Nil points !

carolannie

Thank you everyone
Do I ring first and ask the DSS to look at my claim again
or fill in the form to appeal?

carolannie

Dognobs wrote: »

I suffer ASD and was unemployed for 18 months and found it hard to find a understanding employer (ASDA!!) as I can have moments and have problems with interviews. I never thought of claming anything other than JSA there was days when I never wanted to get out of bed! I found keeping busy and looking for work cleaning the house, cooking dinner stuff like that.

Get a job it is part of the road to recovery! Too many people are using mental illness and back pain to sit at home and feel sorry for themself and expect others to pay.

Is this your ASD speaking, the bit where you have difficulty feeling empathy with others?

I hope to be able to work in the near future. I am not stupid, I do know that working and mixing with people, making friends and feeling like a worthwhile human being will keep me well (hopefully)
But mental illness is an illness. It is not made up or like a bad back (which can be a terrible illness to have, like my friend on morphine every day for a spine disorder)

I cannot help the way I feel and I cannot stop bad thoughts coming into my head.

I have been told I could be a danger to myself or others and I would need to be signed as fit for work by my GP, if I ever wanted to get back into teaching. Can you imagine how that feels? That people think you could be a danger to children! I was horrified when I was told that (an advisor at the job centre)

This is the stigma around mental illness.

I came here to ask about claiming, not to be told I am using my illness as an excuse to sit at home all day!

Do you think it's fun having no money and no life

Of course I will get back into work one day, but right now, I need help!

carolannie

Dognobs wrote: »

JSA will give you all the financial help you need HB etc, You only have to sign on every two weeks, You never know you may get help with training or even a job.

So is once every two weeks too much for you? Or is the fact you get more money and less hassle on the sick?

Stop being be silly

The time on ESA helps you to get treatment and work through your illness.
Do you know how ill you feel on some antidepressants or mood stabilisers?
No, you don't, so shut up!

I would be telling lies if I signed on for jobseekers allowance.
I can't look for work
I can't do job searches
My head is full of irrational thoughts

I shan't reply to you any more. You haven't a clue!

I have got through to my local jobcentre plus and a very helpful lady told me how to appeal.

I need to put it in writing and tell them why I disagree with their decision.

I will be paid at the same amount as job seekers, and If I am successful, will get backdated pay.

ESA is for sick people and I am one of them - at the moment.

And yes, I will work when I am well. You don't choose to be ill you know :sad:

carolannie

Dognobs wrote: »

How is being honest anything to do with being a nazi? If she got Nil Points she can work?!

!

The examiner didn't listen to me!!!!!
I told her what I can and can't do and she ignored me and didn't contact my GP or CPN

Some people :mad:

Muttleythefrog

carolannie wrote: »

The examiner didn't listen to me!!!!!
I told her what I can and can't do and she ignored me and didn't contact my GP or CPN

Some people :mad:

I'd ignore the person in question here... your battles ahead are irrelevant of their view... they're not giving any constructive advice.. but rather would just make you feel worse because it makes them feel superior. Scoring as you have and getting the decision you have is very common for people who clearly qualify for this benefit.

What you have described in terms of medical help in general and the ESA medical are unfortunately common it seems. I got lucky in my ESA medical although the report was full of errors, omissions and deceipt... and I suspect I was conveying a reality that had much commonality with yours. I was struggling with the scoring much to my surprise when the medical was terminated as the HCP seemed to determine I was a maniac basically and Support group special circumstances criteria applied.

The process unfortunately does seem to fail to highlight that you can present medical information from 3rd parties into the equation (and this has been highlighted by those who reviewed how ESA has been working for the government) - and from memory ATOS state not to return anything to them other than completed ESA50. I presented a risk assessment from a CPN into my medical... at the medical... photocopy was taken and it was considered by the healthcare professional in their report. (I made many phone calls to ATOS and DWP to find out if I could provide 3rd party evidence and how I could and I never got 2 answers the same (except of course the don't knows..lol).. or indeed as it turns out any answer that is actually true.. hopefully things have improved since).

You should appeal is my view. You should consider if 3rd party help to do this is suitable for you... in general the advice would be it is. But just make sure your intent to appeal is made clear to DWP before any deadline for such passes. During appeal you should be able to get basic rate of ESA and if you succeed at appeal backdating of additional monies will occur. Many people do succeed... the general opinion seems to be about 40% of appeals against decision not to award ESA are overturned at appeal.

So my view is it is highly unlikely that appealing is not the best course of action for you. Make sure that intention is known to DWP before any deadline passes. Consider 3rd party support to help you with the appeal. Any 3rd party evidence to support your claim is worth looking into.

It is my understanding... but verify this please... that provided you indicate intent to DWP that you are appealing (in writing.. and not necessarily on a form provided) their decsion as it is wrong then that will be sufficient for now. (You can verify with DWP this) You can always state you are seeking professional help with making your appeal and/or that you/that professional will in due course supply the reasons for appealing in more detail. (But don't take this paragraph as gospel.. get verification please). The fact you've only just received your decision means there is a chance you could get 3rd party support before time runs out to indicate you want to appeal... and that 3rd party could do that for you.

