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Post by ellief on Sept 18, 2013 16:15:40 GMT
Anyone got any benefits advice? I've started claiming ESA instead of JSA. it's been suggested I claim PIP. Although I don't understand how anyone ever gets through the ESA process without becoming increasingly ill I don't know  anyway, any advice? I have no idea about PIP, because I'm lucky enough to have very a knowledgable friend, so I manage to keep myself out of hospital and out of needing day by day help because he helps. Or I stay in my room. Are there any charities that help you understand what your entitled to? No one at the DWP seems to want to bother helping Anyway, HELP?! |
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Post by Bex on Sept 22, 2013 7:52:33 GMT
Hey pickle  Have you tried the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB)? |
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Benefits
Sept 22, 2013 16:45:05 GMT
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Post by ellief on Sept 22, 2013 16:45:05 GMT
No I haven't! I shall now!
Although my care co-ordinator has decided I should be working (even though she told me to go in ESA) when I can't even go to the job centre on my own. Yeah getting a job and losing it before I start cus occupational health decide im too tucked in the head again will do my self loathing the world of good! Sorry. Rant over.
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Post by xxxxxxx on Sept 22, 2013 19:23:22 GMT
CAB is definitely the place to go - they will tell you exactly what you're entitled to, and which is the best for you.
It's such a difficult position - where you're on the cusp of being able to work but you're not quite there yet, and you need support. It means you end up having a job, not being able to stay for very long, and wasting time that could be spent in therapy/healing/etc. My work is like my therapy and I'd be lost if I wasn't working - but it wasn't always that way. ESA is a difficult process (I found it to be quite dehumanising to be honest) but CAB can offer you support, and I'm pretty sure there are charities that help you through the process too.
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Benefits
Sept 23, 2013 6:23:27 GMT
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Post by ellief on Sept 23, 2013 6:23:27 GMT
Thank you. I had a job coming up bit have been im hospitals 16 times in the past few months so occupational health deemed me unfit and I lost my job. One day I want to be well enough to work, I want to be a pediatric nurse, but right now I just can't, if I made it to day 1 id probably get sacked then need to get better first. |
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Post by xxxxxxx on Sept 23, 2013 22:35:43 GMT
Yes, you do. And please, please don't ever feel bad for not being well enough to work at the moment. I've only in the past year started to be able to work full time for more than a few months. I've spent so long beating myself up in the past about not having a job... but I needed that time. If anything, it will make you a harder worker, a stronger person and more empathetic in your job in the future. I tend to find that people who have (and still) live(d) with mental illnesses make some of the best employees, and also the best people in management. Living with something, struggling with something, know what it's like to feel pain gives you a unique kind of empathy that translates into pretty much any job. |
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Post by ellief on Sept 24, 2013 17:59:41 GMT
Thank you!
Yeah, I want to be a pediatric nurse so I hope I can help my patients with anything they have to go through!
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Post by holliebshell on Jan 7, 2014 10:58:49 GMT
Hi ellie,
was just wondering how you are getting on with claiming benefits?
I have been claiming ESA for about 16 months now and have had my fair share of job center appoitments, medical assessments and interviews! so if you need any help let me know, although I don't know much about PIP!x
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Post by Nick with OCD on Jan 7, 2014 11:05:57 GMT
I have been claiming ESA for about 16 months now and have had my fair share of job center appoitments, medical assessments and interviews! so if you need any help let me know, although I don't know much about PIP!x I hate the process for ESA and PIP (DLA). I'm now awaiting my reassessment after sending ATOS the forms for ESA in December. So far, no answers yet but I've been claiming ESA since July 2011 (assessment phase, then contributions based and finally income based). I've been in the WRAG since February 2012 and am due to end that this month (2 years placement with provider). Waiting to be called for reassessment or assessment adds to the anxiety as mine has gone through the roof this last few months. Please do keep us informed about how you get on |
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Post by holliebshell on Jan 7, 2014 11:44:42 GMT
I have been claiming ESA for about 16 months now and have had my fair share of job center appoitments, medical assessments and interviews! so if you need any help let me know, although I don't know much about PIP!x I hate the process for ESA and PIP (DLA). I'm now awaiting my reassessment after sending ATOS the forms for ESA in December. So far, no answers yet but I've been claiming ESA since July 2011 (assessment phase, then contributions based and finally income based). I've been in the WRAG since February 2012 and am due to end that this month (2 years placement with provider). Waiting to be called for reassessment or assessment adds to the anxiety as mine has gone through the roof this last few months. Please do keep us informed about how you get on I am also in the WRAG and I hate it, it makes my anxiety so much worse, and I hate how they say if you do not attend your appointments you will loose your money, almost like a threat. I was lucky that I had a lovely ATOS worker do my medical assesment who seemed to understand. |
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Post by Nick with OCD on Jan 7, 2014 12:02:13 GMT
ATOS suck. When I had my initial assessment with them, I had some woman sat behind the computer asking me all these questions and it was clear she wasn't trained in mental health issues (despite them telling me they had to wait to allocate me an appointment due to lack of mental health trained staff).
They also asked me completely pointless questions which had nothing to do with my day to day dealings with my illnesses. They then also got me to do physical stuff on the chair despite knowing that I was fully capable of sitting there, lifting stuff etc.
The WRAG does make things harder especially if you have social anxiety and contamination OCD because of having to attend the fortnightly appointments with the advisors.
I have been lucky with WRAG advisors. They have all fully understood my difficulties and make allowances with appointment times etc. I now have telephone contact with them instead of having to go into see them and that makes it so much easier for me with the anxiety and OCD.
I did have a panic attack once whilst waiting to be seen and my advisor saw it happen and sent me straight home
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Post by ellief on Jan 7, 2014 17:22:05 GMT
I'm claiming, in the assessment phase, but I should be in the next phase by now but I've heard nothing |
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Post by Nick with OCD on Jan 7, 2014 17:35:14 GMT
it can take quite a long time to get to an assessment. If you are granted ESA, it will be backdated at the set rate to the start of your 14th week of claiming.
From claiming to assessment and being granted ESA, it took from July until February so 7 months in total.
Keep pestering them for updates. I take it you have filled out the ESA50 form (gets sent to ATOS) to decide whether you need assessment or not
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Post by ellief on Jan 15, 2014 15:59:05 GMT
Wow! That's long. But when it was granted you got it all backdated, so got all the money you'd missed?
Yes I filled it in in august but haven't heard back yet, should I of heard back?
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Benefits
Jan 16, 2014 8:24:53 GMT
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Post by Nick with OCD on Jan 16, 2014 8:24:53 GMT
It does get backdated to the start of the 14th week of your claim if you are successful.
As for hearing from them, it took from July to November for me to hear back and get the assessment forms, then another 2 months before I got my assessment with atos.
After assessment you should have a reply saying yes or no within 4 weeks of the assessment.
If you are worried you can call the job center on 08456088560 and speak to an ESA advisor to check on the status of your claim. Unfortunately there is no alternative number to call
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