WFI (work focused interview)

Credit-Crunched

You seem to have lost some confidence since some of your last posts!!

"TBH if someone put a message on my window and i'm LEGALLY within my rights to park there and there is no parking restictions and not blocking anyones disabled access, i would throw it away and ignore, then await for you to approach me. i would take on you view, then tell you i'm legal the parkings legal, now go away and stop trying to be the big i am a local hero.!

Anubis_2

The second for 30 mins will talk you thorugh their services & get you to agree what you will do to find work and what hours of the day you would be willing to work. Don't agree to anyhing you don't want to do, but you must agree to be available for work 40 hours a week and you must agree to do 3 things each week to find work.

Are you not talking JSA here? WFI when you are on ESA is more about encouraging work, and an action plan (if necessary) is drawn up to help you. I dont believe agreeing to 40 hours or 3 things each week comes into it at all..... Each case is different, it's not JSA.

Here Matrix, a breakdown of what happens. It's highly unlikely you will need to agree to 40 hours.... Because your limitations etc will be discussed.

http://www.benefitsnow.co.uk/esa/interview.asp

atrixblue.-MFR-.

i have tried CBT in the past without any success and it was thought that i may have a condition such as bipolar with schizophrenia or MPD (multi personality disorder).

i am awaiting a psyciatrist appointment.

i go through periods of severe depression, level headedness, to hyperactivity im most phases i go through the anxiety and panic attacks stays with me.

in sever depression phase all reasoning and rationality goes out the window, i could easily do as one posted took of a snipet from a previous post about the letter on a car window scenario stranger or not i become a different person in this period and act quite differently thats when i can force or be forced out of bed most of the time i'm secluded to my own little world.

when i'm on a level parr with my mind set, i get quite withdrawn, only socialise with people that i know that are close to me like close friends and family like i am now on a level parr with my self with the odd day of not being bothered to go do or say anything or be around anyone.

in my hyperactive phase i make myself quite ill, i have a different condition aswell i have severe brittle asthma, i'm all over the place i cant concerntrate because i have a million and one thing rushing through my head, i rarely sleep in this phase and anger become the main issue after approx 3-4 days of non sleep, these phases play a massive part in how my asthma affects me also, because i tend to do things i really cant do wich make me really ill.
my memory is terrible, into lots of different things at once (although my partner tries to get me to stick to one project at a time).

ive also developed carpel tunnel syndrom in my right (im right handed) wrist wich makes carrying and lifting painfull to say the least and its coming in my left wrist too have the pins and needles in my palm of my hand and thumb but my right hand is the worse wich i need to see a specialist.

everywhere i go i got my partner to help me along the way.

the cruex of it all is that i was in work, i was pulled out by my consultant after looking through past notes form being in work to when i wasnt working and seen a pattern, when i'm in work i have more hospital admissions than i did when i wasnt, what tipped the scale was contracting phnewmonia whilst at my last employment, and decided that work is a big factor in not being "stable" with my asthma.
whats got me worried now is that after 3 years or seeing my consultant has now told me that i have had every medication known to man for asthma, and become unresposive to them all, and there is quite lterally nothing other than staying on the ventolin having a nebuliser and watching what i do is all they can do to help me.
i feel useless and judged, im so young, yet have all these problems on the inside and look normal on the outside its easy for people to jump to the conclusion i'm a work shy system player and not take me seriously when i am actually ILL.

i find it comforting to reach out on forums, its my way of staying socially active if you like, i dont do face---book and stuff but forums such as these i feel i can relate to.

sorry for the little rant. i do go off on one and sometimes i might not make much sense due to lack of concertration.

ditzyat50

atrixblue.-MFR-. wrote: »

i got my first WFI tommorrow, i'm really panicking (like i do most times i have to enter a public crowded space and meet a stranger), my partner has told me that i have to attend wich i really really dont feel i can i hate being forced into things and my routine out of synq.

when meeting strangers i freeze into myself, i cant help it nor stop myself either, so if i do attend i know for a fact i wouldnt be able to say anything! and staying put will be a massive problem, i may end up just walking out no warning in middle of a meeting if i can get myself through the doors to attend.

i dont want to offend anyone there its not my intention, and i'm scared if i dont talk or just walk out ill lose my entitlement.