But rest assured you are not alone in your circumstances! I don't know how much comfort that gives you.. but it is certainly true.

carolannie

Thank you for the reply.
Yes, some people like to post here and not offer help.
Some are a waste of space :rotfl:

I have help from my GP and CPN, plus my case worker at Mind is very good and offered to help by writing a report for me.
He wants me to go and see him on Monday.

It's just such a struggle and some days I can't get out of bed or I feel so ill and confused, I don't know what I'm doing

Anyway, I will be appealing. How the examiner can say I have no points, when i told her how my illness affects me every day? I don't know!

Dognobs

Breast_Cancer_Survivor wrote: »

It's not as black & white as that though.

I have Asperger's syndrome & have suffered from depression on & off for 12 years now.

At certain times of my life I have been well enough to work & hold down a full time job but atm I can barely function without a lot of support.

I can talk on a forum, make phone calls, write letters & job search but I wouldn't be able to sign on every 2 weeks unless someone I know went with me as i'm unable to leave the house unaccompanied atm.

Mental illness takes over your entire life & changes your personality so that a once confident outgoing person can suddenly turn into an recluse unable to function.

I also have ASD and had bouts of "unhappyness", I think people nowadays focus too much on what they CAN'T DO not what they CAN DO! Also the OP has not got a proper diagnosis.

The web seems to be full people patting each other on the back and saying "Ahhh Their Their" let the forum shower you with symphony and people THINK they are ill when all they need is a direction. getting a job or volunteering is a good start.

Muttleythefrog

carolannie wrote: »

Thank you for the reply.
Yes, some people like to post here and not offer help.
Some are a waste of space :rotfl:

I have help from my GP and CPN, plus my case worker at Mind is very good and offered to help by writing a report for me.
He wants me to go and see him on Monday.

It's just such a struggle and some days I can't get out of bed or I feel so ill and confused, I don't know what I'm doing

Anyway, I will be appealing. How the examiner can say I have no points, when i told her how my illness affects me every day? I don't know!

Wow you have quite a lot of background possibilities then..lol. You'll have to give me your secrets one day..lol.

You might wait quite a while for your appeal to be heard - you'll not be surprised to hear that there are long delays due to the system clogged up. I forgot to mention that you should also request the DWP send you a statement of reasons for their decision and the medical report they obtained from ATOS if you haven't already done this... as of course whether you appeal or a representative appeals for you then this is going to be what you'll later factually challenge.

If I can make you feel better... I was well prepared for my medical.. I was incredibly well read in advance... even read the training guides used for the healthcare professionals at ATOS... so I knew the classical symptoms of the various illnesses they'd look for etc.. and I had seen the software application they use in the medical. I struggled to 'win the game of cat and mouse' at my medical and I am unsure as to how much conscious effort that was due to... if any at all.

Oldernotwiser

carolannie wrote: »

I explained how ill was.
She has totally ignored what I said.
She must have had earplugs in.
There is a part on the form, where you put down who your GP is and who your CPN, mental health team are.
She had the names and details of who is supporting me, if she wanted to write to them and ask about me. She obviously hasn't!

Do you know how hard it is to get a diagnosis for a mental health problem?
You have to push to see a specialist, and when you are "up" is when you have to fight for yourself, to be heard.

As I told the examiner, when I am "down" and very ill, I can't get out of bed and all I can think about is ending it.

My forms said all this, yet she says I have no problem doing anything?

My other posts, that you have been searching through, say that I wanted to see a psychiatrist, to get a formal diagnosis.

This is what my GP has now agreed to do and I am waiting for an appointment.

I have medical records going back 15 years, to show the medication I have been on.

Do some more "research" you will find people with mental ill health take sometimes years to be diagnosed, and often they only get that help, when they walk in to A+E, after trying to kill themselves, they get so desperate.

The people at Atos are not helping and only costing the country more money, by making people have to go to appeal If they actually wrote down what people tell them, and asked GP's about their patients health, we wouldn't have to do this!

As someone who took early retirement on grounds of depression I am quite well aware of the mental health services available, both from my personal experience and from my work with people with mental health problems.

I really don't think that you should expect to be awarded benefits just on your say so otherwise there would be even more people claiming than there are now. It doesn't sound as if you've sent in any medical opinions to back what you've said, which may well be your problem and can be rectified on appeal.

Oldernotwiser

tempested wrote: »

Of course the poster has full medical backing - she has a current sick note!

The GP isn't the one to state that she can't function in accord with the criteria of ESA. The GP says that the patient is sick and should refrain from work only.

Apart from the fact that doctors now issue fit notes rather than sick notes, no doctor certifies to say that the patient is unfit for any work, only their usual job.