Need help with first time ESA assessment / ESA 50 / Severe mental health issues

Penfold1

Hi all ,

It’s my first time filling in a ESA 50 in the 10 years I’ve been on ESA. Was also on DLA as am disabled but lost my battle trying to get PiP. Having received the form late I only have 9/10 days to fill it in now.

My Conditions: Borderline PD, Social Anxiety Disorder, Chronic Depression, Anxiety, Severe Agoraphobia and Lower Back Injury. Since a number of breakdowns and psychosis I’ve not been able to leave my flat at all the last 2 years and before that barely left at all for quite a few years.

I have 3 major concerns.

1) Not able to attend face to face.
Like with PiP, if they request a face to face assessment it will be impossible to leave my flat and it can only happen at home. How do I request one? Will I get one? What if I don’t get one?

2) Not seen GP / CPN or Psychiatrist since 2017.
Due to my severe agoraphobia I’ve not been able to see my GP or Psychiatrist since 2017. Though I do have a social worker from mental health helping me. I used to have a CPN in 2014-2016 but again due to missed appointments, because of agoraphobia they discharged me back to my GP.

I can call my GP to visit at home if they will do so and can call for a telephone assessment. My social worker is fully aware I’ve not been able to leave my home for 2 years.

3) Lack of documentation due to breakdowns / flat mess / and let-downs.

I’m not on any prescribed meds like anti-anxiety or SSRIs as they never worked though I take natural ones. Due to various breakdowns, psychosis and lack of help my place is in a utter mess and I have absolutely no idea where any medical / supporting documents would be.

I have no care plan as local mental health never ever followed up with one, despite numerous hospital admissions & promises of the Care Team / Community Team / Crisis Team in 2013-2017, and am waiting for DBT therapy since 2014. They never called or visited when promised, and never picked up the phone. Both my GP and social worker knows how useless and bad they are.


I feel that previous to austerity the mental health team would not have let me down so much, would have followed up on promises when in hospital during a crisis / suicide attempts, and CPN would have visited me at home. But none of that helps me now in applying for ESA, I feel like it looks like I am the one not engaging with them when it’s the opposite..I’ve virtually begged them for help.

I will fill the forms in as best I can but I don’t know what to do about any of the above aside from contact my GP and perhaps mention all this on the ESA50 form?

Spoonie_Turtle

Definitely explain everything on the form, and I would suggest asking your GP to write a letter in support of the fact you've been trying to get help but the various agencies have let you down time and again. It will also help if they can clearly state you've not been able to visit the surgery, and have had home visits and/or telephone appointments if applicable.

You can also do a subject access request if you don't already have online access to your medical records; if you do a SAR it will probably take them 30 days so don't worry about sending copies of relevant parts with the form, as far as I understand you can send them in afterwards as long as every page has your national insurance number on them.

I'd also suggest phoning and explaining you've only just received the form; I don't know if they give extensions but that way if you have to send it back late, there should already be some kind of record of what's happened.

You can request a home visit but I don't know how you go about that exactly, others here will know more and be able to help.