WRAG no assessment no warning

[Littlelucy]

I just received a letter stating I am in WRAG for ESA,
I cannot understand this as I sent detailed letter in with claim forms,
I have never been able to work due to having a lifelong health problem, mental disability, and needing daily care and
supervision. This makes me vulernable as I have been subject to serious abuse in my younger years as I wanted people to love and care for me, and they mostly violently hurt or sexually bothered me, or stole from me or did some other bad stuff,
I am mostly bowel incontinent, unable to stay alone at night, have arthritis in hips and hands, and as a result of my physical health problems I also have anxiety and depression,
I also cannot relate to other people at all due to my lifelong experience with humans, and in fact have tendency to violence and confrontational behaviour due to the fact that I cannot decode what people are thinking or judging about me,
I have also been very vulnerable in the past, and have been attacked and sexually abused by those who I trusted to care for me, including a previous social worker and doctor.
I have no contact with hospital workers and very little contact with my doctor because I dont trust them. I also have no body who can advocate for me, as I cannot mix with strangers at all. and never use public transport or go into busy places where people are.,
I do not take medication as I do not trust doctors or the people who make the medication.
I want to be left alone with my dogs and my current manfriend (non sexual) who cares for me and who is the only person I can trust a little bit, although not fully.
I do not want to go to any interview and be judged by a person who wasnt there when I have been multiple beaten, multiple raped, locked in cupboards and had all my items burnt in fire. and doesnt know how I feel or why I am like I am,
My mums husband is also an abuser who hurt me from early age and still does when I go there.
How the heck is a 40 year old woman who cannot be left alone overnight, and barely cope with being alive as it is, supposed to bare the added stress of being interviewed and judged by some stranger whose only motive is to force me into taking a job where I will be humiliated, forced to work alongside people who will see my vulnerability and take advantage, and separated from my dog who is the only person I really love and want to be with?
I think this will push me over the edge. I think about suicide alot because my bowel problems are so humiliating and painful. but this extra trouble is too much to cope with for me,. and I think I will be unable to cope,.
I cannot go to these interviews, yet I have noone to advocate for me, because my family are abusers and my manfriend also has a disability and enough problems of his own with the benefits, and doesnt need to be burdened with my issues as well.
is there anyone who can help me. I cannot go to citizens advice as I have found my local one full of rude, ignorant staff with a 'get a job' attitude. they are also dog haters as they told me to leave my dog outside, which I am not prepared to do as he is an old dog.. and worth more than most of the people I have met in my life,

[Carneucopia]

This is a very sad story littlelucy, but looking at the situation from the outside I can see that maybe the DWP haven't had much option. Despite the detailed letter you sent in, there hasn't been a medical, and probably precious little information from your GP to enable a full judgement to be made.
You can appeal the decision, but you are going to need help with it. Your friend does seem to be the only one who can help - and despite him 'not needing to be burdened' - well - he is already there for you isn't he? Talk to him. Ask him to look around for any other advice agencies in your area. Is there a CLAC for example? (Community Legal Advice Centre.) There might be some who could do a home visit, and make sure that you have a female advisor. Or try phoning Mencap and Mind. Failing that you can of course deal with an appeal yourself by post. Not ideal, but if all else fails worth a try. You must lodge your appeal within the time limit specified on your WRAG decision letter.

[Stepheninleeds]

I am not fullyfamiliar with this, but have learnt a little from these Forums. You can fight this, you can appeal. Let your friend help. There will be some local group or agency that will help you too, it is just finding them. There might even be a good advocacy agency that could help you.

At the end of the day you have to prove everything, medical reports, etc. You have a lot of issues that have affected you, & I do understand that, but you cannot do this without help, without finding someone you can trust enough to help you with this. Do not give up, do not think there are not good people out there who want to help, who are good people. It is just finding them.

