I understand it's frustrating, but I think you will need more evidence if you want to win a tribunal. As bigissue advised, you will need to provide medical evidence from at least one doctor, but the more the better. The DWP also has the tendency to believe that if you're not pursuing treatment, you don't want to get better. You need to either categorically prove that your condition is incurable and debilitating, or pursue further treatment. Hope it all goes well for you. Dasis.x

I've never applied for a driving license, so honestly don't know if I would be refused one on medical grounds or not. I know I'd be hopeless, but that's not quite the same thing is it? The council have stated that an ASD would be a learning disability, for which they would supply a freedom pass. As the diagnosed conditions I have are only mental health conditions, "this has nothing to do with them".

And of course the possibility at a later date that I'll be diagnosed as somewhere on the autistic spectrum...

The full list of my diagnosed conditions: Social Phobia Agoraphobia Severe Depression (their words, not mine) Borderline Personality Disorder Passive Aggressive Personality Disorder Narcissistic Personality Disorder

A freedom pass is an oyster card that provides free travel. Merton Council (where I live) are saying if I get diagnosed Aspergers or HFA, then I'll be entitled to one. What makes me laugh is my other mental health issues affect my mobility much more! I'll give what you've suggested a go on Monday, thanks.

Hi all, I was hoping you guys might have some suggestions? I am currently claiming ESA (support group) and Housing Benefit. I have put in a claim for DLA, but not had a response yet. This is all due to my mental health, which is supposedly being looked after by my local CMHT. I am, however, getting very little help indeed. I have no social worker or support worker, I have been refused a freedom pass, and haven't even gone through a needs assessment, despite my constant requests for one. If you guys want to know my diagnoses, let me know. On top of all of this, I am now being forced to move out of my current tenancy, as the landlord no longer wants us to live there. The council aren't interested until I have an eviction notice, but I don't even have someone to take me down to the council to discuss it anyway. If I stay and wait until eviction, I will owe the landlord thousands in rent, because the other tenants I share with are moving out on the 12th March. I only have help from family or friends at weekends, during the week I am on my own. I don't have the financial means to move either, it's taken me eight months just to get ESA! I have made a complaint to the council, but I fear they'll be "investigating" it for another month, which I really can't afford to wait for. I've also tried CAB and Shelter. Neither have been able to help as I can't get down to see them. If anyone has any thoughts, I'm all ears. Thanks

In regards to electronically applying for UC on the basis of illness/disability, you should still be able to send in evidence. The DWP doesn't insist on originals when it comes to evidence now, and indeed with most of the evidence I send in, they wouldn't know the difference anyway. Logically, scans should be fine, as they're basically the same as a photocopy. However, when was the last time the DWP acted logically? At best, I imagine they'll be really picky about how a scan can be provided (ie. file size, file type etc.).

I agree with all of the above. Send as much evidence as you possibly can. I have literally sent the DWP a yard of paperwork before, and plan to continue to do so. So far it has worked well for me, as I am in the Support Group as I should be. Good Luck

If you can, I've found it's really helpful to go in and personally hand in evidence (or get someone close to you to). This way they should scan in the originals there and then, and give you a receipt in writing. You keep the originals, and the council have absolutely no deniability. I realise it's not easy or always possible, but it has ensured a timely and correct response from the council in my case several times.

I agree with you. I have both been a working student exempt from council tax, and lived with flatmates in that position too. The only thing that gives me pause is that being a landlord is not quite the same as say working part time in a shop, while being a full time student. It does become a slightly grey area. How many "hours" do you work as a landlord? Arguments could be made to say you work both all the time or hardly any at all. Unfortunately I doubt the council will allow both of you to go without paying council tax though. A smart man would approach you first, you have more money!

I think it comes down to the fact that you now have a second source of income - your lodger. I would speak to the council tax department and tell them you are a full time student and therefore exempt from paying, and see what they say. Push them to officially clarify their position in writing. I imagine they will say the fact you have another source of income means you will have to pay council tax. In their mind they will probably class you as a landlord who happens to be a student, not the other way around.

I don't think it's melodramatic to say you should be worried regardless. Assuming the government uses their brains and solves this problem, there are a million more to worry about. My biggest concern is changes like these that really don't need to be made. You would think two branches of the same government could communicate and prevent a problem like this, but previous experience tells me this won't be the case. All anyone at risk can do at the moment is wait and see. Prepare as much as possible by having all paperwork copied and ready to send, I have everything organised along with a £20 note, so the next time a brown envelope comes through the door, they will get a reply the next day. In some respects I feel very lucky that I will always have a bed to sleep on. Others aren't so fortunate.

I keep getting the same response regardless. I phone them, no-one is ever available. Call backs are promised but never materialise. Regardless they have already confirmed in writing that they cannot provide the treatment they themselves have decided I need. Not really sure how else to "push" for any kind assistance from them.

