Help with applying for ESA, due to social anxiety

[showgun]

Suffered with social anxiety for years and only just started to receive help for it.

 

My first appointment with my psychologist was today and she recommended i apply for benefits, altho she wasnt sure which one. Ive done a bit of research online and found out its ESA i should apply for.

 

Having S.A. makes it really hard to ask for help, so applying for ESA seems like a daunting task.

 

I was on JSA years ago, but left it as it was overwhelming me, anxiety wise. Fast foward 2 years and still in the same situation, but now financially in a worse state.

 

Thanks in advance

Can anyone provide me with a step by step guide on how to apply for ESA

[honeybee13]

Hello there and welcome to CAG. I'm sure we can help you.

 

This is a link to the directgov website about claiming ESA, is that any help?

 

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Illorinjured/DG_172014

 

My best, HB

[BigGreenForest]

Its an amazing co-incidence you posting this, as I have social anxitey disorder as well, as it's affecting me at the moment in my benefit troubles. I have never told the JobCentre about my mental health issues, as I thought it would go against me in the long run. I can just wish you the best.

[showgun]

Hello there and welcome to CAG. I'm sure we can help you.

 

This is a link to the directgov website about claiming ESA, is that any help?

 

 

My best, HB

 

Thanks for the info

 

Just phoned up and finished the questions.

 

Now i need to get a doctors certificate to post off.

 

If anyone knows what i can expect after they receive the doctors cert, please let me know!

[showgun]

Its an amazing co-incidence you posting this, as I have social anxitey disorder as well, as it's affecting me at the moment in my benefit troubles. I have never told the JobCentre about my mental health issues, as I thought it would go against me in the long run. I can just wish you the best.

 

I feel for you, it can be very hard sharing your troubles, esp with strangers lol. Good luck to you!

[BigGreenForest]

How would I go abut getting my conditions officially diagnosed? I'm at a point now, with problems that I can't find myself able to hide them anymore. I've been perpettually on the verge of a panic attack for weeks now, due to job and finance issues, and now the situation with the Customer Compliance Team has pushed it far beyond the intolerable level. If I can get officially diagnosed, then there may be some sympathy for my mistakes, and why it happened. I'm still not looking to claim benefit for it though.

[Lilly_Monroe]

Suffered with social anxiety for years and only just started to receive help for it.

 

My first appointment with my psychologist was today and she recommended i apply for benefits, altho she wasnt sure which one. Ive done a bit of research online and found out its ESA i should apply for.

 

Having S.A. makes it really hard to ask for help, so applying for ESA seems like a daunting task.

 

I was on JSA years ago, but left it as it was overwhelming me, anxiety wise. Fast foward 2 years and still in the same situation, but now financially in a worse state.

 

Thanks in advance

Can anyone provide me with a step by step guide on how to apply for ESA

 

This happened/is happening to me.

 

When I was claiming JSA I left off the fact I was on medication for depression, as I could not handle the stigma as I saw it.

I am on medication for high blood pressure, and also awaiting an ECG.

Claiming JSA freaked me out, and every morning before signing on I was physically sick.

 

Last week I started my counselling as my depression has got steadily worse.

I have lost almost 2 stone because I cannot eat, and I have started with panic attacks, my medication for depression has been increased.

I was signed off for a month, and applied for ESA - and I am out of my depth, and my mind with worry.

I have stopped driving as my concentration is non existent.

 

I have reached the stage in my life (54) where I no longer have any idea of what I doing, or where I am going.

 

Good luck to you, and I hope you succeed.

 

I know that many people view depression as something we should be able to fight (maybe I did before it affected me).

But like my councillor said, it will take a long time to recover and get back what you had before.

The good days are just AOK, the bad are not even worth thinking about.

 

Lilly

[antone]

Thanks for the info

 

Just phoned up and finished the questions.

 

Now i need to get a doctors certificate to post off.

 

If anyone knows what i can expect after they receive the doctors cert, please let me know!

