:wave:
Medical evidence wise you can send absolutely anything you think might prove what they are saying. It doesn't just have to be medical evidence. For example you could send along with it a statement from someone who knows you, a copy of your prescription, a supporting letter from anybody else involved in your care (such as voluntary organisations, therapists etc.).
Employment Support Allowance uses a point scored system. You need to score 15 points in order to be awarded it. After which you are placed in one of two groups. These are the support group (like the old Incapacity Benefit) where you are classed as unable to work at all. Or you are placed in the 'Work Related Activity Group'. This group will attend 'work focused interviews'. That doesn't necessarily mean you would be expected to find work but it does means they would try and help you into work kind of things such as courses or voluntary work. If you do want to work in some way you would be supported to do so. You can appeal if you are either not awarded it at all or if you feel you are placed into the wrong group. You do this by filling out a 'if you think your decision is wrong' form (link below) and sending a simple letter explaining why you want to appeal. It is first then 'reconsidered' by another agent and if they uphold the original decision then you can ask that it go to a tribunal. This is not as daunting as it sounds (won't go into that further here at the moment).
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Diol1/DoItOnline/DG_4017514The 15 points can be awarded for one thing or it can be a combination of points from the different aspects discussed on the form. The stronger sections to really go for mental health wise are:
Under the physical descriptors6. Other people communicating with you. (Scoring 6 or 15 points)
This is a bit of a tricky one but if you can talk about anxiety hindering your ability to communicate with others you can score on this one.
Under the Mental and Cognitive function descriptors12. Awareness of hazard or danger (Can score 6, 9 or 15)
Here you have the opportunity to show how you might be a danger to yourself or to others (including damage to property). You can also talk about reduced 'awareness' of hazards (if medication has an effect on you talk about it here).
13. Initiating actions (Scores 6, 9 or 15)
Here you can explain how your mental illness prevents you from initiating. This means the 'get up and go' in terms of mental ill health. If you did not have someone to prompt you to do things would you still do them? Do you struggle with motivation? Do you have to use aids of any kind in order to encourage you to do things?
14. Coping with change (Scores 6, 9 or 15)
This is about coping with minor or major changes. Do changes to plans cause you anxiety? Does this impact on your day to day life. If someone changes something does it have a big effect. If an appointment is changed do you find that hard to cope with?
15. Going out (scores 6, 9 or 15 points)
Do you need someone to go with you to places you either know or don't know? Do you loose track of where you are? Does medication cause you to struggle to concentrate or follow instructions?
16. Coping with social situations (Scores 6, 9 or 15 points)
Do you have difficulty relating to other people? Do you find crowded places difficult? Do you find people over powering? How are you with people you know and how are you with people you don't know?
17. Behaving appropriately with others (Scores 9 or 15)
Do you get easily irritable or angry? Do you snap at others? Do you say things that upset other people? Would your 'behaviour' be unreasonable in a workplace? Do you get aggressive? Have you ever hurt anybody physically or got so angry that you have tried to?
If you manage to score 15 points you will be awarded ESA. After than you have to have illustrated in what you have written that you totally fit the criteria for one of the following to make it into the support group. These descriptors are not point scored, you either meet them or you don't: (I am listing the ones that you are most likely to hit based on mental health)
(These are direct quotes)
10. Awareness of hazard
Reduced awareness of everyday hazards, due to cognitive impairment or mental disorder, leads to a significant risk of -injury to self or others or damage to property or possessions such that they require supervision for the majority of the time to maintain safety
11. Initiation
Cannot, due to impaired mental function, reliably initiate or complete at least 2 sequential personal actions
12. Coping with change
Cannot cope with change due to cognitive impairment or mental disorder, to the extent that day to day life cannot be managed
13. Coping with social engagement
Engagement in social content is always precluded due to difficulty relating to others or significant distressed experienced by the individual
14. Appropriateness of behaviour
Has on a daily basis uncontrollable episodes of aggression or disinhibited behaviour that would be unreasonable in a workplace
The parts above give you an idea of the things they are looking for on the form. My tips are:
-Do not attempt to complete the form in one go. Do some one day and then do more the next (especially if you find you are getting stressed)
-Start by just filling in the factual stuff -GP etc.
-Get some paper and make a list of what you find difficult, any examples you have and think about how those would relate to a workplace.
-Leave the large section 'tell us about your difficulties' till last. It is much much easier to do when you have worked through the rest of the form because you are then essentially summarising what you have said
-Under other information give the names and addresses of any other professionals that you come into contact with. Choose the most appropriate for the 'does anyone provide you with support or treatment' and then list anybody else in the extra information.
It could take up to roughly 6 weeks for them to process your claim so it is not unusual for someone not to have heard in that length of time. Usually (though
not always) if they do not award you it and you decide to appeal you will be placed back on the assessment phase rate which means they won't stop your money.
If you are awarded it and placed in the WRAG you will get it for one year based on national insurance contributions. If you don't have any (or after the year) you can get it if you have a low income. If you get into the support group you will get it regardless of NI contributions. (You can ask them to process it based on income if you want to try for help with things like mortgage interest etc.)
If you have any questions I am happy to see if I can answer them.
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