The ESA medical for people with anxiety and depression

wishface

The reality is the medical is flawed and not suited (if at all) for mental health issues - issues which sufferes all know still face unacceptable levels of prejudice in society. Until this awful system changes I'm not sure where anyone stands, but I suppose you could always go back to the gp to claim ESA anew when you start suffering from malnutrition due to not having money to buy food. People might think that ridiculous, but that's the consequence of having no benefit to live on. The medical should heed the case history at the very least and it's scandalous it doesnt. Fit notes are just an exercise in doublespeak. That change in policy is Orwellian; it's like having a weather report for England that says 'snow and ice everywhere except London which is dry and mild' and then saying that England is currently experiencing decent weather. Whoops, your car just slid off the road in the ice en route to Cardiff. It's a ludicrous notion not least of all because precious few employers are going to choose someone who's 'fit' over someone who doesn't have a history of problems - never mind that there are no jobs (and it'll get worse as spending cuts take hold) to go around. I'm disappointed at the prospect of a Tory government (and ashamed that Clegg is probably going to be complicit in it coming to pass) as they are going to tighten the screws way more than Labour ever did.

sunnyone

wishface wrote: »

The reality is the medical is flawed and not suited (if at all) for mental health issues - issues which sufferes all know still face unacceptable levels of prejudice in society. Until this awful system changes I'm not sure where anyone stands, but I suppose you could always go back to the gp to claim ESA anew when you start suffering from malnutrition due to not having money to buy food. People might think that ridiculous, but that's the consequence of having no benefit to live on. The medical should heed the case history at the very least and it's scandalous it doesnt. Fit notes are just an exercise in doublespeak. That change in policy is Orwellian; it's like having a weather report for England that says 'snow and ice everywhere except London which is dry and mild' and then saying that England is currently experiencing decent weather. Whoops, your car just slid off the road in the ice en route to Cardiff. It's a ludicrous notion not least of all because precious few employers are going to choose someone who's 'fit' over someone who doesn't have a history of problems - never mind that there are no jobs (and it'll get worse as spending cuts take hold) to go around. I'm disappointed at the prospect of a Tory government (and ashamed that Clegg is probably going to be complicit in it coming to pass) as they are going to tighten the screws way more than Labour ever did.

Same as usual, people with MH issues say that the medical is only for physical problems without even thinking of the majority (70% or so) of physical problems that are ignored by the medical.


The medical isnt fit for purpose for any group of ill and/or disabled people.

Loopy1

a very intersting thread.

MY DH had a 2nd medical back in March (about 10 months since he passed his last medical) and he failed despite there being little progress since his last medical and there is no way he is fit to return to work.

Its under appeal been 4 weeks now. How long do appeals take?

healy

Loopy1 wrote: »

a very intersting thread.

MY DH had a 2nd medical back in March (about 10 months since he passed his last medical) and he failed despite there being little progress since his last medical and there is no way he is fit to return to work.

Its under appeal been 4 weeks now. How long do appeals take?

Appeals usually take between 3 and 6 months.

cit_k

If your lucky...

My last one took almost a year, and its still ongoing, expecting it to drag on for months more still...

cit_k

glossgal wrote: »

the new mental health test for ESA is very strict and the harsh reality is that unless you are seriously unable to function and care for yourself because of your condition then you will not pass, appeals or not (not to say you shouldn't appeal, it's always worth a try). I don't think this is necessarily a good thing but on the other hand, IMHO the previous test was far too slack, hell on bad day I reckon I could have got half the points required and I have nowt wrong with me!

The previous test had very similar problems to the current test, lots of people had to appeal, it used LIMA, just like they do with ESA.....

What makes you think the test was far to slack? Have you actually had one of the previous assessments and seen how the 'test' differs from the actual assessment?

speedfreek1000

Has anybody managed to get an ATOS home visit for panic/anxiety due to not being able to travel to a medical without help or medication?

If so what criteria did you have to meet, what evidence would be needed to support it and who would you provide it to (ATOS DWP or both)?

annaleigh

sunnyone wrote: »

ESA is the same for everyone and having physical disabilities dosnt mean that the assessment is any easier, it should be easy to pass if you have serious disabilities either mental or physical but it isnt and anxiety and depression is the bad back of mental illness.

And ESA dosnt work for many serious, life threatening illnesses. My husband has stage 4 kidney failure and a suspected endocrine tumour yet he was passed fit for work in his assessment for the reasons you state, he can pick up a pen ect. but our MP has more sense and hes now in the support group, contact your MP and they should help but even if they dont if everyone contacts there MPs they should realise that ESA isnt fit for purpose and maybe things will change in the next parlement.

I have no time for lazt, bone idle sherkers but when someones worked since they left school then becomes ill for any reason the system should be there to help and support them, thats what its for.

its quite upsetting that you think anxiety and depression is the "bad back " hmm i have suffered with generalized anxiety disorder for 5 years or morethe only option i have at the moment is to work from home as i would struggle to work out of my home as i also have agaraphobia....trust me i would rather work and i do but feel your comment is unfair unless you have been in this position ....i havnt claimed sickness benefits but have done work from home to avoid this as i do enjoy working !

NASA_2

annaleigh wrote: »

its quite upsetting that you think anxiety and depression is the "bad back " hmm i have suffered with generalized anxiety disorder for 5 years or morethe only option i have at the moment is to work from home as i would struggle to work out of my home as i also have agaraphobia....trust me i would rather work and i do but feel your comment is unfair unless you have been in this position ....i havnt claimed sickness benefits but have done work from home to avoid this as i do enjoy working !

The comment was a fair one IMO.

The poster wasnt saying that anyone who claims with anxiety and depression is faking it. It is true though that the majority of people who wish to claim fraudulently do so by claiming to have a bad back, depression or anxiety as they are among the easiest to fake.

Its harder to fake cancer or AIDS.

frank_begbie

The whole purpose of the ESA tests are to get as many people off the benefit and save lots of money for the government.
With the massive loophole that the Gov created for themselves with the "Its not what you can't do, its what you CAN do" mantra.

They can stop everyone's benefit after attending the "medical" its so easy to do. After all everyone is capable of doing something.....ask Stephen Hawkings.

As long as they can stop the majority of claimants benefit, they don't care if you never get a job, they don't expect you to.

But they're saving lots of money, just do the maths.