 

The claim will be passed to your Benefit Delivery Centre to be processed - this can take a few weeks. When I processed ESA the new claims team had a 21 day target time from receipt of the claim to payment, but that was a while ago and may have changed.

 

Assuming that you meet the basic conditions (mainly, that you supply a valid medical certificate) then you will be placed into what's called the "assessment phase" of your claim, and will be paid benefit fortnightly at the assessment rate. Can't remember the exact amount but it's around £67 per week if you're over 25, £53 per week if you're younger.

 

After some time you will be asked to attend an appointment at the offices of a company called ATOS. ATOS is, well, how should I put it? Not exactly this forum's most beloved firm. This is known as the Work Capability Assessment (WCA), and is designed to determine whether or not you have Limited Capability for Work (LCW). The report of this appointment is passed to a Decision Maker (DM) at Jobcentre Plus, who actually makes the LCW decision. If you have LCW, your claim will continue and you'll be paid at a higher rate. I won't be more specific right now because it can all get confusing. If you're found not to have LCW, your benefit will stop. You can appeal against this decision if necessary - many people here have done so or are doing so right now.

 

All of this is supposed to happen within 13 weeks of the start of your claim, but in practice it's taking longer because of the high workload.

[BigGreenForest]

mine's terrible at the moment, i keep getting a raching heart beat and palpitations as part of my panic attacks.

[showgun]

The claim will be passed to your Benefit Delivery Centre to be processed - this can take a few weeks. When I processed ESA the new claims team had a 21 day target time from receipt of the claim to payment, but that was a while ago and may have changed.

 

Assuming that you meet the basic conditions (mainly, that you supply a valid medical certificate) then you will be placed into what's called the "assessment phase" of your claim, and will be paid benefit fortnightly at the assessment rate. Can't remember the exact amount but it's around £67 per week if you're over 25, £53 per week if you're younger.

 

After some time you will be asked to attend an appointment at the offices of a company called ATOS. ATOS is, well, how should I put it? Not exactly this forum's most beloved firm. This is known as the Work Capability Assessment (WCA), and is designed to determine whether or not you have Limited Capability for Work (LCW). The report of this appointment is passed to a Decision Maker (DM) at Jobcentre Plus, who actually makes the LCW decision. If you have LCW, your claim will continue and you'll be paid at a higher rate. I won't be more specific right now because it can all get confusing. If you're found not to have LCW, your benefit will stop. You can appeal against this decision if necessary - many people here have done so or are doing so right now.

 

All of this is supposed to happen within 13 weeks of the start of your claim, but in practice it's taking longer because of the high workload.

 

 

I never qualified for JSA a while back to due lack of N.I. contributions, will this cause a problem with ESA aswell?

[Lilly_Monroe]

I never qualified for JSA a while back to due lack of N.I. contributions, will this cause a problem with ESA aswell?

 

Neither did I, but I got income based JSA.

 

Lilly

[antone]

I never qualified for JSA a while back to due lack of N.I. contributions, will this cause a problem with ESA aswell?

 

Like JSA, there is income-related ESA and contribution based ESA. You must apply for the contribution based benefit (in other words, you can't apply for ESA without doing so) but the application for income related is optional. There's no real downside to applying for income related ESA except that there are more questions on the form (or, if you applied by phone, you would be asked more questions.)

 

If you didn't qualify for contribution based JSA you may find that you won't qualify for contribution based ESA either. Don't assume this will be the case, though, I don't have anywhere near enough information about your circumstances to say one way or another, and the NI contributions rules are slightly different.

 

But if you don't qualify for contribution based ESA, and you have applied for it, you'll be considered for income related ESA. In this case your income and savings will be considered, as will those of your partner if you have one.

