Worried about esa claim

moneysaver12

Hi i have been mentally unwell now for 16 years, pretty much all of my adult hood. i have a borderline personality disorder, anxiety and depression. I am currently on severe disablity allowance and in reciept of dla at middle rate care and lower rate mobilaty. i have been on the severe disability for a long time and same with dla my current claim for dla was awarded for five years and is up for renewal in feb of next year.

i received a esa claim form in january, it has taken me a while to complete it, i posted it back last week. I was told that it would take six months for the claim to be processed. i have received a letter today from my phyc consultant who states that i have an severe enduring mentall illness and am on medication.


last year my mental health got worse and has gotten worse to the point where i am now sucidal. The worry of the esa claim is not helping my mental health state and im worried that i will have to go for an assessment, i have asked for a home visit as i can not cope with having to go somewhere i do not know and seeing someone who i do not know, going to see my consultant causes me enough anxiety.

im worried that they were going to try and force me in to working. Whilst in a ideal world i would love to be well and able to work, im in no fit state to get a job and hold it down. I can't see an employer been understanding when im so bad that i can't leave the house and go to work, can't talk to people. Am so anxious all the time, i can't switch off, every day is a struggle for me and my husband is trying his best to look after me whilst he works full time.

Has anyone been in a similar situation.

[Deleted User]

I know its easy to say but try not to worry,last year i was moved on to esa and whilst it took some weeks i didnt have to have a face to face and was awarded support group for 18 months
good luck

DomRavioli

Hi OP,

It can take 6 months to do an ESA assessment/re-assessment; don't let it worry you (I have BPD as well!).

If you want a home visit, either your GP or psych will need to write a letter to whoever is conducting your assessment (if you get called for one - they can decide without a face to face) to ask for a home visit on the basis of your health condition, without that they will not do one.

You can work with BPD (I've worked for the last 7 years) but that doesn't mean you should be forced to if you can't; are you on any care pathway or under treatment at the moment? If not, I would be asking your psych/CPN (if you have one)/GP for referral - which can help to stabilise the condition if that is what you want.

Just keep your chin up, and know that BPD is diagnosed in around 1 in 100 people in the UK - you're not alone, and you never will be

ArtoDeeto

moneysaver12 wrote: »

I have been mentally unwell for 16 years, borderline personality disorder, anxiety and depression. I have been on the severe disability for a long time. I am now sucidal. My husband is trying his best to look after me whilst he works full time.

What are you asking? If your husband is in full time work and getting carers allowance for you who is telling you to look for work?

Morglin

The OP was claiming SDA, and now the DWP want to transfer her to ESA, as they are doing with all old IB and SDA claims.

Home visits can be requested, but the assessors make the decision.

Many cases don't need a face to face anyway, if there is good supporting medical evidence.

Lin

nannytone_2

ArtoDeeto wrote: »

What are you asking? If your husband is in full time work and getting carers allowance for you who is telling you to look for work?

her husband cant be working full time and receiving carers allowance, as CA is only payable with an income under £100 a week.

the OP's concern is that her benefit will be stopped ( as it would be if she is founf fit for work)
even if she is placed in the WRAG, her benefit will be limited to 1 year.

OP i suggest you look at the support group descriptors and concentrat on gathering evidence to shou that you fulfill one or more of the descriptors

ArtoDeeto

nannytone wrote: »

CA is only payable with an income under £100 a week.

I never knew that, thought it was not means tested as long as you could prove you were caring for the hours...

moneysaver12

Hi thankyou for the replies. your right my husband can't claim ca as he works full time and earns over 100 a week. Im going to ask my gp and my consultant for further proof of my mental illness.