On ESA (WRAG) for anxiety and agoraphobia, yet forced to attend 3-week course

groke

Hi everybody,

I've suffered from anxiety since I was a child. I was a total recluse, barely left my bedroom and wouldn't leave the house at all except to go to school.

I'm a bit better these days but still find it hard to leave the house.

Therefore, it seemed a bit cruel that I was asked to start attending fortnightly meetings with a Maximus advisor or face destitution. The whole reason I'm on ESA is that I have trouble leaving the house. But so far, as dreadful as they are for me, I've managed to put on a brave face and attend every meeting.

But now, my advisor has put me on a 3-week literacy and numeracy course. 4 hours per day (5 including travel) and I just can't do it. Even if I needed to go on the course (I don't - I have a 1st-class BSc Hons in Biology), I cant understand the logic of putting me on that course.

My advisor said that it was mainly to get me used to leaving the house and socialising, but if I have to leave the house and socialise, that is not the place I want to be doing it. I wish I could say that she had my best interests at heart but I explained to her the sense of dread I feel when I have to go there, and that, if I had to go more often, I wouldn't be able to attend and I'd get sanctioned. I think it's more about fulfilling quotas, as she told me that the girl running the course needed so many claimants to take part.

I know it's only fair that I try to get better, and I really don't want to be on benefits forever. But this is so far out of my comfort zone that I just can't do it.

I'm not completely idle. I've actually started volunteering at a homeless outreach thing, making packed lunches for homeless people, which I feel would be a much better use of my time (and much more tolerable). I also used to volunteer at an animal shelter until the DWP used it against me, saying that it meant I was "fit for work" (plus, my attendance was awful and I felt bad for letting them down all the time).

It seems like I'm trapped between a rock and a hard place. What can I do?

vlad

did you go to uni to get your degree?,it seems to me and possibly to them that you want to pick and chose what you do,I'm not being unkind just telling it as someone else sees it
All i can suggest is that you give what they are suggesting a go and see how you get on
Good luck

Helga_G._Pataki

I'm afraid I have no advice re the ESA problem. Are you getting any medical help? I also suffer with agoraphobia and I recently started getting help from my local mental health team, so there is treatment available.

groke

vlad wrote: »

did you go to uni to get your degree?,it seems to me and possibly to them that you want to pick and chose what you do,I'm not being unkind just telling it as someone else sees it
All i can suggest is that you give what they are suggesting a go and see how you get on
Good luck

I did go to uni. My attendance was appalling but my grades were good so they left me alone. Most lectures were hosted as pdf files on the intranet, so attendance wasn't that important. Also, I left 8 years ago, so it's not really relevant.

Diary

Because you leave the house and have a history of leaving the house it would be extremely difficult now to say you don't want to and can't do the courses. I was thinking this might come under the reasonable adjustments disability law until I read you're also volunteering.

You have to realise very quickly dwp use everything and I mean everything against you. Try to do a little bit of voluntary work and you're fit for 'normal' paid work or courses that are of no use to anyone. People in the wrag are particularly at risk of this. Because you do go out of the house I doubt there's much you can do. I would try citizens advice they might be something they can do - I genuinely hope so, because the attitude of DWP and it's minions isn't going to get you better your anxiety must be quite high now.

RAS

I suggest you contact MIND as well as they probably have an advocacy worker who can help you.

beecher2

groke wrote: »

Hi everybody,

But now, my advisor has put me on a 3-week literacy and numeracy course. 4 hours per day (5 including travel) and I just can't do it. Even if I needed to go on the course (I don't - I have a 1st-class BSc Hons in Biology), I cant understand the logic of putting me on that course.

You said it was a Physics degree in an earlier post. Strange thing to mix up.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2837690

Why don't you give the course a go, it might be good for you. Since you're able to go out and volunteer it does look a little as if you're just picking what you want to do. Could you look for a job in catering?

tomtontom

What's the worst that can happen if you do go? You might feel panicked or uncomfortable, but once you've got there and got sat down with a drink of water that will hopefully subside. Perhaps the course content is too simple, in that case could you help others to improve their skills? I know someone who went on a course like this and ended up being offered a job by the course provider, could that be of interest to you?

tea-bag

Diary wrote: »

Because you leave the house and have a history of leaving the house it would be extremely difficult now to say you don't want to and can't do the courses. I was thinking this might come under the reasonable adjustments disability law until I read you're also volunteering.

You have to realise very quickly dwp use everything and I mean everything against you. Try to do a little bit of voluntary work and you're fit for 'normal' paid work or courses that are of no use to anyone. People in the wrag are particularly at risk of this. Because you do go out of the house I doubt there's much you can do. I would try citizens advice they might be something they can do - I genuinely hope so, because the attitude of DWP and it's minions isn't going to get you better your anxiety must be quite high now.

That part annoys me as that is there job to weed out the greedy and help the needy!

If somebody seems to be leading a normal life but then states they can't do something they don't want to do and give a reason for it, it is there job to point this out.

Just like all the people who claim to have bad days but only whne filling out forms or getting accessed.

borkid

Diary wrote: »

Because you leave the house and have a history of leaving the house it would be extremely difficult now to say you don't want to and can't do the courses. I was thinking this might come under the reasonable adjustments disability law until I read you're also volunteering.

You have to realise very quickly dwp use everything and I mean everything against you. Try to do a little bit of voluntary work and you're fit for 'normal' paid work or courses that are of no use to anyone. People in the wrag are particularly at risk of this. Because you do go out of the house I doubt there's much you can do. I would try citizens advice they might be something they can do - I genuinely hope so, because the attitude of DWP and it's minions isn't going to get you better your anxiety must be quite high now.

I think it maybe how one presents at the interview. My daughter went to one interview when she was in the WRAG. I drove her ( she was too ill to drive) and came in and waited for her. I explained that she would need to wait outside as she was a little early for her appointment, the temperature was too high in the office and she is unable to control her body temperature ( symptom of the illness). The interviewer saw her very quickly and the main part of the interview was what support and social groups did she have. She had to lie her head on the desk a few times during the 20 minute interview.

The interviewer was surprised that she had such a good past work history , he said a lot of people he sees have never worked. Up until her illness she had worked either part time or full time since 15. She'd even tried permitted work when she was ill but unfortunately it caused her to relapse. After that first interview she was offered the opportunity to have interviews over the phone.

So if you have a good work backgound and have needed help to get to the interview and are open to suggestions maybe they are more likely to believe certain courses aren't possible.