Yes but the GP can't really do anything when the CMHT is involved. All he can do is repeat prescriptions and refer me, both of which he already has done. It took seven months for the CMHT to see me in the first place.

Adult Social Services have completely dismissed me. I went so far as to make a complaint with the council, they just summarily referred me back to CMHT. The CMHT have said I need treatment, but none is available. I really don't know where to turn to next. At this rate I am concerned that the DWP will start asking why I've made no progress at my next assessment.

I've been told there isn't a waiting list, that they're unavailable and that's all there is to it. Also I'm apparently supposed to have had a needs assessment and been assigned a support worker. Neither of which has happened, and I don't know who to contact to the get this started.

I haven't. Thanks for the idea, I'll give them a call on Monday and see if they can help at all.

Hi all, I hope I am posting this in the right forum, please accept my apologies if not. I am currently in receipt of Housing Benefit and ESA. I have been placed in the Support Group for ESA, which will be reviewed in a few months time. The nature of my illness is mental, although defining it has seemed to pose a problem for the people responsible for my care. I have been signed off sick from work for almost a year. I have been depressed and very anxious, and I have rarely left the house in that time. I have managed to survive by shopping online and taking deliveries for food and essentials. I rarely see family or friends, and I get picked up and dropped off when this occurs. During the week I don't normally interact with anyone, as I am at home on my own. After waiting around seven months, I was invited to see my local CMHT for assessment. This was after my SSP had ended, and I had been placed in the Support Group. The CMHT has now finished it's assessment, and they believe I should be referred to the local complex needs service. This has caused two major problems. One, the complex needs service is full, and they don't appear to have a waiting list. Two, even if the service was available, I wouldn't be able to get there on my own. During the few times I met with the assessment team, I was taken by my parents. They cannot do this twice a week however, because they both work full time and look after my much younger siblings. I feel completely stuck. I cannot access any more assistance from the CMHT, because I can't leave the house. The treatment they believe I need, isn't available anyway! No-one from the local team seems able to help me access any additional help, and my GP doesn't know who else to contact. Does anyone here know who I could turn to next? Sorry for the epic post, I tried to keep it as brief as possible.

There isn't actually a "Support Group" as such. If the DWP say they have placed you in the Support Group, what they mean is they understand that you are too ill to work, and will pay you more money accordingly. That's it. There should be no meetings at all, until you are next called for a medical. I have never heard of "inspire to independence". Hopefully others will know more about it.

I concur. I am also in the Support Group, and so far I haven't had to have any meetings. Hopefully this will continue for the foreseeable future.

Hi By the sounds of you have "passed" the medical and have been placed in the Support Group. Just to check though, can you provide us with the wording of the letter? I'm not asking for any personal info, I just want to check what letter it is you have received. If I were you, I would give the DWP a ring (or get a relative/close friend to do it on your behalf). I double check you have been placed in the Support Group, and if so, ask for a copy of the ESA85A and ESA85S forms. These will give you clear indication of how long you can expect to go before going through another medical. I hope that helped. Best wishes.

Possibly. The best way to find out is to give the DWP a ring (or write to them) and ask for your ESA85A and ESA85S forms. On one or both of these documents should be the length of time the ATOS HCP has recommended be left before reassessment. Please bear in mind this is only a recommendation, and the DWP and can send out another ESA50, and start the whole process again, whenever they feel like.

I think the government will end up spending more money with this change alone. There will be claimants across the range of benefits who will be unable to budget the cash for a whole month. I am especially concerned about the needs of mentally handicapped and/or ill patients, who may have previously been able to separate housing benefit from ESA/DLA, but will struggle when this all arrives in one lump sum (or will it be two if they get DLA?). I imagine local CMHTs will get busier, at least for a time. Other claimants who have never worked full-time or at all will also find it difficult. Some may be tempted to go down the pub and p*** it all away. I think there will be others though that will just find it difficult to budget. Some people won't have seen their bank balance get that high before! (although high isn't really the right word, you can never call your bank balance high when on benefits lol) I foresee (like Septic Peg) lots of Crisis Loan applications in the future. Of course many will be refused, but they'll still have to process the paper work. Honestly, in my opinion, this change shouldn't occur at all, like most of the other changes the Tories are insisting on. Sorry for the essay...

MPs don't actually want people to stop drinking and smoking. If we all suddenly quit smoking and went tee-total (both of which I am btw), they'd have to start looking at other means of taxation. No party wants to suggest that right now, do they?

They have not been axed - https://www.gov.uk/cold-weather-payment/overview You'll need to put in your postcode to find out if you are entitled. I hope you stay warm enough this Christmas.