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(UK) Has anyone done the ESA conversation meeting?

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Trum
Tufted Titmouse
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10 Mar 2018, 6:02 pm

I got told to claim ESA by my therapist and just got my letter through for my conversation meeting. Im incredibly stressed over this, its not for another 4 weeks but im panicking so much. Has anyone been through it and if so do you have any thoughts on the process? What do they ask and is it scary? Also how long does it last?



LostGirI
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11 Mar 2018, 6:50 pm

Trum wrote:
I got told to claim ESA by my therapist and just got my letter through for my conversation meeting. Im incredibly stressed over this, its not for another 4 weeks but im panicking so much. Has anyone been through it and if so do you have any thoughts on the process? What do they ask and is it scary? Also how long does it last?


Yes I have and I felt like you did but she was lovely and it was nothing to worry about. Feel free to PM me or post again if you want to know anything specific


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fifasy
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12 Mar 2018, 3:42 am

I took a letter from my social worker explaining my problems. I would suggest you get any professional!s you interact with to write letters for you to take and give the person who has the ESA conversation with you.

Also try to take someone with you who knows you well whether it's family or a professional so they can explain things to back you up and act as a witness for your claim being true.

They ask you questions in a casual, friendly way to try to catch you off guard. Every question they ask you, add to the end of that question in your head "on a bad day".

For example:

"Can you communicate to others what you need?" (On a bad day.)

"Can you accurately understand information to keep yourself safe?" (On a bad day.)

Sometimes people talk down their problems because the questions are worded in a way to try to make you give casual answers.

It is a bit scary but it just feels like an interview.



LostGirI
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12 Mar 2018, 6:30 am

MMy meeting was nothing like and what the previous poster said. Are we talking about the very first meeting with somebody from the job centre or something else? Personally I am referring to the very first meeting I had with a member of staff from the job centre which was in January this year.


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fifasy
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12 Mar 2018, 12:17 pm

LostGirI wrote:
MMy meeting was nothing like and what the previous poster said. Are we talking about the very first meeting with somebody from the job centre or something else? Personally I am referring to the very first meeting I had with a member of staff from the job centre which was in January this year.


I was talking about the assessment to see if you're eligible for ESA. I thought it was that Trim was talking about. Sorry if I have got my wires crossed.



Trum
Tufted Titmouse
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14 Mar 2018, 6:32 pm

LostGirI wrote:
MMy meeting was nothing like and what the previous poster said. Are we talking about the very first meeting with somebody from the job centre or something else? Personally I am referring to the very first meeting I had with a member of staff from the job centre which was in January this year.


This initial meeting according to my therapist is just a 10minute intro, a little meeting to talk about what will happen.

The second meeting which comes later is the one im terrified of, i have someone that can come with me who works at an ASD charity in Edinburgh but the sheer anxiety with both of these things is so much.



Trum
Tufted Titmouse
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14 Mar 2018, 6:33 pm

fifasy wrote:
I took a letter from my social worker explaining my problems. I would suggest you get any professional!s you interact with to write letters for you to take and give the person who has the ESA conversation with you.

Also try to take someone with you who knows you well whether it's family or a professional so they can explain things to back you up and act as a witness for your claim being true.

They ask you questions in a casual, friendly way to try to catch you off guard. Every question they ask you, add to the end of that question in your head "on a bad day".

For example:

"Can you communicate to others what you need?" (On a bad day.)

"Can you accurately understand information to keep yourself safe?" (On a bad day.)

Sometimes people talk down their problems because the questions are worded in a way to try to make you give casual answers.

It is a bit scary but it just feels like an interview.


Thats a great tip, i have a habbit of trying not to show people how much things bother me or how hard things are which is the opposite of what i should be doing and thats a great idea!