Okay you are dreading going because at the end of the day you are concerned that you may say something to cause you to loose benefits. There is no reason for that to happen because the WFI is just having a chat with someone who wants you to work. They will ask you what you have been doing to find a job and they will let you know that their facilities are not just for you partner but also for you. Answer their questions and that's all there is to it. You are not being forced into anything and you are only being out of sync for 30 minutes of your life. If you wish to continue accepting the financial benefit you need to go through this situation once every six months.

epitome

Sorry, he didn't say what benefit, I assumed JSA.
If ESA, he should go to the interview and cooperate fully with the process, but does not have to look for work.
not going (without good cause) or going but not cooperating would be reasons to close the claim

atrixblue.-MFR-.

not cooperating deliberately, yes i agree but part of a MH condition they are fully aware of because its outlined in the ESA50 they had recieved?

this is where things start to make me angry, and feel discriminated against.

the problems i have are not a delibirate fiction they are real and debilitating, so to close the claim due to my MH condition of being unable to talk someone of whome i do not know, would be good cause to stop my entitlement??? i would class this as discrimination.

i'm more concerned now than i was a few hours ago, i'm extremely anxious now you have mentioned this.

theoldcynic

Atrix I know how awful anxiety can make you feel. IMO the best thing you can do is try to get some sleep as difficult as that might seem. You will know that lack of sleep is not likely to improve your anxiety tonight or tomorrow in anyway. Try to concentrate on getting to sleep and if you can try to put tomorrows interview out of your mind. Try and live in the present and forget what might or might not happen tomorrow, what will be will be.

As crazy as this might sound I find that repeating the words "the the the" over and over in your head as you are lying in bed can really help. It is not usually as frustrating as counting numbers and doesn't usually summon up any images that can be distracting you from sleep and can help force worrying thoughts out of your mind.

If you feel the same tomorrow, give them a call as far in advance as you can of the appointment and explain how you feel and how your anxiety is making you feel and see what they say. Don't worry unnecessarily, you don't want to have a sleepless night over something that might not happen.

Don't worry about ranting, sounds like you had a lot on your mind and you needed to vent.

I wish you all the best for tomorrow.

mazza111

Wondering if this may put your mind at rest a wee bit. They are not there to tell you to get back to work. What I found at my WFI is that they tell you what help is available if you are well enough to work. They will tell you about permitted work. Depending on where you live, they may be able to offer you counselling.

I was very apprehensive about going, thought they were going to force me into work before I was ready, I was pleasantly surprised. I am now getting Bowen Therapy on all my sore bits thanks to them. Don't know if it's working yet, but there has been some improvement. I think many of us suffer from anxiety when we're going to these things, but when MH is involved then we tend to over worry ourselves. Hope it goes well for you and you can put your calmer head on for the WFI

M

Chrissiew

I had my first interview last tues and I was dreading it, I was told it would last for an hour but it was around 15 mins long, the advisor was really really nice and she just asked about my condition, what work I used to do and what I would like to do, she told me I had to go for another interview with a company called prospects and see what they had to offer then I had the choice of staying with her or using prospects.

I told her I have an idea for a home based business which I could do at my own pace and have family around to help and she said they could help me get a grant to buy equipment, pay for a website to be built, help with advertising and make sure I had money to live on while the business was being built up, so my fear of going was unfounded and it actually turned out to be very worthwhile.

Maybe it will be the same for you op, I realise I don't have the same condition as you but you really do have to go or they will stop your benefit, try and get a phone interview if you can but don't just not turn up.

speedfreek1000

epitome wrote: »

not going (without good cause) or going but not cooperating would be reasons to close the claim

The sanction for not attending a WFI is loss of the WRAG component.

So you would still receive the base level of ESA (which is the same as the assessment rate).

They will not close your claim for failure to attend.

Usually the sanction runs until you take part in a WFI and can be appealed.

You can ask for adjustments like deferral (put off indefinitely) and telephone interviews. These are at provider discretion and that's the luck of the draw I'm afraid.