benefits available to those with depression???

mitch1983

HELP PLEASE!
My mother has suffered from depression for most of her life and has been unable to work this past year as a result. She was originally claiming job seekers but was then signed off work by the doctor.
After attending a meeting to claim some kind of disabiltiy benefit she was told she did not meet the critieria and needed to appeal. In the mean time the jobcentre will not allow her to sign on to claim job seekers allowance as she is declared not fit to work by the doctor.
She lives alone in housing association accomadation and now has no support what so ever. She is desperate to get back to work but is in no fit state. There must be some kind of support availiable while her appeal is processed? And what are her options if the appeal is denied? Any advice? Thankyou

McKneff

She should be being paid the ESA while her appeal is being heard.

Does she recived housing benefit, income support. etc.

mitch1983

i understand that she was being given employment and support allowance that occupanied her sick note from the doctor, yet when she was interviewed to try and claim disabilty (dont think its called this anymore) and was not deemed eligble the allowance was removed.
She has been offered no support or advice at all, except from docs. All these forms and meetings are sending her into absolute melt down! She recieves housing benefit but is concerned that it will be removed.

Widelats

mitch1983 wrote: »

i understand that she was being given employment and support allowance that occupanied her sick note from the doctor, yet when she was interviewed to try and claim disabilty (dont think its called this anymore) and was not deemed eligble the allowance was removed.
She has been offered no support or advice at all, except from docs. All these forms and meetings are sending her into absolute melt down! She recieves housing benefit but is concerned that it will be removed.

The people who refused her are called Atos, they are a sham of a company who work on targets to get disability benefits down to a minimum, they are Government subsidized too.

Best advice is to appeal the decision, and keep on claiming ESA and go to a tribunal, get a advice centre on your side and keep fighting it, if she is too depressed to work then she deserves ESA. Now fight them.