be agony.
I was aware that they she was looking walking from the examination room to the exit.
All of the doors in and out are heavy require a bit of effort to open - and at no time do they offer you assistance!
There are cameras everywhere, even on the exit hallway out - these I assume are for assessment. Watch out!
They will ask you to describe a typical day - be prepared. This question is designed to trip you up! If you day involve some going out and or shopping this will go against you.
You will be asked if you cook, wash and do laundry - again all designed questions to assess you fit for work!
I was asked if I had internet access. Again, designed to trip you up - internet access = laptop and being able to handle a 'complex tasks'
I was asked if I owned a mobile phone - I told them I didn't and it was given to me by a friend for emergencies with auto answer. Again, if you own a mobile you are deemed to handle 'complex tasks'. Not happy with this answer she pushed my on if I text on the phone- and seeing as my issue affects my grip the answer was obvious.
On the way in the reception desk in very high and awkward (I suspect by design). You are asked to fill out a small form at the desk, again this I believe is to see if you are able to stand for long periods and whilst using a pen - the old complex task. I took mine over to a chair! - talking of chairs, and watch out for this.....in the waiting room there are a number of mixed chairs, some with arm rests and some without - remember you are being assessed from the moment you step into the building!
Another thing I noticed in the waiting room was a water dispenser machine, it was very low and would require pulling out a cup, holding it and pressing a lever. I would not have put it past them to set this up to assess mobility.

There was more, but I am too tired right now.

All in all it was a very insensitive assessment - Under any normal circumstances I would have put this so called doctor in her place, but I guess they are instructed to rile you, to provoke a reaction and in turn get you to 'slip up'. How they sleep at night is beyond me. And to consider that this doctor entered into a profession to 'care' for people is beyond me.

So be careful out there. You have been warned.

I need to correct you ...I'm referring to PIP not ESA
You are not assessed from the moment you enter the building.
You are assessed from the moment you meet your assessor.
Anything you do in the waiting room is not allowed to be submitted in a report, it's a big no no.
If there are cameras they are there for the staff security, as you can imagine some situations can become heated.

I'm sorry that you had this experience but from what I have posted, it is the complete opposite to what I experienced.

I was assessed from the moment I met with the assessor, not from when I arrived - there is no mention of my behaviour in the waiting room, and I was advised of this by my assessor, I made a point of asking them!

I was actually awarded more points than I expected, whilst reading through my report I can see why and where they added points - when I say this it's because they thought certain things were worse upon talking to me than what I put on my forms.

Whilst it is useful for people to be aware of the bad side of the process - I read lots of bad experiences that different people had and I am fully aware that there are some awful advisors out there, I thought it was important to share a good experience with people.

I had got myself into such a state before I went, after reading everything that I did I nearly cancelled my appointment - I'm glad I didn't - I had a massive panic attack in the waiting room and nobody batted an eyelid, it wasn't until the advisor came out that I was asked if I was okay etc.

At the moment I am on ESA support group, I have untreatable epilepsy, severe sight impairment and mental health problems due to a brain injury yet I still get called into the Jobcentre a lot more more often than some people I know who are on back to work ESA! If anyone has a magic pill or potion that can resolve all my medical problems I sure would apreciate it because trust me I would much rather be healthy and working.

Why are the jobcentre calling you in if you are in the support group ?

While there might be a medical reassessment every few years, I am surprised that someone in the ESA Support Group is being periodically requested to attend the Job Centre. I would have thought that no one in that group would be asked to attend a work focused interview.

Perhaps there is a recording error about which group you are in and I would have thought that it would be possible to tell them that you are very unwell, that you are in the Support Group and that you are not able to attend the interview. If you find these interviews, etc. to be distressing then by all means seek advice from your nearest Citizens Advice Bureau - https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/ab...advice/advice/

I have no idea

You have a very good point there thanks.

It has actually happened before so it might be worth investigating - good luck!

Thank you for posting your positive experience

Of course the 1000s of people that have had positive outcomes doesn't get reported as that's not newsworthy is it

I am glad you had a positive experience. I was truly hoping for the same, and having read up on some truly dreadful experiences online I too was apprehensive.
Unfortunately my experience was everything I had read about and worse. The doctor was unbelievably rude to me - on the verge of being aggressive.
The first thing she picked me up on was my use of the word 'acute' when describing my pain - this was actually written down as chronic on my form. She made a real meal of it and I told her that is was my confusion being on medication - And this was at the start of the assessment!
She then proceeded to go through my medical history which was (unknown to me!) supplied by my GP, some of which was entirely unrelated to my injury - we are talking about some really traumatic and sensitive stuff!, Throughout she kept the door wide open and every was within earshot of man watching a monitor of everyone in the waiting room. I was sweating profusely throughout the interrogation, asked to perform some physical tasks like touching my forehead (I could not understand that one) and lying down on the couch. I was ask to remove my jacket - which I now understand is part of the test, but I assumed it was to examine me. I was asked if the ESA form was my filled out in my handwriting - it was barely legible so Christ knows how she read it and to what purpose the question formed. She was banging away at her keyboard to every answer - She was no empathy, warmth or signs of concern - even when I told her I was in pain whilst trying to lift my leg up.
All in all it was an awful experience, and I am thoroughly expect to be appeal the decision when it arrives, but who knows I may be very surprised and it may turn out she was actually really sympathetic to my condition. Sounds you caught a good assessor on a good day!
I think my biggest mistake was not requesting that the assessment was recorded because I am sure her tone would have been very different in that case.
My recommendation is to most definitely have your assessment recorded!

Had my assesment yesterday was told DWP have final say and could take upto 3 weeks before i hear anything.

It might take even longer than that (they're not known for especially fast service) and if you do need help with a decision by all means return to this thread with a request for assistance.

Try up to 3 months, then you might be closer. They really do like to drag their feet with these things as they know people are anxious about getting the decision.

They took 6 months to process my supersession, which included my MP stepping in to try and hurry things up and a complaint to the DWP.
.

I suspected it'd take a lot longer than 3 weeks tbh, am i right though in thinking i will continue to get the basic ESA rate until a descision is made?

Yes.

Providing they don't find you fit for work, the extra money you get will be backdated to the date 13 weeks after your claim started.

Thanks for the quick response.

It took 2 weeks to get my decision which was made by a phone call - if you get a phone call they are likely to find you fit for work - my ESA was stopped with immediate effect and I now have to claim JSA whilst a mandatory reconsideration is process - they have up till two weeks. It will be rejected of course, because the decision maker seemed uninterested and very uninformative as to how the decision was made.
So I got the ATOS (or who ever they are these days) notes and they are a disgrace, littered with lies! I expected this as the assessor was SO rude and aggressive to me - Yet she put in her records that I was defensive!!!!...I was being attacked! She said I walked normally to the assessment room despite limping....that I prepared my own lunch (when she asked if I eat lunch!), that I squatted to my knees when this was impossible! I am not the first to express that the welfare cuts bought in by IDS are killing people. The man should be arrested.
Suffice it to day I scored 0 points on every single account. Fook them, I will not let it get it me.