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ESA, Work Programme and Wanting to Work from Home
Kipepeo
Posts: 594 Forumite
I have just changed from IB to ESA (after appeals and a tribunal) and have been placed on the work programme. But I am agoraphobic and extremely social phobic and since my first appointment was booked I have been suffering severely with panic attacks about it.
About six months ago I was receiving CBT and was working on leaving the house and going out - going further and spending more time out. But since then I've had to stop the CBT (due to having the maximum amount of sessions) and now all this has happened and it has left me too scared to go out again.
That isn't so much what this thread is about though, just giving a bit of background.
For a couple of years I have wanted to start a 'business' (I use quotes because business feels a bit of a big word for what I hope to do), making and selling cosmetics from home. There is a market for what I want to sell, although I don't think I could make a lot of money from it, but I hope that eventually I will be able to earn enough to come off benefits altogether.
So I suppose what I'm asking is, if I were to do this, would I be able to claim a different benefit (while I'm setting up and earning nothing, and, if it takes off, while I'm not earning a lot), rather than ESA, and not have to go to these work programme appointments? I feel that if I were able to do this, with the pressure of these appointments taken off, I would be able to work on the CBT techniques I learnt and start going out again.
I hope this all makes sense and any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.
About six months ago I was receiving CBT and was working on leaving the house and going out - going further and spending more time out. But since then I've had to stop the CBT (due to having the maximum amount of sessions) and now all this has happened and it has left me too scared to go out again.
That isn't so much what this thread is about though, just giving a bit of background.
For a couple of years I have wanted to start a 'business' (I use quotes because business feels a bit of a big word for what I hope to do), making and selling cosmetics from home. There is a market for what I want to sell, although I don't think I could make a lot of money from it, but I hope that eventually I will be able to earn enough to come off benefits altogether.
So I suppose what I'm asking is, if I were to do this, would I be able to claim a different benefit (while I'm setting up and earning nothing, and, if it takes off, while I'm not earning a lot), rather than ESA, and not have to go to these work programme appointments? I feel that if I were able to do this, with the pressure of these appointments taken off, I would be able to work on the CBT techniques I learnt and start going out again.
I hope this all makes sense and any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.
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