Switching from incapacity benefit to jobseekers allowance?

boggledmind · 25 August 2011 at 3:25PM

I suffer from severe social anxiety and panic attacks and have been off work and on incapacity benefits for about 8 years now but recently have decided to start looking for work and so have made a claim for JSA and have my interview next tuesday.

Will there be a specific advisor I can speak to that deals with people that have disabilities and will this effect my benefit. I want to get back into work but I realise this will need alot of assistance and i'm hoping they will be understanding of my problem.

boggledmind · 25 August 2011 at 3:49PM

tibiss wrote: »

Whilst I applaud your that your intentions are good, why on earth are you coming off IB and claiming JSA with all of the aggravation that claiming that benefit causes?

Surely it would be more suitable (less pressure and stress all round) for you to keep on with your IB AND look for work at the same time? That is unless your GP has signed you off as fit for work.

I don't know what help you are expecting from JSA, but to be honest, they don't have a good track record of helping people get back into the workplace! Certainly not those that are saying that they are fully fit (which you must be telling them).

I would be very interested to learn what you are going to agree to when you complete your JSA agreement!

Me, being still ill I would be holding on to IB and if need be move over to ESA evetually as believe me it is no picnic trying to comply with all of the requirements of JSA. Sanctions appear to be dished out for the slightest thing. I should know - I am doing what you are intending. I get no help really, and so far because of things out of my control, have lost 5 weeks money including a 3 week stay in hospital where they cancelled my JSA claim as I had not signed on! I had to make a new claim when I went back.

And let's be honest as well, visiting the JSA to sign on is not the nicest of places to be, Just walking in depresses me seeing the dregs of society hanging about who seem not to want a job.

I was under the impression that there was a disability advisor at the job centre, is it not as simple as me dealing with them rather than the general advisors?

I understand there is going to be alot of stress with this but none more than the medical assesment that I am due to attend with Attos Healthcare which by all accounts is a rather dehumanising process.

With regards to staying on IB whilst looking for employment, that's all very well but my CV has a 8 year blank on it, I think finding work is going to require alot of assistance in my case.

At my JSA interview will they outline what I can and can't do?

Mupette · 25 August 2011 at 3:59PM

I'm another that thinks ESA would of been better.

You would most likely be placed in the WRAG group and attend regular meetings with a disabled advisor, who should be there to help and support you find suitable work that you feel confidant in doing.

But well done for taking the first step :T

Cpt.Scarlet · 25 August 2011 at 4:24PM

boggledmind wrote: »

I suffer from severe social anxiety and panic attacks and have been off work and on incapacity benefits for about 8 years now but recently have decided to start looking for work and so have made a claim for JSA and have my interview next tuesday.

Will there be a specific advisor I can speak to that deals with people that have disabilities and will this effect my benefit. I want to get back into work but I realise this will need alot of assistance and i'm hoping they will be understanding of my problem.

If you are sure that this is what you want to do then you should certainly go for it, but be aware that IB linking rules were cancelled as of the beginning of the year, so if this does not work out for you, you will be unable to re-claim IB and will have to make a new claim for ESA, losing any transitional protection you migh have had if you were transferred.

Mrs_Arcanum · 25 August 2011 at 4:26PM

There are companies out there who offer employment support to people in exactly your situation. Just a case of finding the nearest to where you live.

wombles_forever · 25 August 2011 at 4:43PM

Hi, when you go to the JCP for your first interview ask to be referred to the Disability Employment Officer.

They are much more relaxed than the normal advisors and will have up to date information on the help available to you. Also they will help with contacting future employers etc if you need support to be able to go back to work.

Hope it all works out for you.

boggledmind · 25 August 2011 at 4:56PM

wombles_forever wrote: »

Hi, when you go to the JCP for your first interview ask to be referred to the Disability Employment Officer.

They are much more relaxed than the normal advisors and will have up to date information on the help available to you. Also they will help with contacting future employers etc if you need support to be able to go back to work.

Hope it all works out for you.

Thanks to everyone for the encouraging replies, I think I am going to go through with this. It's helpful to know that I willl be able to speak to a Disability Advisor I was assuming that when I told them this they may have rejected my claim or something.

My next worry is my chances of finding a job with my mental health condition bearing in mind there are plenty of able bodied people finding it difficult enough in this current climate but I think it will do me good just to be engaging again having spent the best part of a decade as a near recluse.

Mupette · 25 August 2011 at 5:34PM

boggledmind wrote: »

Thanks to everyone for the encouraging replies, I think I am going to go through with this. It's helpful to know that I willl be able to speak to a Disability Advisor I was assuming that when I told them this they may have rejected my claim or something.

My next worry is my chances of finding a job with my mental health condition bearing in mind there are plenty of able bodied people finding it difficult enough in this current climate but I think it will do me good just to be engaging again having spent the best part of a decade as a near recluse.

ask the disability advisor to refer you to remploy, an agency who work with disabled to find suitable jobs, yes i know they have been in the news this week, but that was closing remploy factories, not agencies.

