Back on the ESA merry-go-round

Dunroamin

DepressedInsomniac wrote: »

I have neither a partner nor dependents. My Student Finance is already sorted as are my benefits, I wasn't asking for financial advice, hence having absolutely no need to go into any further detail. The facts are as I stated them.

Fair enough,I made an assumption based on the word "children".

However, if you have adult children living with you then you will have non dependants deductions from your HB but you will also have additional income coming from their board money so the situation is still more complicated than you indicated at first.

By the way, this is the Benefits Board - people post here for financial advice - that's what it's for.

Anyway, good luck, with it all.

Mara69

Really, I'd give up with the OP. What she clearly wants is a pat on the back and reassurance it'll all be alright - when in fact it might not be. She is clearly determined not to answer simply questions in order to receive some assistance.

OP, you'll have to be re-assessed in order to continue claiming ESA. IF you re found fit for work you'll have to give up your University dream and get a job like so many others.

Having read your OP again, you do not have a benefits question and you clearly do not want benefits help. Therefore, I would suggest you stop posting on this thread as you've clearly posted in the wrong place.

DepressedInsomniac

Dunroamin wrote: »

Fair enough,I made an assumption based on the word "children".

However, if you have adult children living with you then you will have non dependants deductions from your HB but you will also have additional income coming from their board money so the situation is still more complicated than you indicated at first.

By the way, this is the Benefits Board - people post here for financial advice - that's what it's for.

Anyway, good luck, with it all.

No, I don't have non dependents deductions because I claim DLA. And no they don't contribute to the finances because they are students. As I said before, I disclosed all relevant facts to my situation in my OP. My reason for posting for was for advice about dealing with the unexpected ESA50 arriving and how best to tackle it in light of my plans of going to university.

skintmacflint

It can take months in some areas after sending back a form for an assessment date to be arranged, so you'd still get the chance to try starting Uni and see if it works for you.

And by next May to September you may have improved enough to find part time work and therefore manage, until your next student finance is available.

And there's also the possibility that you'll be kept in the WRAG group.

So a few possibilities there.

Sometimes hard compromises have to be made to achieve the things we really want in life. So I guess in the end it will depend on how much you want to achieve your degree.

DepressedInsomniac

Mara69 wrote: »

Really, I'd give up with the OP. What she clearly wants is a pat on the back and reassurance it'll all be alright - when in fact it might not be. She is clearly determined not to answer simply questions in order to receive some assistance.

OP, you'll have to be re-assessed in order to continue claiming ESA. IF you re found fit for work you'll have to give up your University dream and get a job like so many others.

Having read your OP again, you do not have a benefits question and you clearly do not want benefits help. Therefore, I would suggest you stop posting on this thread as you've clearly posted in the wrong place.

Of course, I will have to give up the hope of university if they find me "fit for work". However, this will remove the opportunity for me to realistically return to work at some point in the future. As it stands now, with my health and history, no employer will touch me with a barge pole. It's not just the loss of going to university, but if I lose ESA then I wont be able to claim JSA as I'm not fit for work, so what do I do then?

I don't know until I try whether I'll even manage to complete a degree course but if it means getting off benefits and with all the support that has been put in place I'll give it my best shot. It will cost the tax payer LESS in the long run as Ill be replacing my benefit with student loans which I have to repay.

DepressedInsomniac

skintmacflint wrote: »

It can take months in some areas after sending back a form for an assessment date to be arranged, so you'd still get the chance to try starting Uni and see if it works for you.

And by next May to September you may have improved enough to find part time work and therefore manage, until your next student finance is available.

And there's also the possibility that you'll be kept in the WRAG group.

So a few possibilities there.

Sometimes hard compromises have to be made to achieve the things we really want in life. So I guess in the end it will depend on how much you want to achieve your degree.

