where do i stand

jamesy

Hi i am looking for help as i am totally confused,

i will try and explain the best i can,Well since 2000-2005 i was on incapacity benefit on febuary this year i wanted to try some pt/work so notified incapacity benefit who arranged for me to see their doctor,well i got a letter back to say that i was fit for work,
went to register for job seekers only to be told that i was not entitled as i was not actively seeking work,

The problem is i have athritis which affects my lower back and left arm and left leg this varies from day to day and during the day, i told them i was going to do some window cleaning but not using ladders just to try and keep me active as doing northing was getting me depressed and i was looking after my sick mother who had lung cancer, all the hassel with incapacity and job centre is getting to me i want to do some work and i chose to do windows as i dont feel stressed when doing it just to add to that i have had the unfortunate experence of walking in only to find my mother dead on the floor,
everything is starting to get on top of me i struggle to sleep at night as i keep seeing my mother on the floor, well i try to explain to job centre that i just cant focus on any thing and that i could not garantee as to which days that i could work and i was thinking of doing window cleaning pt and was declairing this but they say i must be available for other work and if not could not claim job seekers,

so is there any way that i can work pt doing windows and still get help i dont no from 1 day to the other how much i could manage, i just wish i could work
full time i just have to try and do something to focus my mind, i am wating to go into hospital to have a lump remove from the back of my neck this will i hope solve some of my problems,

well if someone can guide me as to witch help is avalible

Fran

Hi jamesy,

I'm sorry to hear about your mother and your present situation.


When did you get the letter saying that you are fit for work? If it is less than a month ago then you can appeal against this decision.

It looks like you have chosen an unfortunate job to go for. The doctor would have certainly been questioning how you could do a window cleaning job with the arthritis that your claim was presumably based on. This is why they will have said you're fit for work.

Will you have to spend time in hospital or is this an outpatient job?

What income are you living on at the moment?

You might be able to get Disability Living Allowance which is not income related so you can get it regardless of any other benefits. I would suggest that you go to your Citizens Advice Bureau and ask them whether they think you have a chance of getting it. They can also help you fill in the form and appeal against the IB decision if you are within the time limit. They could help you negotiate with the JobCentre too or anyone else that you might need to. It will help you to have someone helping you at this time.

Have you got support from family and friends?

You might find Cruse - help with bereavement useful. You might also want to phone the Samaritans to chat to someone about how you feel. You can find your nearest CAB on the [url=http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk[/url]Citizens Advice Website[/url].

Lyndsay_21

If you are feeling down but want to get out have you though if volunteer work they always need people and it shouldn't (i think) affect your benefits as is unpaid.
I'm sure they're are loads of things they could off you here are a few websites i found
http://www.volunteering.org.uk/
http://www.do-it.org.uk/
http://www.csv.org.uk/

hope this helps

Miroslav

You can do upto 16 hours a week without getting benefit affected, but you must tell the DWP.

jamesy

Hi thanks for the replys, well at the moment i have just re-apllied for income support while i am waiting on incapacity assesment i have just sent the forms off so at the moment no money at all, and i will have operation as an out-patient, i told job centre that i wanted to window clean p/t but they said to get job seekers i would have to vary my options and to be able to accept other jobs,

can i not just work p/t doing something that i like