I rang remploy myself a few days ago, and was told i need to be referred to them via my disability advisor.

boggledmind · 25 August 2011 at 5:43PM

Mupette wrote: »

ask the disability advisor to refer you to remploy, an agency who work with disabled to find suitable jobs, yes i know they have been in the news this week, but that was closing remploy factories, not agencies.

I rang remploy myself a few days ago, and was told i need to be referred to them via my disability advisor.

Thank's for the heads up, I shall go prepared!

Muttleythefrog · 25 August 2011 at 6:34PM

boggledmind wrote: »

I was under the impression that there was a disability advisor at the job centre, is it not as simple as me dealing with them rather than the general advisors?

I understand there is going to be alot of stress with this but none more than the medical assesment that I am due to attend with Attos Healthcare which by all accounts is a rather dehumanising process.

With regards to staying on IB whilst looking for employment, that's all very well but my CV has a 8 year blank on it, I think finding work is going to require alot of assistance in my case.

At my JSA interview will they outline what I can and can't do?

Yeah... actually I tend to agree with the advice regarding ESA. If it were possible for you to switch mentality (not easy I know) to... 'I don't give a stuff about the process or the outcome' and were able to get sicknotes from GP to say you're unable to work (assuming you're not transferring from IB?.. if you are then not required) then you may just find you're in a no lose situation. I say no lose... because the worst thing that can happen is your assessment includes a face to face medical (and there's no certainty you would get one as part of your Work Capability Assessment) and it goes horribly wrong and as a result the DWP declare you fit for work...i.e. refuse you the main phase of the ESA entitlement. You could then probably appeal and that would drag out over months with probably only sicknote cover required to continue getting what is likely to be the same money as JSA. But there would be the advantage on ESA of not having to sign on and put yourself under the pressure of meeting your Jobseeking commitments. Nothing would stop you seeking work and if you were to seek work I wonder if the fact you were getting a sickness benefit rather than JSA might have a slightly better impact on employer attitude.. especially in light of fact you are long term sick. (Is this person someone who doesn't work or is this someone battling against illness to work... it's a thought they may have). At any point you'd be able to cease your ESA claim/appeal against decision not to award and apply for JSA... should you get into main phase of ESA then more money.

As for the support... you might find you get more appropriate support on ESA... but as advised there is disability advisor there at JC to help regardless.

So as someone above says... you are to be applauded. But if you truly want to work make sure you get a job on your own terms that you will be able to stick with... I'd worry JSA may not give you that space to operate within.... and in light of your mental health issues this surely has to be a major consideration. For JSA they want you to get a job... it sounds to me like you want to work... these things sound very compatible... but not necessarily so.

boggledmind · 25 August 2011 at 7:17PM

Muttleythefrog wrote: »

Yeah... actually I tend to agree with the advice regarding ESA. If it were possible for you to switch mentality (not easy I know) to... 'I don't give a stuff about the process or the outcome' and were able to get sicknotes from GP to say you're unable to work (assuming you're not transferring from IB?.. if you are then not required) then you may just find you're in a no lose situation. I say no lose... because the worst thing that can happen is your assessment includes a face to face medical (and there's no certainty you would get one as part of your Work Capability Assessment) and it goes horribly wrong and as a result the DWP declare you fit for work...i.e. refuse you the main phase of the ESA entitlement. You could then probably appeal and that would drag out over months with probably only sicknote cover required to continue getting what is likely to be the same money as JSA. But there would be the advantage on ESA of not having to sign on and put yourself under the pressure of meeting your Jobseeking commitments. Nothing would stop you seeking work and if you were to seek work I wonder if the fact you were getting a sickness benefit rather than JSA might have a slightly better impact on employer attitude.. especially in light of fact you are long term sick. (Is this person someone who doesn't work or is this someone battling against illness to work... it's a thought they may have). At any point you'd be able to cease your ESA claim/appeal against decision not to award and apply for JSA... should you get into main phase of ESA then more money.

As for the support... you might find you get more appropriate support on ESA... but as advised there is disability advisor there at JC to help regardless.

So as someone above says... you are to be applauded. But if you truly want to work make sure you get a job on your own terms that you will be able to stick with... I'd worry JSA may not give you that space to operate within.... and in light of your mental health issues this surely has to be a major consideration. For JSA they want you to get a job... it sounds to me like you want to work... these things sound very compatible... but not necessarily so.

Thanks for the insightful reply. I have been on IB for 8 years now so no further doctors note would be required but I am due for a medical assesment with Attos Healthcare later this month which i guess hurried me into my decision as I have heard some not so great things about them and wanted to take some control back.

I wonder if when I discuss all this at my JSA interview they themselves may actually suggest me going on ESA. Also if i go on JSA but find it is not working for me if it will be possible to switch to ESA as easily as that.

Switching from incapacity benefit to jobseekers allowance?

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