Thank you, this is very reassuring to know. I assumed that because I received a reply within a couple of weeks of my last assessment that I'd possibly be facing a medical within the first week or two of starting uni. This will be stressful enough as it is without the added pressure and could quite possibly tip me over the edge, that was my biggest fear. Knowing it could be weeks/months means I can stop panicking and just concentrate on settling into uni for now. Thank you :A

And yes, after the first year I'll have a much clearer idea about what I can/can't cope with and hopefully my confidence will have grown. I just want to make it through the first year for now

FBaby

DepressedInsomniac wrote: »

Of course, I will have to give up the hope of university if they find me "fit for work". However, this will remove the opportunity for me to realistically return to work at some point in the future. As it stands now, with my health and history, no employer will touch me with a barge pole. It's not just the loss of going to university, but if I lose ESA then I wont be able to claim JSA as I'm not fit for work, so what do I do then? .

This is what you are chosing to believe. You seem adament that going to uni and getting your degree will mean the end of your depression and anxiety and you will suddenly be able to work. That what suits you, however, you could very well beat depression and anxiety without going to university.

I sometimes wonder whether some people start suffering from depression and anxiety because they don't have things going their way and they lose control. Surely if you can't get ESA and go to Uni, you can work some other plan and still deal with your depression/anxiety in other ways, and then, maybe when you are better and regain employment, you will be able to reconsider going to uni?

Out of curiosity, if you are willing to share, what business do your family run that they can only offer you a job if you have a degree?

DepressedInsomniac

FBaby wrote: »

This is what you are chosing to believe. You seem adament that going to uni and getting your degree will mean the end of your depression and anxiety and you will suddenly be able to work. That what suits you, however, you could very well beat depression and anxiety without going to university.

I sometimes wonder whether some people start suffering from depression and anxiety because they don't have things going their way and they lose control. Surely if you can't get ESA and go to Uni, you can work some other plan and still deal with your depression/anxiety in other ways, and then, maybe when you are better and regain employment, you will be able to reconsider going to uni?

Out of curiosity, if you are willing to share, what business do your family run that they can only offer you a job if you have a degree?

My mental health is far more complex than "just" depression & anxiety. I think I've already stated that. I'm also into my forties now and lived with this all my life, it hasn't just appeared and neither will it just disappear. I'm just learning how best to cope with it.

I don't wish to divulge unecessary details on a public internet forum but I have an opportunity to study & qualify in a profession I've long had an interest in with the guarantee of employment once I am qualified. This employment will be as flexible as needed with respect to my health and this isn't something I could easily find outside of the family.

Now do you see why it's so important I do this, or at least try to. If I find I can't cope at uni and struggle with the pressures of exams etc then it's back to the drawing board, but at least I can't say I haven't tried. I wish there was another way, truly I do, but everything I've tried so far has ended in failure and pushed me even further back on the scrap heap

princessdon

There is no need to publically divulge the details - BUT

Was there anything in your original claim for ESA that going to Uni Contradicts? Ie could be argued that there is a change in circumstances or improvement (from their POV) based on your original form?

Murphy_Gooner

WOW just WOW.
I really cant believe how some of you people can sit there and question OP on 1. her housing/rent situation and 2. even dare question her mental health.

She has openly stated she has mental health which isnt something easy too come out and say.
But too question her like she is in some police interview isnt needed.

Some of you clearly dont know how mental health issues affect you and the amount of people who too me seem think that people with mental health should be locked up and the key thrown away.

I have a partner who has Bi-Polar and goes through Mania and i can assure you its not a simple task of her going out and getting a job because majority of employers dont want someone who might be off ill from work at times. If you have one who is very understanding, then you are very fortunate.
And before you make any attack on me, no my partner doesn't claim any single benefit and we solely rely on my income and i have CFS and work part time.

Too the OP, i know from other people that you can sometimes have an assessment again in short succession.
I would advise you get in touch with either CAB or you local law centre if you have one.
If you are under a mental health team, maybe speak with them for advice.

Other then i would recommend looking on support forums for people with mental health, where you wont be judged like some lilke too on here it seems