Try for benefits or Try and force myself to get a job?

[Shelly06]

Hi really struggling and I need to change something this year.

Have had SA & GA all my life. Have forced myself into a few jobs years ago but it's so hard to keep it up as the anxiety never seems to go down.

I'm at the stage now where I'm a burden on people and I have nothing. I've been too scared to get benefits and too scared to work.

Just don't know what to do, have been advised to try for benefits but not sure if I should just try and force myself to get a job again before doing that, to see how it is now, because I'm so sick of having nothing and constantly worrying about money and stress in that way.

I've been looking on the job sites but not sure what. I've worked in a nursing home before, been a cleaner, worked in a kennels, production place and office.

It makes me feel sick the thought of applying for a job but maybe that's just because I've avoided it for so long again and I use avoidance and because it's thinking about going out of my comfort zone which is home.

My cv as well has more holes in it than a fishing net. How do I explain the huge gaps between work? I have been caring for a relative as well but not getting carers allowance or anything to prove that.

I really don't know what to do, but I can't do nothing, so any advice would be really appreciated thank you.

[BikerMatt]

Hi Shelly,
I can't answer the going to work question, but you should certainly get what your entitled to benefit wise if your not well enough. It can all be done over the phone. You will just need a sick note from your gp.

[Shelly06]

Thank you. It just all stresses me so much, I've out it off and having no job either, I've got into a right mess and I'm bringing down who I house share with because they can't pay rent and bills alone.

Not sure how much benefits would be or if it would just be still barely getting by or if I should just try and apply for some jobs and see, but looking online at jobs sites I talk myself out of most of them

I can't go on like this though just really don't know what to do.

[Jasminejo]

really would go and see your GP. get their advice and get a sick note.


this is copied from the entitledto website


Employment and Support Allowance has two phases; the assessment phase that is paid while you await your Work Capability Assessment (this should be up to 13 weeks but can be longer), then the main phase once you have been placed in either the Work Related Activity Group or the Support Group.
When you first make a claim for ESA after a seven day ‘waiting period’ you will be put on the ‘assessment phase’. This period is to allow JobCentre Plus to assess whether you are eligible and, if you are, what rate of ‘main phase’ ESA is payable. At this stage all you need to show is a medical certificate.

After the 'assessment phase' ESA is only payable if you meet the 'Work Capability Assessment', which determines your level of illness or disability and how this affects you day to day. The DWP will decide if you are entitled to ESA, and if so, which group you should be placed in during the main phase. This also determines the amount of ESA you are entitledto.

People who are assessed as not having limited capability for work cannot get ESA. They will instead have to sign on for Jobseekers Allowance or, if they can, claim Income Support.

During the assessment phase a person is paid the basic rate of ESA. For people aged 25 or over this means their individual ESA is worth £73.10 a week. People classed as terminally ill are paid the basic rate plus an additional amount, the support component; £36.55 a week. Contribution-based and income-related ESA is paid at a lower rate of £57.90 a week for claimants under 25 during the assessment phase.


now i would assume that if the person you share a home with has any money coming in then they would take that into account so you might not get full ESA however if you end up being told you cant have ESA after the assessment period has ended and you go to a few job centre appointments and decide you cannot handle being on JSA and having to go to the job centre then you could just sign off not go there again and not get any more money from them. as you are already in a situation where you have no money coming in then you would only be back where you started with potentially a few months worth of ESA money to help out towards the house and if you spend those months carefully looking for a job that you think you could manage perhaps a 4hr a week cleaning job to start off with then you would be a bit better off even if ESA ended.


if the other person you live with is struggling to pay the rent have they thought about applying for housing benefit? you can get it regardless of if you are a private or council tenant and it is means tested so you don't have to be in receipt of any benefits to get it you just need to be on a low income

hope some of this was helpful to you

[EmmerLooeez]

Oh bless you. It's hard isn't it. I don't mean to sound patronising or anything with you having anxiety for so long, but what treatment are you having at the moment, if any? By reading your post I feel as though you are wanting to work and contribute, but are too afraid to? A friend of mine had moderate social anxiety and had to go on Jobseeker benefits, they had a specialist section for people with additional needs and they take those needs into account when helping them to find work. My friend did 3 different work placements before finding something that she felt comfortable with - stacking shelves at night. Have you considered that?

There is a charity called Shaw's Trust, I think, that helps disadvantaged people to find work. They could be worth trying?

Failing that, I would claim ESA. I know the health assessments etc can be stressful, but once you have been awarded it you won't have to do anything for a while, it depends how long you have been awarded it for.

I hope some of what I have said helps and that you find a solution that works for you <3

xxx