Because I’m disabled but not ill or sick in anyway it means I never see my doctor but when my case went to the MR stage I approach my doctor for help and he was just flabbergasted at the DWP decision because he said “they only have to look at me to see I’m disabled” but its not the DWP who look at you, it’s only what they like to call “a health professional” ha, ha, that look at you however my doctor would not intervene unless it went to tribunal and when it did he did write a very nice letter putting my case.
We all like to think we are better at getting by in our daily disabled lives than we really are and my big mistake when asked how far or how fast I could walk 20 metres I simply said “I don’t know” and then was put under pressure to give an answer while putting it to me “is 3, 4 or 5 minutes to walk the 20” to get passed that question I said “I might managed 20 in 5 minutes, sometimes”.
That was a big mistake and by the time I went to tribunal I had learned to say “I can’t walk, full stop, but I can trip and stumble for a few metres using a walking stick”.
Just to add, My wife who is also my full time carer was at the interview with me and because I miss hear things would speak on my behalf or if I’m misunderstanding a question and she was told in no uncertain terms to “shut up” and he must get all the information needed from myself.
If you are unfortunate to have to go to the MR stage keep the correspondence going with the DWP about the errors of there ways and challenged their decisions and more so if it goes to tribunal because every word you make in your defence also goes to the tribunal judge to read along with the real medical professional doctor who can see who is being sincere from those who maybe try it on so before you even get to court the judge and doctor already know why you think you’ve been misjudged.
Hope you just sail through this Mike but like others here, I’ve had those sleepless nights of getting up a 3 in the morning in mid Winter to write letters but hope with all the cases the DWP have lost in court that they actually take notice of what you write and not just put it in a filing cabinet.
All the best and remember, your not alone.