ESA for 16yr old with ASD

dannie5_2

Hi
can anyone tell me if getting ESA for a 16yr old is straight forward, my son was diagnosed with Aspergers 8yrs ago (although I have disputed this and feel he is HFA) and has not left the house for almost 3 years, he has refused to work with agencies for the best part of his life and refuses to acknowledge anyone. The education authority have admitted he is incapable of getting work due to his inability to accept help and communication difficulties. As his appointee I am the one who will be dealing with the benefit office but after a general enquiry regarding ESA I must admit I was annoyed at their attitude as they were far from helpful. any advise greatly appreciated, thank you.

rogerblack

It may not be straightforward.
The basic 'tests' he has to meet to claim ESA are:
http://www.tameside.gov.uk/esa/wca
Autism varies significantly, and ESA is not granted for having a specific diagnosis (in general), but for the effects on the individuals ability to complete the above tasks.

HB58

It seems that getting ESA these days is rarely 'strightforward'! That is not to say that yor DS would not get it but, at best, it is usually a drawn-out process.

dannie5_2

Thank you for the replies, no doubt I will find out in next couple weeks but not looking forward to all the hassle I'm expecting.