Benefit F-up

[NotResponding]

hello nmp members hope youre relatively okay, considering.

Basically I went to a Medical Assesment, a stage in Employment & Support Allowance (ESA) where their 'doctors' decide wether you're fit to work, I dont have a councillor or support worker so I went with my older sister, on bus and train, (she didnt go in the assesment room w/me) and I saw a smiling fat doc who couldnt hear me properly, my fault not his.
Anyway, he just asked a bunch of indirect questions and I tried to answer, it took 10 minutes, which I was glad about obviously, but some days later I got a letter back saying I had filled out a form about my 'disability'.
I got a zero mark for every question, some where "Can you picks things up" which would rightly be a zero, but others were about social interaction, cognitive things, and I got a zero for them too, thing is; I didnt even fill out a form, neither did I tell the doc anything about my anxiety...he asked the questions and I was nervous so...
Now Im in dire need for money to continue living at my mum's house, and my only choice is to lie and go jobcenter to claim for JSA, which technically means fraud, and I dont want to but it's the only way.
I'll probably miss some sign ons due to anxiety anyway, and when I walk in there they'll all stare at me thinking "Is he here again!?" (I've been going there on off for two years, and never got a single job!)
I dont know what to do, I havent got it in me to fight for my ESA and the rejection, and that letter they sent me telling me Im actually fine...
Yea, Ive been pretending to have social anxiety since age 14 and have sacraficed my life to pretend I have a disorder...that's bulls**t btw.

Anyone else in this game...I mean, what the hell can I do, what do they expect! Sure I shouldve talked to the doc but I didnt know what was going on, I was pretty anxious! Any thoughts/opinions matter!

[bottleblond]

Ok what happened with me.

I got a medical form to fill out first. Sent that off to them and recieved a letter back the next again week asking me to attend a medical Assessment. With being agoraphobic, there is absolutely no way i could travel the 25 miles to get there. I rang them and they were very nice indeed. I was told to have my GP fax them with details of my illness and why i can't attend which mt Gp did straight away. I am now awaiting an appointment for one of the medical team to come and assess me at home.

On the down side, they may decide my fate the same as yours as i have heard they are very strict indeed.

When i was told to swap benefits from Income support to EAS the powers that be neglected to tell me i had to claim child tax credits for my son resulting on us living on £89 per week until they sort this out.

I think you should make an appointment to see an advisor at your local job centre as they very good in helping you either decide on employment that would suit you, or advice you on which benefit you should now claim!

Hang in there hun

Lisa
x

[joannap]

i know they are extremely tough now at these medicals. i have only been on benefits for more than 6 months once a long time ago and went to an assessment to be told i was not bad enough to get benefit. (i did not give true answers but tried to make myself appear better than i was!). i agree the system is completely wrong - one day you are allowed money - the next not and all down to someone's opinion - however - in my case it did give me the kick up the bum to go back to work part time and looking back - i did need this because it increased my self esteem and confidence which then improved my anxiety. i understand how crippling anxiety can be but often working - even if just a few hours a week - is part of the healing process. unless we take steps to improve/overcome our anxiety then we remain stuck in the cycle but obviously you need money in the meantime to survive! i remember falling out with a doctor who would not advise the job centre i was recovering from anxiety and so could only manage p/t work - it seems there is no half way - you are either totally fit or totally ill! i have worked from home for the past 7 years which allows me to still earn money even when i am having a relapse.

i was under the impression (from a friend) that you could contest the decision and they had to still pay your benefit until the outcome of an appeal was decided?

[joannap]

ps - just realised that you did not even talk about your anxiety - surely - you can appeal and explain what happened? sounds like a break down in communication - although i wonder what the doc thought you were there for?!

[onceagain]

Don't know if it will help you probably know more than me about these things, but you can see a therapist supporter at the Jobcentre as far as I'm aware. They are supposed to take your problems into account. Its just I know someone who has OCD and he has a support therapist at the jobcentre.

He does have to prove that he is regularly looking for employment but he can talk it over with his therapist who is supposed to help him find a suitable role. He is still unemployed so she obviously doesn't do a great job!!!!

[mick_uk]

The medical they give you is unfair to mental health problems. Below is a link to the form they use and how they score you. If you scroll down you can work out how many points you are entitled to.
You get two extra points if you are unable to answer the telephone!!!


http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=...u6FIdkKnlBkFuQ

[bottleblond]

fab link Mick. I don't know if our forms are different as we seemed to have different questions re: mental health section!.

No matter what way we look at it though, it doesn't seem like we are classed as being ill.

xx

[mick_uk]

From what I can make out lisa, these are the questions they ask you either verbally or written. The test is so wrong for people with mental health problems that I wouldn't blame people for embellishing the truth a little to pass it. It's far too heavily weighed on the side of physical illness.

[bottleblond]

From what I can make out lisa, these are the questions they ask you either verbally or written. The test is so wrong for people with mental health problems that I wouldn't blame people for embellishing the truth a little to pass it. It's far too heavily weighed on the side of physical illness.

Here here mate, couldn't agree more! x

[andrea thompson]

hiya hun

i think its a load of ******** - surely the benefits agency should trust what your dr says - after all they know you best!!!!

if they are going to stop your benefits then i would go back to g.p. and ask them for a sick note.. i think this may start the whole process again - so you will be on the sick and not able to work so therefore entitled to stauatory sick pay and then eventually go onto incapacity benefit again... i am not an expert and could be wrong but if your own dr deems you unfit for work what can they do!!!!!

thats what i would do!!!!

take care - let us know how you get on ....

andrea x x