[Littlelucy]

thankyou for replies so far.
I have no mental health worker as I am not involved with services I have tried in the past but they do not help, they would not offer CBT, only tried to put me on various pills, which I refuse as I despise tablets because 1) they are tested on animals, and 2) they might cause me side effects which I cannot cope with.
the mental health services were unsympathetic about this. and wouldnt offer cbt, just useless 'groups' which I refused to do as I simply didnt want to be around people. I find alot of people threatening and would rather not be in a room with them.
my gp doesnt know much of my mental health stuff, although he knows a little bit about the abuse I have been through, but not too much as I dont want him thinking I am a 'mad' or a 'dirty' woman,
hes the only doctor in my surgery which I have only been with 2 years, who does talk to me with a bit of respect, and I dont want him to think bad of me so I wont tell him anything too much.
I have seen counsellor type people in the past... a couple of them cried when I told them about my life, a male one tried it on with me, and a lady one sat their painting her nails.. yet another therapist advised me to go to kensington and sit in cafes and join a church, where I might pick up a rich bloke...
another therapist who I trusted, a hypnotherapist guy, moved to New Zealand without telling me, in fact I turned up for my APPT, to be told he'd emigrated!!
another grassed me to housing benefits when I changed my address before I had a chance to do it myself due to being in hospital after a crime happened to me, leaving me under investigation by benefits ..when I was already distressed about being sexually assaulted and held against my will overnight by two junkies in a squat, ( one of the many times I have been sexually abused by people)
So I have no faith in or trust in services, they have treated me with no care or tact. and thats because the ones I have met have all been scum. so now I cant trust them to do the best for me, after all they are only there because they are getting paid to be there,

My main emphasis on ESA claim was my physical health, arthritis is hand and hips and knees inability to walk very far, bowel disorder and incontinence problems, although I did mention the fact that I am extremely anxious, depressed and phobic due to certain events in my life, and cannot travel outside my immediate area, and cannot be alone at night, and cannot be in rooms with strangers as I think they are judging me, or sizing me up to see how best they can hurt/abuse/humiliate or steal from me.
I believe I have either or both of PTSD/ANXIETY plus Aspergers syndrome, and my reason for thinking about aspergers is that I have never been able to mix with other people, even as a small child, and have never been able to explain myself to people, or get accross my needs, I also cannot make eye contact and confuse left/right and muddle words, and have obsessive thoughts, ideas.

however I cannot go to work. I cannot take on the pressure of needing to be at a job for 40 hours plus a week, I would have no physical energy left to make food or clean house or look after dogs. I am also physically incapable of standing or sitting in one place for any length of time,. am in pain frequently, in my joints and stomach, and need to be near a toilet, or failing that a bush at most times because I never know when my bowels/bladder are going to play up.
Its ridiculous to say that I can look for work, when many fit healthy school leavers and polish/eastern europeans who are looking for work cant find a job..

[Stepheninleeds]

We sympathise, but only medical evidence, evidence from therapists, Social Workers, etc, can help you. There is only one way to get that. They need to know your conditions. What if you had your friend with you when dealing with them? You are allowed to do that. This way you have support & can feel safer.

This is also why you need an advocate. This may sound blunt, & I do not want it to seem mean as it is not meant like that, but you cannot get any help unless you ask for it. I cannot get it for you, only you can. if you cannot ask then you cannot get. This is how it works. You have many conditions, but no one knows about them really. You are talking about your physical conditions, which will be of importance in any appeal, but you also have other conditions which right now are controlling you, stopping you getting help, stopping you proving your medical needs & conditions. With someone to fight with you & someone to advocate for you, maybe you can challenge this, & prove your situation. Only you can do it though, only you can ask for that help, find it. Not everyone is out to hurt you, I know this is hard for you to accept, which is why you could have your friend with you when dealing with them.

[Carneucopia]

You are talking to us about your problems Lucy - it's a good start. If you can do this the next step is to find a trusted advocate - and as Stephen says take your friend with you for support. There a many women (and men) who find it impossible to talk about past experiences at all. Partly because they feel ashamed - many still feel somehow that they 'deserved it'.
No-one deserves abuse of any kind. It is wrong - end of story - and help is out there if you are brave and take the next step.