Desperate for some advice

rogerblack

KxMx wrote: »

Have you looked into ESA because it's not about condition/meds, it's getting enough points from a series of descriptors, including incontinence, to pass and be allocated a group depending on which descriptors you meet. If the accidents are frequent then you may qualify for the Support Group, where you are basically left alone.

'My husband works full time' 'I became ill at university'.
The OP is unlikely to be entitled to contributions ESA, and will not be paid.
However, it would mean NI contributions are kept up.
If the OP has children, and is in receipt of child benefit - then there is no point whatsoever claiming.
Otherwise, the NI contributions may be useful.
Agree with the comments on PIP - apply.

pmlindyloo

rogerblack wrote: »

'My husband works full time' 'I became ill at university'.
The OP is unlikely to be entitled to contributions ESA, and will not be paid.
However, it would mean NI contributions are kept up.
If the OP has children, and is in receipt of child benefit - then there is no point whatsoever claiming.
Otherwise, the NI contributions may be useful.
Agree with the comments on PIP - apply.

Beg to differ

Child Benefit credits are class 3 and only go towards state pension and bereavement benefits.

Class 1 NI credits (which OP would be paid on ESA) go towards other benefits so may be worth applying for. A case of weighing up the hassle of applying for ESA against some insurance (possibly) for the future.

Poppie68

Why has my post been removed who reported it and for what?

I wasn't offering medical advice i just stated possible side effects...and didn't suggest any kind of medication, just purely noted some side effects.
Someone else has suggested a medication and their post is still here!!

summerbee

I have no children and I stopped taking the contraceptive pill because the hormones were making my symptoms even worse. The prescriptions I have are for antibiotics (they sometimes suspect a UTI or similar) or morphine, so not available over the counter. I have tried more medicines than I can recall as well as diet related things like coeliac, fructose/lactose intolerance. I rang up today about the PIP so we will see what happens with that. My GP advised against applying for ESA since he said I wouldn't qualify but be found fit to work (have any of these assessors had experience of what morphine does to you, let alone my symptoms themselves?!) and the stress of not being able to attend mandatory appointments could even make things worse, for no gain at all. I find it hard to take that because I was a student nurse when I became ill I can't qualify for any financial help. I was told it didn't matter even if a condition was self-inflicted (drink/drugs etc) and unable to work, as long as I had been working! How is that fair? No-one chooses a severe disabling condition. I am in tears of pain and frustration just writing all this.

Indie_Kid

I seem to remember they changed the rules, which means they ignore the side effects of any medication, which is just ridiculous.

rogerblack

Indie_Kid wrote: »

I seem to remember they changed the rules, which means they ignore the side effects of any medication, which is just ridiculous.

That is not quite true, or is a simplification.

If you have side-effects that score in the physical side of the test, from a drug used to treat a physical condition, then they count.
Similarly, with mental conditions, and mental side-effects.

The problem arises because of the intent to stop 'double counting' - which in reality is a problem for some people, not just leading to undeserved awards as the rule-writers seemed to think.

As an example, someone on painkillers for (say) an extreme pain in one hand, if this painkillers affect them mentally often to the point where they can't for example learn how to use a washing machine reliably, they would not get the points they otherwise might.
If on the other hand the side-effect was that it affected their balance so badly they could not walk 50m, then they would get points for that.