ESA has been discontinued, don't know what will happen

seven-day-weekend

justaquestion wrote: »

I understand all the good intentioned advice given to the OP.

But,

Are there really many employers out there who will give a person with a long term illness a chance, or for that matter someone who does not have a well written full CV?

Its all good and well telling people to get a job, but where are the jobs when most employers have the pick of the cream with loads of people with degrees too willing to step into the job.

Are there any schemes where jobplus or any other group can actually place a person with mental illness with an employer on a try out basis to see how it works out.

its all good and well Ian Duncan Smith coming out with its good to work (which I fully agree with) but where are the employers who are willing to give the long term ill a chance?

Justin

Many people (my husband being one of them) has gone back to work after having a severe mental health illness). Many employers are supportive.

One prospective headmaster asked my husband if he could guarantee he wasn't going to be ill again. My husband replied no, he could not, but neither could any of his existing staff. He got the job.

You can certainly go on work trials with the help of disability advisors at the JC.

Adereterial

justaquestion wrote: »

I understand all the good intentioned advice given to the OP.

But,

Are there really many employers out there who will give a person with a long term illness a chance, or for that matter someone who does not have a well written full CV?

Its all good and well telling people to get a job, but where are the jobs when most employers have the pick of the cream with loads of people with degrees too willing to step into the job.

Are there any schemes where jobplus or any other group can actually place a person with mental illness with an employer on a try out basis to see how it works out.

its all good and well Ian Duncan Smith coming out with its good to work (which I fully agree with) but where are the employers who are willing to give the long term ill a chance?

Justin

Yes there are - Remploy, for example, works with employers to help people with disabilities gain employment with supportive companies. The Jobcentre does the same.

Dunroamin

justaquestion wrote: »

I understand all the good intentioned advice given to the OP.

But,

Are there really many employers out there who will give a person with a long term illness a chance, or for that matter someone who does not have a well written full CV?

Its all good and well telling people to get a job, but where are the jobs when most employers have the pick of the cream with loads of people with degrees too willing to step into the job.

Are there any schemes where jobplus or any other group can actually place a person with mental illness with an employer on a try out basis to see how it works out.

its all good and well Ian Duncan Smith coming out with its good to work (which I fully agree with) but where are the employers who are willing to give the long term ill a chance?

Justin

I've worked with organisations which employed a number of people who were either disabled or who suffered from ill health.

Regardless, as I said earlier, the difficulty of finding a suitable job isn't a reason for someone to be claiming ESA rather than JSA.

Raksha

Surely it depends on the source of the depression - some conditions have an inherited element, which work will not change.

It sounds as if the OP is the classic 'depression isn't a sign of being weak, it's a sign of being strong for too long'. Being suicidal isn't 'mild to moderate' it's severe depression.

realworld34

Okay. I am in a similar decision to this person. I suffer from bipolar disorder which is controlled with medication. I have appealed to the DWP, been refused and attended a Tribunal Hearing last Friday and failed again. At the moment I am weighing up my options. According to an adviser at the DWP I can appeal but will not receive any benefits in the meantime. Alternatively I can make a new claim.

I want to comment about people with this kind of illness working. Speaking for myself, I had a job in 2011 which I loved, however this did not stop me from having periods of mania and depression. I stayed till the end of my contract but it was extremely difficult. One of the reasons I stuck it out was because I have lost four jobs because of this illness and was determined that it wouldn't beat me this time.
I do not intend to go out to work again but am already filling in surveys and applying for Focus Groups. To me that is all I can do. The pressure that is put on you by the DWP is unfair and in some cases you end up feeling like you are on trial.
I am asking for what I am entitled to due to my longterm illness and the times my Mother has had to comfort me as I cry about not wanting to live anymore.

FBaby

to be fair realworld, bipolar disorder is quite different to depression, even if there is an element of depression with bipolar.

How much support are you getting from your GP/psychiatrist? My experience of mental illness, but especially bipolar is that it is a case of trial and error trying different medications at different doses until you find the one that might not cure you, but allow you to be stable enough to get on with your life, including some element of working.

Remember that being denied ESA and being expected to sign on JSA doesn't mean that you have to go from not being involved in any work activity to being in full-time employment expected to take on a stressful role. It needs to be considered as a step-process, starting with relearning skills to look for a job, interviewing skills and then taking on a part-time role that doesn't demand too much physical and mental energy to start with.