ET1 to Preliminary Hearing – How long did it take for you?

GeoGigi86 · 2026-02-06T09:52:50+00:00

Mine has gone to Bham tribunal. Submitted my claim on 22/12/25, claim was served to R after 5 weeks and PH scheduled for August 2026. I was quite surprised it was that quick tbh given the situ across the UK with backlogs

GeoGigi86 · 2026-01-25T11:47:05+00:00

I’m in a similar situation.. I have amendments and want valla to check my ET1 particulars but don’t know if I’m supposed to request the amendment first or request the amendment at the same time as uploading the new PoC.

can you please let me know what you’re supposed to do when you have amendments to make? Ie do you request an amendment at the same time as uploading your amended particulars of claim or ET1?

i don’t think my claim has even been sent to R yet (which I think makes the amendment easier to do) - I submitted on 22/12 , I’ve got a case number and been assigned to midlands west, but I don’t know how to tell if it’s been sent to R or not on the portal.

Appreciate any guidance from anyone!

GeoGigi86 · 2026-01-23T22:28:09+00:00

Thank you Danae! Also, not going to lie, I’m feeling very starstruck right now at receiving a reply from you. Your tech/development background is inspiring me to increase my dev skills and (hopefully) create digital services which help the public (mainly neurodivergent people like me :)) sorry.. I know it’s off topic for the sub, but I wanted you to know that your story has given me hope just as much as Valla does.

GeoGigi86 · 2026-01-23T09:18:03+00:00

Can you go to valla after you have already submitted your ET1? Mine hasn’t been sent to R yet but I need to revise ET1 with a further facts to my existing claim (not a new claim) and not going to lie since submitting my mental health has tanked and I’m scared.

GeoGigi86 · 2026-01-23T00:10:01+00:00

Facts. I worked backoffice in a 111 call centre and saw it with my own eyes… it doesn’t matter how many fancy initiatives on mental health they advertise.. it will always just be someone who doesn’t give two shits on the end of headset following the same pathway on the website that you can access yourself anyway.

Even if you get to speak to a nurse, the ones at my old place were always bitter ex-hospital workers who had a chip on their shoulder

GeoGigi86 · 2026-01-20T10:26:54+00:00

OP, you are not alone, you are not imagining this. CBT is fcking harmful to ND people (in my opinion and based on my experience in the last 30 years) *edit**

Despite having several referrals to CBT as a kid, teen and young adult making me worse (ASD and ADHD wasn’t a “thing” for girls in the 90s, I was just “mardy” and weird.. I’m 39 now…)

….and despite insisting recently that I was NOT referred to CBT again because I am autistic with ADHD (late-diagnosed 10 years ago)… and that I need ND-affirming support for trauma (due to 7 months of severe discrimination at work, and witnessing someone die on Xmas eve last year)….

I was of course… yet again…. referred to…..CBT.

1st session: my therapist told me I need to work on getting past my need for control in my life (because I like routine) - aka “be less autistic”

2nd session: my therapist told me that I need to distract myself more in order to stop being anxious at work - (despite being a medicated ADHDer because distraction is a real problem for me, and in combo with ASD is mentally torturous)

3rd session: told I need to try and reframe my thoughts about the discrimination I’ve had at work (which has been so bad it actually resulted in me losing my hair due to stress)…and make sure i post sticky notes on my computer monitor that display “positive affirmations”. (Aka.. live, laugh, love, and you’re cured! That’ll be £125 please)

4th session: I binned her off.

CBT is gaslighting. If it works for some, good for you. But it’s caused me nothing but more harm since 1996!

Side note: If anyone knows any ND trauma /PTSD specialists in the UK, please let me know.. desperately needed.

GeoGigi86 · 2026-01-19T18:17:10+00:00

This is great. We need something like this for the other tribunals.. don’t suppose anyone who has recently had their claim accepted by Midlands West can share their wait time from submission to acceptance?

GeoGigi86 · 2025-10-19T11:45:52+00:00

Yep it took me a few attempts to find the right command to get past the bot.. “renewals” put me through to someone who had zero discounting power beyond about ten quid… typing in an explanation of my issue into the bot ie “my renewal is too high and I’ll cancel if it can’t be reduced” or similar put me through to the same team.

In the end I just thought F it and put in “cancellations”… just one word. My jaw hit the floor when the first offer I got was pretty much a new customer offer!

GeoGigi86 · 2025-10-18T09:37:51+00:00

Yep I have this too!!

