JSA stopped and a question about incapacity benefits

maxamillion4

This is my first post, I am hoping someone may have some advice.

To start and give you some background I suffered from bad depression 2 years ago and was in hospital with it I was on incapacity benefits at the time.

I felt ready to get a job after 6 months so I signed off and got myself a job which I left due to moving from that area. I have since had another job which I had for 6 months before I was bullied and felt depressed (Physically sick thinking about going) so I felt I had no option but to leave.

I signed onto jsa about 2 months ago and during that time they were assesing my claim I was sent two questionaires to fill out. They have decided that I left my job voluntarily so they have stopped the payments. If they understood how I felt they might actually realise how hard it was.

To be honest I should have told the job centre from the start of claiming jsa that I was feeling too depressed to work. Even the thought of going to the job centre once every two weeks fills me with dread for days before I have to go, I hate leaving the house as it makes me panic so I rarely go out and the though of having to sit with someone one on one is horrific.

I am considering going to the doctors and speaking to them to see if they can help with my depression. I was wondering though if I will be able to get Incapacity benefits due to my depression when it's confirmed with the doctor. I'm not sure if I will be able to though as I have been stopped from getting jsa and have a sanction until the 29th november.

If anyone has any advice I would really appreciate it.

Thanks.

cassieB57

Did you report the bullying at work? I would advise you to appeal the decision that you left without good cause; if you haven't done already, give the Decision Maker all the information you can about what happened and why it led to you leaving.
Secondly, did you claim contribution based or income based JSA? You may be able to get JSA under hardship rules during the sanction. You will need JSA10 from the jobcentre and JSA3 if you were getting contribution based JSA(hardship is income-based)

maxamillion4

Yes I brought it up with the boss and he said that we had to learn to get along and that was that. I'm not sure which jsa I claimed. I have a hardship form here and am going to fill it out but I don't feel being on jsa or hardship is the right thing for me as I really couldn't have a job right now, I'm a bit of a mess I can't even leave the house unless I'm with someone and that's just when I have to for going to sign on.

Also I have a back to work appointment this thursday but I'm not sure if I still have to go since I'm not getting any benefits.

cassieB57

You should go to your appointments if you intend to claim hardship and/or appeal, otherwise your claim may be closed after 5 days, and you won't get any money if hardship was awarded, or if you appealed and won.

It would be worth seeing your GP though, to see if he thinks you are unable to work at the mo, as you could try claiming ESA for a while, though ESA is not my area of 'expertise'

Have a word with the Disability Employment Adviser in your jobcentre, see if they can offer any advice

***ESA=Employment and Support Allowance -replacement for Incapacity benefit if you cannot work due to illness

dookar

Get a med cert and claim ESA, the JSA sanction will not affect an ESA claim