Daughter 16 anxiety benefits?

smithers1981

Hi daughter 16 hasn’t been school for 4 years suffers severe social anxiety, has missed GCSE exams.

Been through CAMHS merry go round for last 2/3 years nothing helps.

Had little support from school been a difficult time.

i have just submitted a PIP claim form not sure if anything else she could claim?

Me and partner both work and have just got letter saying child benefit will stop if daughter no longer in full time education next year.

Can she claim any job seekers universal credit/ sick pay.

Really unsure at present any advice appreciated

Thank you 

itsthelittlethings

I think she could claim universal credit, perhaps with limited capability to work (tick to sayshe has a health condition that affects her ability to work and supply fit notes until she has a medical). And PIP.

Muttleythefrog

Might be worth a quick go of https://www.entitledto.co.uk/ ..to get an idea

smithers1981

Thanks just tried entitled website says may be entitled to UC at £73 a week will investigate more, still hoping she maybe able to enroll in some education next year but am preparing for if not.

Muttleythefrog

smithers1981 said:

Thanks just tried entitled website says may be entitled to UC at £73 a week will investigate more, still hoping she maybe able to enroll in some education next year but am preparing for if not.

Yeah.... as above though the health element of UC needs looking at... for monetary and work (search) commitment terms especially given her difficulties. I'm a bit out of the loop regarding young people claims on benefits.

Good luck with the PIP claim... it can be tricky.. a bit hit and miss with new applications but plenty advice and success around here.

In terms of her difficulties... if she was able to find someone she trusted of any age... lots of venues are good for 'carers' to get in for free with disabled people... building up social confidence and developing new skills might be key to progress.... see if GP has and social prescription options too (they can prescribe activities for people overweight, needing social interaction etc) ... where I live there are many but we're ahead of the game I think.

huckster

Government website below about eligibility to claim UC as at 16 or 17 year old.

Universal Credit: Eligibility - GOV.UK

They will need a Doctors fit note from day 1 of the claim. Get a fit note for a long period e.g. 4 months or longer. It is taking about 4 months before a Work Capability Assessment is held.

If they don't take part in the Work Capability Assessment and do not provide good reasons for not doing so, it may be decided that they will be treated as available for work and will have to attend work related appointments at the Job Centre.

I would suggest that you don't put them through this process unless they can cope. They may face having to go to the Job Centre for many appointments and the Work Capability Assessment may be held at a local assessment centre.

May be they need some local help first. Your local Council Authority may have details of  programmes of support for young people suffering with mental health conditions.

Emmia

smithers1981 said:

Hi daughter 16 hasn’t been school for 4 years suffers severe social anxiety, has missed GCSE exams.

Been through CAMHS merry go round for last 2/3 years nothing helps.

Had little support from school been a difficult time.

i have just submitted a PIP claim form not sure if anything else she could claim?

Me and partner both work and have just got letter saying child benefit will stop if daughter no longer in full time education next year.

Can she claim any job seekers universal credit/ sick pay.

Really unsure at present any advice appreciated

Thank you 

Long term, what is your daughter's plan? Back to education? A job of some sort? Or just hiding under the duvet forever?

As much as it's difficult, "social anxiety" is  something she needs to find a way to overcome - languishing on benefits isn't a life for anyone - you should look for programmes to help support her to return to education, and starting to work.

If she doesn't want to go to college, then could she work on GCSEs with an online provider?

https://www.openstudycollege.com/collections/gcses

And then progress further with the Open University?

smithers1981

Long term she wants to do her GCSEs she’s not stupid just missed 4 years of education, rarely leaves house in case she sees anyone she used to go school with.

we have applied for ‘hospital and outreach’ who do a sixth form for people with Send difficulties, the online course as suggested would probably be more accessible to her if this doesnt happen.

we have been referred to a CAMHS medic to discuss medication she has been reluctant but after several different counselling courses through CAMHS over past 4 years medication may be a tool to help her overcome her anxiety.

Not looking for her to languish on benefits just wanting to claim anything she maybe entitled to to help her gain independence, the hiding under the duvet is a fair comment at times it does seem like this is how she is living.

It’s been exhausting for us all as a family, sometimes we do just plod along without fully pushing, scary time now she has basically ‘finished’ secondary school without having attended.

Thanks for comments

marcia_

 This charity has advice for teenagers claiming benefits https://contact.org.uk/help-for-families/information-advice-services/benefits-financial-help/benefits-at-16/

Emmia

smithers1981 said:

Long term she wants to do her GCSEs she’s not stupid just missed 4 years of education, rarely leaves house in case she sees anyone she used to go school with.

we have applied for ‘hospital and outreach’ who do a sixth form for people with Send difficulties, the online course as suggested would probably be more accessible to her if this doesn't happen.

we have been referred to a CAMHS medic to discuss medication she has been reluctant but after several different counselling courses through CAMHS over past 4 years medication may be a tool to help her overcome her anxiety.

Not looking for her to languish on benefits just wanting to claim anything she maybe entitled to to help her gain independence, the hiding under the duvet is a fair comment at times it does seem like this is how she is living.

It’s been exhausting for us all as a family, sometimes we do just plod along without fully pushing, scary time now she has basically ‘finished’ secondary school without having attended.

Thanks for comments

Presumably this anxiety is the result of bullying at school or something similar?

If she's afraid of possibly meeting people she went to school with when out and about, life will be tricky - there's every possibility she'll bump into someone she knew at school in a workplace, whilst on holiday, or in a shop many miles from where you are living... and many years later.

It can be a very small world. 

If your daughter bumped into someone she went to school with in 20 years, and they asked what she'd been up to - what would she like to be able to say?

I had a tough time at school, but I've become fairly successful since (certainly more successful than my teachers or classmates would have expected) taking a somewhat winding path through education, and I've run into ex classmates and teachers in all manner of random places - as the saying goes "living well is the best revenge".

ButterCheese

We went through similar with my stepson, and still are really.  School and CAMHs were useless.  The saving grace was when he went to College and they were far more understanding, they gave him so many new ways to manage anxiety so as long as we could actually get him in, he did ok.  They were also able to give him a lot of the work to do at home via email.  And gave him numerous extensions to assignments.

So, maybe try to get her into college.  The hardest part is actualy getting them there.  When they see other people with e.g. mental health problems, it can seem less like they are the only ones.  Sadly it took hospitalisations for my SS to come under the care of a consultant pyschiatrist but there is more they can do when they turn 18 e.g. prescribing medication which they are reluctant to do under 18.  

So it might be a case of enrolling, even if she can't attend, and then the powers that be can't say you have not tried to keep her in education.