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SSS ADP Application for dysfunction relating to ADHD, Autism, Anxiety (incl agora) and OCD

LostInTheVoid

As per title, a few months ago I began my ADP journey having secured full LCWRA award.

CAB done my part 1 for me over the phone and SSS appointed me their own form fillers for part 2. The guy just asked me loads of questions about well everything you'd expect and I answered as honestly and earnestly as I could; however what was written exactly I won't know until I get a copy of the part 2 report which I'm guessing will be unavailable until a decision is made.

I've sent in loads of evidence all the way up from childhood (6yr old) to present day, loads of childhood NHS Camhs files, several childhood NHS psychiatrists, five different NHS Occupational Therapists and I uploaded each ones therapeutic report on me, I uploaded my psychiatrists reports from childhood and his prescriptions for ADHD medication, sertraline for depression and anxiety etc, I uploaded some relevant insititutional care home reports which detail self harm including me trying to commit suicide when I was 10, cutting my wrists and various incident reports of extreme violence, extreme childhood sexualized behavior and accounts of me being restrained everyday. I uploaded social worker case reports and reports from NHS chief medical officers, childrens panel reports, my psychiatrists diagnosis report diagnosisng me with autism and adhd.

So, I gave a pretty good account of my messed up childhood and then included supporting evidence from the present day which was my current adult social workers summary report, GP report, my substance misuse agencies report, my adult psychiatrists adult adhd diagnosis report from when he diagnosed me two months ago (two diagnoses of adhd!) and my venture trust outreach worker report and finally my UC LCWRA Assessors report for full award.

It's all explained in my part 2 of what I struggle with and how it affects me etc.
I also have a friend who brings me shopping a few times per week in his car in exchange for fuel money and takes me to appointments when I feel unable to go out myself. He also phones me daily and reminds me to shower, laundry, eat and take my adhd meds. He is not my carer and I've made that clear to ADP but explained that he helps me around 6-10 hours per week but the hours can vary although the help involved doesn't. They are free to contact him and verify this, although I'd guess this doesn't count for much?

So I guess I'm wondering what my chances of success will be? I'm finding it hard to judge....

I also worry about having uploaded my LCWRA Assessors report; although it accurately details my struggles as relayed to the UC asessor, I have a feeling that she will have worded things very differently to CAB who filled in my LCWRA application form, I haven't lied about anything but CAB use very particular keywords and know how to fill these forms in "dwp speak", and I worry that there will be a mismatch between CABs depiction of my disabilities and the UC Assessors.

For example CAB asked me if I know how to use a washing machine? I said "well as long as it's on the one setting I know, but I could probably figure out someone elses give the time", the CAB advisor sharply told me "No, you don't know how to use a strange washing machine, you wouldnt know how to use mine, would you?" I just nodded and agreed and thought well she might have a point but I'm not sure about this. I was just being honest and I'm worried that I can't remember if any washing machine question came up in ADP part 2, and what on earth did I tell them? does it match CABs statement? How many other contradictions might I be unaware of? I'm not a scrounger or a liar but I struggle to keep track of what CABs conveyed on my behalf and what the SSS agents conveyed on my behalf and then what my Psychiatrists report will have conveyed and if that contradicts in any way, am I overthinking this?

I'm also looking to build upto working two days a week in the future for the structure and routine if my anxiety gets under control but because I've informed them of my agoraphobia I'm worried that any employment at all in the future would result in a reconsideration and my ADP taken away from me. Any thoughts on this?
I do volunteering a little bit each week if and when I feel able but honestly? I don't even tell them about that cause I'm not earning money and I fear that could trigger a re-assessment of either LCWRA or ADP. Benefits are starting to feel like a trap as much as a freedom.

I'm feeling pretty worried now and not sure what to think.
Please give me your views.

Thanks

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Comments

poppy123456

No one can tell you if you'll be entitled to ADP because no one knows exactly how your conditions affect you. It's not awarded based on any diagnosis. I do know that backlogs are quite long for this and some are wating inexcess of 6 months for a decision.

As for working volunteering then you do need to tell UC that you're doing this because it's a change that does need to be reported, even though you're not earning any money. People do work and earn money whilst claiming LCWRA without any issues at all. You just need to be careful that the work you do doesn't contradict the reasons why you were found to have LCWRA. The same will apply for ADP if you're successfully awarded.

LostInTheVoid

poppy123456 said:

No one can tell you if you'll be entitled to ADP because no one knows exactly how your conditions affect you. It's not awarded based on any diagnosis. I do know that backlogs are quite long for this and some are wating inexcess of 6 months for a decision.

