confused about benefits

[knowledgeofself]

up until recently i've been claiming jobseekers allowance. but i've had to take time off from signing on due to sickness from meds and also due to anxiety/depression. i'm not really fit for work right now and the people at my jobcentre seem to agree, technically they are saying I should apply for esa the problem is I applied for esa before and they said I didn't qualify,I went to a medical and ended up going to an appeal and losing. so i'm stuck in this place where I can't technically claim anything. its ridiculous! I know that I could just stick with jsa, but I shouldn't be on it, I won't be applying to any jobs. i'd just have to lie on the diary sheet to claim money saying that I am applying for work when i'm not. I had a talk with a person recently and they said try disability living allowance or social security. I rung up the number for dla and they don't seem to think I qualify and I can't find a number for social security, according to google such a thing outside of america doesn't exist
help?

 

[Remus]

Here's a helpful forum with people in the know:

THE FULL FACTS • Index page

 

[knowledgeofself]

^ thankyou remus

 

[Shambolic]

(Apologies for rant)
I have lost my esa medical. They have ruthlessly and callously denied me the support I desperately need right now. I was 100% truthful with the answers I gave at the medical and I have been awarded 0 points for my honesty.

I have always felt embarrassed that I was on benefits, but because of my underlying health problem, other than SA, it has made it very difficult for me to cope with life.
I realize there will always be a stigma to claiming benefits. If it wasn't for my family, and the fact I don't have the courage, I would have checked out of life a long time ago. But at the same time, there will always be those out there who will have a holier than thou attitude, who will look down on someone who is struggling to cope with life. And the thought of receiving financial support from that type of collective taxpayer makes losing my esa more bearable.

 

[Starry]

The problem with being 100% truthful is that it can make problems seem less severe than they are... You should be truthful, but at the same time make sure that you are stating how bad things actually are.

As an example, I know someone who has a moderate learning disability... They are entitled to DLA, a while ago they had to fill in a new claim form for some reason. Their mother answered it truthfully, but their social-worker said that it would have to be filled in again or the person would probably lose their money... Example... The person can cook a very basic meal for themselves, which their mother put on the form at one point... The social worker said that unless the person could cook meals for themselves every day and cook different meals to meet dietary requirements she should have stated that the person cannot cook meals for themselves, as they will look at the form and assume they can live to a standard which is not the case...

A lot of the time, it's about how something is worded. For example, on my ESA form, I said that I usually cannot talk with people who I don't know well. I had to fill in an appeal form.. I changed it to say that I cannot talk to people I do not know well and won the appeal... One word changed and it went through... Yet the sentence is the same, more or less.

Also, someone else I knew on Incapacity Benefit had to fill in an appeal, but didn't change anything, just said that they thought the decision was unfair... They won the appeal... Sometimes it depends upon who looks at the form...

If you really are entitled to ESA, then you should be receiving it and it's worth trying to get it.

 

[Remus]

Man that's crap Shambolic. That site I linked to gives help after you failed. You can still appeal the decision.

 

[Waybuloo]

Just a note to anybody dealing with ESA/Atos, act like they are the one on trial. Think of them as guilty before proven innocent. Because that is how they will treat you. I kept a folder of all letters/files sent and received and wrote to them of everything that was said, including requests for home visit and audio recording. Make sure there is a paper trail, because Atos, the private, profit seeking organisation will do their utmost to make it difficult for you to pass. Their interest is in failing you. Questions in the assessment and forms are designed to 'catch you out' and distort the truth.

Atos is an organisation that yanks disabled people around, making them stand up or sit for hours in waiting rooms even if they are in an incredible amount of pain. They pretend that phone calls conveying important information to help you attend an assessment never existed so that they have an excuse to cancel your payments. They never seem to receive your letters, unless you fork out money getting them sent recorded.

I fried the mo effers, they granted ESA after cancelling the assessment after I caught them out playing little games. I am so proud of myself.

 

[mikebird]

Disability Living Allowance has been a fuzzy area for me since 2005

Two friends have it as their only income, due to severe back pain; the other has the same thing as me: epilepsy.

I've been a stalwart of making my own progression to earning a good living. I have been failing to see my own failure, which is touted by my family and friends as something I can't control or change. It hurts. I fancy dumping my oppressive repetitive medication to flourish immediately to the person I used to be. I love a gamble. Phoenix gamble...

Completed a DLA form with my elder brother last week as the 'person who knows me' He says I should give up and live on this benefit. The form is a bit subjective for me, where all the weight is on the really old who can't cook, get into or out of bed, shower or bath, and can't walk, needing stuff like electric wheelchairs and the help of dogs for the blind...

Not sure if I'm eligible because I just can't speak to people or society. I used to. My body works

 

[Remus]

DLA is supposed to help you towards working, unless you are on the higher rate for severely disabled. It's prime function is for helping with mobilty. Maybe ESA would be better Mike until you feel sane enough and physically fit enough to return to work.

 

[mikebird]

Man that's crap Shambolic. That site I linked to gives help after you failed. You can still appeal the decision.

My DLA attempt is pending. I know the assessors' goal is to do anything slim possible to ban any claim!

That's life!

That's exactly, and much more prominent in my life, as I never have and never will give up on employment effort, as the chances deteriorates over time, with the same goal in mind as benefit claim assessors (avoiding fraud).

The task of rejection, for any hint of any shallow, narrow or tiniest margin of imperfection in a candidate, from step 1, is what a recruiter does.

One person lets me do what I can do, want to do, needs to do, providing the employer with what they need; I save the government some £$€