Incapacity benefit.

I hope this will be of some help to those who have raised this issue before.

I have just come of the phone to my local Social Security office or Jobcentre Plus as I believe it is now called.........the number of which can be found in the telephone directory.

I was issued a form (sick note) from my GP in relation to my Anxiety (Form Med 3) This form tells us what to do as regards wether we are self employed, employed or unemployed. In my opinion, I would telephone the Jobcentre Plus office for information as to the fact that you are in this position and ask for advice on what to do. Pleading ignorant (like myself) is normally the best policy. The particular member of staff that dealt with my enquiry was extremely helpful and informative. They should explain all the benefits that you are entitled to should your claim be successful.

OK, they will or should ask you all the questions under the sun and this will take about half an hour (the call is normally a free 0800 number). Have all of your details in front of you such as; national insurance number, bank statements, account numbers, dates of when you became unfit for work and basically everything to do with your financial situation.....mortgage, rent etc, including addresses.

They will fill in the relative claim forms for you over the phone and then send them to you for final completion and request for proof of all of the above.

In other words, your first port of call must be your GP in order to get your sick note, then you can get the ball rolling at least. Do not feel guilty and try to survive on your savings for weeks on end worrying about the financial side (like I have done). This will only add to our anxiety and stress.
Although a lot of us reffuse to accept that we are ill because there is nothing physically wrong with us (apart from our psychologically induced physically symptoms) we are still suffering from an incapacitating illness which, let's face it still baffles most doctors! We are not pretending we have a bad back or leg and trying to get out of work! We are genuinally ill. We also have a right to claim something we are entitled to. We constantly read of families who have produced 15 children claiming God knows how much benefit because the father or fathers are 'in bed looking for work' because of a bad back etc. Funny how most of these claiments have perfectely working reproduction organs at the time of their illness.

Obviously, each claim is judged upon it's merrits. (I have just noticed how awful my spelling is.)

I hope this can be of some help to someone.

Kevin.