Employment support allowance

[happyone]

Hi there,

is anyone else on this ESA? I seem to be the only person I know that is on it, being unfortunate enough for my SSP to run out after Oct 08.

This benefit has in its short time created massive anxiety for me. I am unable to work at present, I am on high rate DLA, I visit the psych weekly/fortnightly, I have been in hospital twice in three months, I see CPN fortnightly. Yet, none of this cuts any ice and I still had to go to a medical assessment to see if I could move from lower rate ESA to middle rate.

The wonderfully well sounding argument for this new benefit is that it will focus on what people 'can' do as opposed to what they 'can't'.....so the questions are geared in such a manner that I came away feeling that I have made myself sound completely up for a job as I have made myself sound so much more able than I am at present. even if I can only do things for minutes at a time or once a week, month or whatever. On saying that, I haven't actually heard yet so maybe my benefits are not going to be stopped.....which I have convinced myself they are.

Should I lose my benefit, I can appeal but there really is little fight left in me and I am so tempted to say 'stuff it' ....but I can't....I can't afford to. Mmmmm....if it keeps up like this, I think I will be heading for hospital no 3http://www.mentalhealthforum.net/forum/images/smilies/sad.gif

I'd be interested hearing others experiences, or sharing mine as the battle goes on. Battle is what it feels like.

Happyone
xx

[amandaj]

ive not heard of this is it something to do with incapacity benefit?

[happyone]

It is replacing incapacity benefit. All new applicants from Oct 08 went onto Employment Support Allowance rather than incapicity benefit but the government want everyone who is on incapacity to be migrated over to the new benefit over the next few years.
Happyone
x

[maddie]

Oh great. Now I'm panicking

[happyone]

Why you panicking Maddie? Are you on IB?

Happyone
x

[Budgie]

ESA is a total mess!! :scared15:

I know this because I work on an ESA claims processing section and see first hand how much the people who have to process it on a day to day basis, hate it. :doh: It all seems very ill thought out in many ways - in terms of the way it is punitive for many people who apply for it (over 75% of people who go for the medical, fail it, because the questions/examination is skewed), and for people who administrate it -- the computer system designed to register it and all, doesn't work!

I guess the govmt will have to press on with ESA, but they need to do some quick re-thinking! And if you aply for ESA and fail the medical, appeal, appeal, and appeal some more!

[madelaine]

its all crap most fail a past once b4 a went back2 work wwaste o time u appeal same result bloody scandi;ous the mps shood change this now they dont realizse how dibilatating this is ;=]

[maddie]

Yes I am on IB. I am unable to work. I help my dauhter with her new baby 2 days a week and it takes me 3 days of sleep to recover. If I get a form to fill in I have panic attacks for days before I can do it and my writing is now nearly intelligible, I shake so much. Before my last medical I had to have extra medication and I was already dreading the next one. Now it's changed and what Budgie has said too has just made me feel sick in my stomach and I'm sweating. I have no money but the benefit. I have to depend on my partner. He is my carer - he shops, cleans, cooks, cares for me but can't get Carer's Allowance as he also has to work 37 hours to pay our bills. I look fine (so I'm told) because I don't want to shame my daughter, so I try to keep decent for her and the baby, but when I am home it takes me most of the day to get dressed. How do I show all of this and the rest at the new medical? It seems my only worth will be the legacy I have for my daughter and I'm beginning to think she might as well have it now. I'm too tired to appeal and fight and worry. Maybe if I put a plaster cast on my head? That sounds like humour, but it's pain. I can't take much more.

[maddie]

I googled it. There are working groups and support groups you have to go to and its an 8 week assessment. I won't cope with that. I've already been violated by the system. I need to be alone.

[mandie]

Im on ESA. I am signed off work, have been since last year due to anxiety and panic attacks.

I have to go for a medical assessment next week. If i fail it, how do i cope? im a single parent now and thats my only income :(

If i was well enough to go back to work then i would, but for the time being im not

mandie x

[candee86]

Hello All,

I am in the problem at the moment where I am/was working but in the last week or two ive been getting panic attacks at the thought of going back (as i was initially off with a bladder infection)! I have to tell work today about the anxiety and panic attacks and get a note from the doctor...I read about this ESA online as I used to get Incapacity Benefit so know a small amount about it but do you lot know what happens with work?? Ive heard about SSP but dont know how it works??

Also how do you live on ESA?? I am worried that if i have to go on that then I will need to move back in with my mum? Is this not the case?