[showgun]

So i failed the ATOS medical (social anxiety, physicaly fit to work, but not mentally) and received a letter last week saying "You are not entitled to recieve ESA from the 29th of May. My certificate ran out on Friday and i didnt bother to reknew it as i thought there was no point, having failed the medical with 0 points. So my MH case worker just told me i should appeal, as many people are failing the ATOS medicals and getting good results with appeal. I was told i have a month to appeal Couple of questions Can i still appeal even though the certificate ran out on Friday? When does my one month start? From when the descsion was made? (Was that made on the 29th?) What should i do now, Appeal wise. Thanks for any help!

[RaeUK]

Hi showgun. I am fairly certain the month starts from 29th of May. You need to get a form GL24 from the DWP and notify them you wish to appeal. Complete the form and send it back asap. You can add further evidence supporting your appeal at your convenience up until the actual Tribunal (many months away). Throughout this period you need to keep sending in (un)fit notes in order to continue to receive ESA at the assessment rate...

[debt4get]

definitely appeal...go and get another 'fit note' and send it in with gl24....as rae has said

[showgun]

Thanks for the replys. My main concern is that my last medical note ran out on Friday(I will try and get one tommorow) Will my ESA claim not be cancelled now that my cert is late? Or im ok in the appeal stage of a month. One last question. How hard is it to fill in the appeal form? Something i can do myself?

[RaeUK]

As long as you've told them you're going to appeal then fine. But you will only be paid for the dates covered by the (un)fit note - see if your GP will run it on from when the last one ended.

The GL24 - iirc - is very very simple. Fill it in as best you can and send copies of whatever evidence you have to hand. But don't waste time on it. Further evidence can be sent later to the DWP / Tribunal ...

[debt4get]

there is a sticky by honeybee link here

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?251737-Appealing-or-going-to-a-Tribunal-Some-useful-information%284-Viewing%29-nbsp

[antone]

Thanks for the replys. My main concern is that my last medical note ran out on Friday(I will try and get one tommorow) Will my ESA claim not be cancelled now that my cert is late? Or im ok in the appeal stage of a month. One last question. How hard is it to fill in the appeal form? Something i can do myself?

 

Your claim won't be cancelled simply because your cert is late, but I would get one to them ASAP since, once your appeal is received and processed, your payments can resume. This won't happen if your cert is out of date.

 

Regarding the appeals process, there is a sticky thread here on this forum which was written by Site Team member honeybee13 and which gives a lot of useful advice.

 

Edit: Ninja'd by debt4get

[showgun]

Thanks alot guys/gals, you have helped me out alot!

[debt4get]

[quote=

 

Edit: Ninja'd by debt4get

aghhh...those touch typing skills paid off in the end.........

[showgun]

Im just wondering if it will get the payments started again. I dont see my pychologist for a bit so cant get hold of a support letter. Will it be ok just to send in the form and sick note just now, then a support letter further down the line, before the tribunal. Just worried they will reject it straight away when the appeal form comes in.

[RaeUK]

Of course! Just complete the GL24 as best you can stating you want to appeal to tribunal and send it off asap. Keep sending the (un)fit notes throughout. It will be automatically reviewed by a DM and then passed on to the tribunal service. You can send supporting evidence in up until quite close to the actual tribunal, 6-12 months from now ...

[showgun]

Of course! Just complete the GL24 as best you can stating you want to appeal to tribunal and send it off asap. Keep sending the (un)fit notes throughout. It will be automatically reviewed by a DM and then passed on to the tribunal service. You can send supporting evidence in up until quite close to the actual tribunal, 6-12 months from now ...

 

Wow speedy reply! Im also wondering what i should write for my reasons on appealing the descision. Im rubbish at wording stuff. Dont suppose you could help out there? Im pretty much going along the lines of, they have taken into account im a physicaly able to work, but they havent really taken into account that its the mental side thats the problem. Thanks for all your help so far.

[RaeUK]

And a not so speedy reply! Unfortunately, I wouldn't know what's best for you to write initially. Just keep it basic, simple and to the point. You can pad things out later. Hopefully someone else will be better able to advise than I ...