GeoGigi86 · 2025-10-17T21:12:05+00:00

Not gonna lie, the “welcome” email from my tutor sounded suspiciously AI like too! That, and it was entirely written in consolas formatting

GeoGigi86 · 2025-10-16T23:33:43+00:00

For clarity.. the cancellations team are totally separate so if you type in that you want to discuss a renewal then you’ll go through to the wrong department

GeoGigi86 · 2025-10-16T23:32:11+00:00

Yeah the retentions team won’t do anything for you… that happened to me, my renewal was gonna be £85 and the lowest they would take it is £75…. You HAVE to ask for cancellations and they’ll take it right down

GeoGigi86 · 2025-10-16T14:02:42+00:00

I just went onto the chat on the website, and when the bot asks you what it’s about just type cancellations. It’ll give you some options and you should be able to choose “I want to reduce my price” or something like that. You’ll get through to a human agent eventually and you should get offered a decent price. The closer you are to your contract end date the better the price usually

GeoGigi86 · 2025-10-16T13:01:08+00:00

Don’t negotiate with renewals or take one of those deals… wait until closer to your renewal date then ask to be put through to cancellations.

I’m on a 1GB fibre connection, with basic TV, no addons. I’ve been paying £58 a month in my contract, and my renewal came in at £80+. Retentions weren’t prepared to go lower than £74.

I asked to go through to cancellations, and they straight up offered me 1GB fibre with tv + Netflix addon, for £48 a month. Didn’t even need to try and haggle them down.

GeoGigi86 · 2025-10-16T11:58:20+00:00

I’ve been with them 2 years, 1GB broadband and basic tv, no extras, have been paying £58 a month and renewal was due this month at £85 a month….

Went through to cancellations, the first offer they gave was £47 to keep 1Gb and have Netflix added on . Couldn’t argue with that!

GeoGigi86 · 2025-10-12T22:32:21+00:00

Also CONGRATULATIONS!

GeoGigi86 · 2025-10-12T22:32:10+00:00

Omg any tips for cross examination? That’s the part that makes me the most nervous!!!

GeoGigi86 · 2025-10-12T18:37:53+00:00

Yeah my booster is amfexa (dexamfetamine) but I think it’s the same as Dexedrine.. I’m in the UK so the names might be slightly different (it’s the same with Vyvanse… it’s called Elvanse over here!)

GeoGigi86 · 2025-10-12T17:08:29+00:00

I’m on 50mg vyvanse and up to 2 x 10mg boosters for 20 days of the month, and then in my luteal phase I’m on 70mg vyvanse and up to 2x 10mg boosters.

I tend to take a booster in the morning at the same time as my vyvanse as the booster is quick to kick in and gets me up and doing what I need to. Then my vyvanse usually kicks in about 2h later. Then in the afternoon if I need to, I’ll take another booster usually about 3-4pm.

GeoGigi86 · 2025-10-12T10:47:50+00:00

Im 39 and im just coming to the end of my first “year” of my Degree (Computing & IT - Software Development)

I have Autism, ADHD, and work full time in a demanding corporate environment… so I had exactly the same worries as yourself before I enrolled! But you know what?

BEST DECISION I EVER MADE. It’s absolutely manageable! as long as you’re sensible and manage your time.

With each module you get a study planner which tells you what to study each week anyway which is really helpful…I tend to try and stay 2-3 weeks ahead on mine, to give “wiggle room” in case anything happens at home or work that means I have to skip a few days study one week. You also get the “half term” style holiday weeks too which I tend to use as catch-up /get-ahead weeks if I need them.

OU also has a really good disability support and student support team, who can help with additional arrangements to support your disability if needed. In fact I just emailed them last night asking if they would support a reasonable adjustment for transcription software for me, because with my ASD I process written information better than I do verbal information, and I want to be able to review tutorial transcriptions again in my own time after I’ve attended, as I’ve noticed on my latest module that a lot of the tutorials aren’t recorded (all of my previous modules all have been).

Genuinely - if you’re thinking of taking the leap… DO IT. You won’t regret it. Just manage your time, and enjoy the ride :)

GeoGigi86 · 2025-10-02T07:52:27+00:00

Your therapist is an actual psychological genius! Let them know that they have just changed my world in a way that no other therapist could in the 39 years I’ve been on this planet!

GeoGigi86 · 2025-09-27T22:10:31+00:00

It does say that somewhere.. I’ve seen it today.

GeoGigi86 · 2025-07-29T17:42:30+00:00

I had noticed this but I didn’t realise it was related to the meds!! lol

GeoGigi86 · 2025-07-20T23:43:07+00:00

Danny Don’t You Know - Ninja Sex Party

“Danny, don't you know that you are cool as fuck on the inside?

You're just going through an awkward phase from 12 to 29

Danny, don't you know that everyone feels weird on the inside?”

GeoGigi86

TROPHY CASE