esa dilemma

[phoenix1985]

Hello,

I have been claiming esa for a few years now, and getting points mostly on the basis that I do not go out on my own.

But now, through a circumstance that I don't really want to go into (just know it's unalterable), to access a treatment program for another mental illness, I would have to go alone in a taxi.

Going out on my own is something I've been trying to work up to for a while now, but I am so worried about losing my entitlement to esa, because I'm not sure I'm ready for jsa and all that entails.

So, my question is, if anyone out there knows, at what point would I have to declare I was going out by myself? If I give it a go a few times, does that count as a change in circumstances? Or does that only kick in when I'm sure I'm alright doing it? I am so confused as to where the "change in circumstances" line is drawn.

I kind of equate it to if I was doing cbt for my social anxiety - at what point do you have to tell the dwp that you are going out by yourself?

I am really worrying about this. I want to move on with my illness, but I don't want to be forced to move faster than I feel I'm able to.

Any advice appreciated. :)

[AnxietyDJ]

Well, I'd say that there is a big difference between going out on your own for health reasons and living necessities and going out on your own to socialise and generally have a good time :)

I'm sure it will be fine to go out for the treatment programme - I don't see how that changes your diagnosis by the benefits people, which must be related to whether you are capable of going out to work, the answer to which, would still be: "no".

Obviously I am not a professional in this field, so this is only my personal opinion. It's best to seek advice from the relevant authorities if you are worried.

Take care of yourself :)

[yenool]

Well, I'd say that there is a big difference between going out on your own for health reasons and living necessities and going out on your own to socialise and generally have a good time :)


Absolutely. Going out to a treatment program weekly/monthly/etc is not the same as being able to get out the house and do day to day living activities or even getting a job.

I think it counts as a change in circumstances once you are routinely going out of the house on your own and no longer require support from others. And while this may not be the politically correct thing to say, I would NOT even mention it to the DWP until you CERTAIN you are at the stage where you are ready to lose your ESA support and can manage without it. I.e. you are fit to work or sign on for JSA.
Any change of circumstances declared to them is likely to be an excuse for them to reassess you and try to stop your money.

[MidnightCalm]

I am in the exact same predicament!
I get ESA for agrophobia, depression, panic attacks and they assessed me a year or so ago and I was virtually housebound but now at the moment I am trying to go short distances in the car with my friend to certain shops and stuff or to sit in a beer garden for an hour or so and I am managing to do something along those lines at least once a week, I try a lot more but I fail and I'm thinking does this mean my circumstances have changed in their eyes?
Will they stop my entitlement to esa if they know I am trying to get better and no longer chaining myself to being in my home.
I get paranoid and think "If they knew I went to B&Q for 30 minutes last week will they suddenly think "well if he can go b&q then he can work""
I don't think they are very understanding.
I have been able to go to my corner shop every day for the past few months or so, alone, it is only less than a minute walk from my house but without doing that I would be stuck without my essentials and I keep worrying that they would see this as me being well enough?
It's just stressful but in my opinion unless your condition has changed then you are still fully entitled and it shouldn't affect.
Even if I am going to certain places every so often in a bid to get better I am still agrophobic because I still need to be with my certain people, within a certain radius of my house and I can only do it at certain times when my anxiety is low.

[HalfJack]

I don't think this counts as a change in circumstance. You can't go out regularly or reliably, so you wouldn't be fit for work even if you can go out alone a little bit. Plus you're not going out alone, you're depending on a taxi. If you only feel safe travelling like that, which I'm assuming because I was the same when I couldn't go out, then that's not exactly going to be practical financially, so it's not going to be something you can do all the time.
The second you start to get better is not going to be the time they shove you into work, even if you can go to a corner shop on your own or go out in general alone that doesn't mean you can handle a job. Especially if you're still prone to panic attacks or something like that.

My boyfriend is on esa essentially because he can't handle work at the moment, he can't handle stress his anxiety and depression is very high. He can go out alone any time he wants to, but that doesn't make him fit for work, you might find there are more reasons for you being on esa than they've been clear about xxx

[Ryan92]

Hi phoenix, I'm claiming esa. I rarely go out of the house and I mostly have to go out with someone. Recently though I've been able to go or be in places outside by myself, only very rarely though.
I struggle with travelling to places by myself, but I'm ok when I'm at the place I need to go.

Just things like going in a shop/supermarket and buying a birthday card for someone, my anxiety goes through the roof. Over the past few months I've been telling my doctor, assessor etc that I'm managing to be in places by myself but still don't go out much or struggle to travel by myself.

They say it's fine and have said nothing about this affecting my esa, also they haven't said I'm now capable of work and that I need to move to jsa.

My anxiety really affects my ability to look for work, after job searching for a few years I was offered a job but couldn't cope with the big change so I moved from jsa to esa.

I know how you feel with the line between circumstances and not wanting to move faster than we can handle. I don't think going out by yourself counts as a change in circumstance. I'm think that esa is very mainly work related.

Hope other peoples replies help you feel reassured :hugs: take care :)