As for working volunteering then you do need to tell UC that you're doing this because it's a change that does need to be reported, even though you're not earning any money. People do work and earn money whilst claiming LCWRA without any issues at all. You just need to be careful that the work you do doesn't contradict the reasons why you were found to have LCWRA. The same will apply for ADP if you're successfully awarded.

IF I managed to get my agoraphobia down to a level where I could work two entire days with all the performance pressures that brings, and say this was a workplace job not WFH then obviously I'd have to tell them my agoraphobia had improved, and I'd be quite happy to, but I might still fall back and regress due to my ADHD/Autism and the anxiety, ocd and sensory and performance issues that come with this, so would they continue to take into account my other struggles and reassess based on their merits? or would I lose the entire benefit?

LostInTheVoid

Just to add to that: agoraphobia aside, any job I got in the future would involve necessary employer adaptations due to my significant struggles with executive function (planning, organising, time management) social interaction, emotional dysregulation (my historical workplace outbursts were harmless, but disruptive and could make people panic) and poor adaptation to change of processes or routines. I really hope they wouldn't heavily base it so heavily on just agoraphobia that any attempt at work outside the home would result in a revoked award, that's the opposite of what it's supposed to be about surely?

poppy123456

Working doesn't mean your conditions have improved. First thing to do is find out which descriptor qualified you for LCWRA. It's not awarded based on any diagnosis. With conditions such as your then there could be a few descriptors that apply to you, though you only need the one. You can see them here. https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/universal-credit-uc/uc-faq/limited-capability-for-work-related-activity

LCWRA is an ongoing award until a new decision says otherwise. If in the future you did lose this then it would only be that element you would lose, you will continue with your other elements of UC.

LostInTheVoid

poppy123456 said:

Working doesn't mean your conditions have improved. First thing to do is find out which descriptor qualified you for LCWRA. It's not awarded based on any diagnosis. With conditions such as your then there could be a few descriptors that apply to you, though you only need the one. You can see them here. https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/universal-credit-uc/uc-faq/limited-capability-for-work-related-activity

LCWRA is an ongoing award until a new decision says otherwise. If in the future you did lose this then it would only be that element you would lose, you will continue with your other elements of UC.

Thank you for educating me on the descriptor system, I wasn't aware of that.

The thing about potentially losing LCWRA in the future isn't that I worry I can't reapply in the future, but it's that without LCWRA the job centre would pile the pressure onto me to take unsuitable jobs and or more hours than I can work, I can only work 4 or so hours in one day, and probably no more than 2-3 days or I just burn out, I could possibly extend it a little depending on the type of job if I become functional enough in the future to work at all but I've experienced this in the past, I had my jobseekers cut a few times because I was pushed into jobs I couldnt work and then told to up my hours or be disciplined and when I burnt out and reduced my hours they cancelled my benefit. That extra 390 from LCWRA makes the world of difference and an increase from ADP would help massively too, losing my LCWRA would affect my QOL so much as I'm sure losing a future ADP award would, but with that said the idea of never working ever again even a little bit is beyond miserable and will destroy any self esteem, dignity and feelings of hope I have left.

I guess I'll need to figure out what ADP looks at and whether it too is descriptors.
I don't want a handout, I want a hand up! but during the times I'm unable to reach up, I don't expect to be stamped down.

LostInTheVoid

Btw I scored descriptors 9,10,11,12,13,14 on that LCWRA sheet

poppy123456

You can see the descriptors and points here for ADP. https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/asset-storage/production/downloads/28-25.-How-to-choose-a-descriptor-for-Adult-Disability-Payment.pdf they are identical to PIP.

LostInTheVoid said:

Btw I scored descriptors 9,10,11,12,13,14 on that LCWRA sheet

It's not about points and you only need the one descriptor. They may not have applied all of those.

LostInTheVoid

poppy123456 said:

You can see the descriptors and points here for ADP. https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/asset-storage/production/downloads/28-25.-How-to-choose-a-descriptor-for-Adult-Disability-Payment.pdf they are identical to PIP.

LostInTheVoid said:

Btw I scored descriptors 9,10,11,12,13,14 on that LCWRA sheet

It's not about points and you only need the one descriptor. They may not have applied all of those.

Well I've read my LCWRA Assessors report and it just talks about my struggles in a "bio-form", there's very little clinical descriptive that would point to any particular descriptor, all the the ones above COULD potentially apply. I can't read her mind.

poppy123456

I never thought you could read anyones mind. Towards the back of the report there will be recommendations, it will say which descriptor they are recommending you be found to have LCWRA for. It will also say the reasons why they are recommending that.