Thanks

[maddie]

Please let us know how it goes.
Good luck :hugs:

[lesleya]

Hi
Ive been off work sick since 19th december last year and im now on ssp which works out roughly £200 a month and i will probably be put on IB if i dont go back to work soon. I want to go back to work but i know im not ready yet. Ive just been reading the ESA website and found a self test which ive done and it says id be entitled to esa.
This is the link if anyone wants to have a look and see if you'd be eligible?
http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/employment-and-support-allowance/start-the-esa-test
Hope your feeling a little better now happyone.
xxx

[happyone]

Candee, if you pay enough in NI contributions, then you get SSP after the first week of being sick. It may be in amongst your own pay if you get occupational health pay as well. You will be paid this for 28 weeks I think it is. If after this time, you are still off sick, then you should be given a form from your employer to say your SSP is coming to an end. This combined with a valid sick line from your doctor and either a telephone application or an appointment at the job centre, will most likely put you on the first rung of ESA. You then receive an application through the post that is much more in depth than the initial application. Check out the link below in Lesleya's thread. The main criteria in this is scoring more than 15 points. If you do this, you stay on ESA, if not, you have to apply for job seekers allowance.
If you are staying on ESA, then you will almost certainly be called for a medical assesment within the first three months. I went to CAB to ask if I could get out of it due to extreme anxiety and they said "no". I am not sure what their position is on coming out to people's houses.

Mandie, if you failed, you would have to appeal but you would be able to apply for job seekers allowance or income support.

Happyone
x

[Mully]

I've just completed the online ESa test and scored 69 !.. I understand why they are doing it, however when it comes to anxiety disorders etc, everyone is different and I for one am up and down like a yoyo.. some days I find I am able to cope in social sits and going out for a day, but other times I am not.My last medical assessment was back in Feb and I was having a good day. No tears and feeling quite well, the person i saw told me that you needed a certain amount of points to pass and what his own thoughts of my ' state of health' would be taken into account. I recieved a letter from the benefits saying that I would still recieve my incap ben, but I was to go for another assess in Aug. I can only conclude that my points were lower this time and thus I must be getting well enough to work. As much as i would like to go back to work and ' get my life back' at the moment this is my life.. and I fear that my unpredictable moods and handling of attacks etc will only come up and bite me in the preverbial if I am placed back into work and have to go to those ' get back to work groups' etc.. that terrifies me. And the thought of coming off incap and trying this will only set me back and then i would have to go through all this again to get back the support I will loose if they decide I can work again. There must be some middle ground somewhere.. For those of us that suffer with this roller coaster life, I would gladly try to get back into work, some routine, if it was on a temporary basis.. like a trial run, so if it all goes to pot you can go back onto benefits withouth having to go through all the form filling and waiting again. They should be helping us and giving us room to succeed or fail.. I know there a many of us that would like the chance to maybe do something part time.. take some oportunity to get back into the 'normal' world and expand our life. However without some leeway and help i don't think we all can do this. To go from nothing, to full time responsiblity and dealing with new job.. new enviroment and people would be too much for some if no back door is offered.. Anyhoo.. those are my thoughts on it all :)

[happyone]

Mully,
I am not 100% sure, but I think there is a scheme that allows people who have been on incapacity benefit or employment support allowance to go back to work and if things fail within the first year, they go straight back on to the benefit on the level they were at before they went back to work. I am going to have to research this one a bit more though as it is just a snippet of info I have picked up somewhere. If it is true, that does allow a bit of flexibility.
Happyone
x

[lesleya]

Hi Happyone
They did used to have that clause where if you went back to work but failed and had to go back on sick you went back to what you were on previously without loosing any benefits, but i was told they stopped it a few years ago, so im not too sure.
Try giving the DSS disabitly benefits advice line a ring and ask them, its a freephone number and they dont go into your records or anything..theyre just purely an advice line and theyll tell you anything your entitled to claim for and should be able to tell you if they still have that 'fallback clause' in place, the number is 0800 88 22 00.
My ssp ran out this month so looks like i will have to apply for esa until i go back to work too
Take care
xxx

[Mully]

Thanks for that, I will certainly look into it. :D

[maddie]

I took the online test and scored 105, so I guess I should pass my next medical. I wish they wouldn't make changes without giving information to those affected. There should be a question "How much has the system change affected your anxiety?"

[stressedout]

I am new to this site, but I would just like to say to say to all the people who are really scared, p****d off, or panicked about the whole thing with assessments etc for ESA. Would it be any help if you asked M.I.N.D. to give you assistance with this, they can really offer support in every way, to relieve you of some of the worry. Also for women, there is a charity run support called 'the wellwomans charity who are also very helpful. Good luck everyone, I do also suffer panic attacks, ptsd, and depression, and can empathise with you all...