Hi, my name is sarah2024! JSA. can I ask for the fit note to be longer this time?

sarah2024

Hello everyone, I have a few questions if anyone would be kind enough to help me, not sure if I’m in the right forum for the kind of help looking for , it’s about benefits and health,I will try my best not to be confusing with this, basically I am on Jsa and I’m currently sighned off by my gp for 2 months it runs out in a few days and I have to get this renewed question 1 is can I ask for the fit note to be longer this time or is it just down to the gp to decide how long he’s prepared to do the note for, also I am now being asked to change over to universal credit, I am worried about the changeover because of the being signed off work side of things and putting it in the form, my work coach says that I am to just put down only the things I have been signed off work for and nothing else. I was signed off for anxiety and for tinnitus, I am waiting for my referral for ENT for the tinnitus and have been waiting so far around 3 months, and for the anxiety I was referred to talking therapy and have only had the one session so far I chose to try this over meds as been on meds in the past when I was diagnosed with gad in 2014 but thought I would try the talking therapy option my worries are that the work coach is pressurising to change to universal credit and I’m worried because I haven’t seen the doctors at the hospital yet for the tinnitus then I won’t have sufficient evidence about the condition to use with any additional forms they will send me after I’ve compleated the universal credit forms I’m thinking they are going to send me a questionnaire on work capability’s and I need points to pass it and also medical evidence as well as the fit note to upload …. But I have not had my ear nose throat appointment or formal diagnosis yet …. And like I said before the work coach is pushing me to do it now

Also she said I’m only to put down what I’ve been signed off for and nothing else

I do have type 2 diabetes my work coach says isn’t something that would prevent me from working

And also I’m being seen about a Duputrens contracture in my hands the doctor didn’t use the Duputrens in my fit note

Although it does cause my some problems with dropping items and awkwardness my left hand has the middle finger starting to pull down (it’s still relatively straight but is tightening down

I didn’t ask the doctor to put my hands into the sick note as I just don’t know what is classed as enough of a problem

From what I’ve said can I claim anything extra for the health side of things on universal credit And am I a candidate for pip or am I not really entitled to any additional help at all

I’m so sorry if none of what I’m saying makes any sense

If I am entitled to claim then how do I pass the requirements

Also my work coach keeps having me into the office for a chat even this I’m signed off on a sickness period with a note

She also thinks she is a gp and isn’t very discreet when I go in she is very loud she say in a loud voice so how’s your mental health ….. and I’m like can you say that a bit louder upstairs didn’t quite here you!
also I was really annoyed as the person she saw before me she was talking to him about his hands and the fact he has a Duputrens too and she told him I had it also When I sat down she said I was going to introduce you both so you could have a chat …. I said no I would not want to do that !

Please can anyone help with my situation as I’m at my wits end :(

Also do I need to be on tablets for the anxiety as I’m assuming once I’ve completed talk therapy they will assume as if by magic I’m better !

Thankyou so much to anyone who feels they have the answers 🙏

poppy123456

I’m assuming the JSA is New style, is that correct? If so then New style ESA would be a better benefit for you.

You can still claim Universal Credit alongside that but the ESA will be deducted in full from any UC entitlement. See link for New style ESA https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-style-employment-and-support-allowance

To claim this you’ll need to provide a fit note.

UC is a means tested benefit so if you live with a partner you will need to claim with them. Entitlement will then be based on your joint circumstances. If you have capital of more than £16,000 you’re excluded from claiming.

If you claim UC you will need to report your health condition and provide a fit note.

For PIP whether there’s any entitlement will depend on how your conditions affect you. It’s not awarded based on any diagnosis. There’s some information in the links provided.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/Global/Migrated_Documents/adviceguide/pip-9-table-of-activities-descriptors-and-points.pdf

It may also be worth you getting some advice from an advice agency near you. https://advicelocal.uk/welfare-benefits

sarah2024

hi, thanks so much for your response I really appreciate any help you can advise, I think I must be on the old style Jsa legacy benefit, not contributions based, I’m single with no savings I don’t own a home

And also I was told to only put on the form for universal credit the conditions my doctor signed me off for and nothing else

Even tho with my hands (the Duputrens contracture it causes clumsy ness and will prob cause more problems for me in certain ways

I really don’t know much about areas of the benefits system at all it’s so confusing

But thankyou for replying and for the links

sarah2024

when I claim from old style Jsa and go over to universal credit

Do I just report the health that the doctors put on my sick note

Not any other health conditions …. Is that correct

Also will I have to them fill out additional forms because of work capability and do I have to them have an assessment?

poppy123456

As your JSA is income Related then yes it will be UC that you need to claim. Please ignore the advice about New style JSA because you won’t be able to claim that because you haven’t worked in the previous 2 tax years.

When you claim UC you will need to report your health conditions. It will then ask you if your conditions affect your ability to work so you will answer yes. You will then need to provide a fit note within 7 days and continue to provide them without any gaps until a decision is made on your work capability assessment.

Usually from day 29 of your claim they will refer you for the work capability assessment. Once this is done you’ll receive a letter on your journal. You should then expect the UC50 form in the post in a few days. You will need to make sure you fill it out and return it.

An assessment is most likely because most people have them. If you’re found to have LCWRA you’ll be entitled to extra money from the 4th month.

See link for information. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-if-you-have-a-disability-or-health-condition-quick-guide/universal-credit-if-you-have-a-disability-or-health-condition

sarah2024

thankyou so much for getting back to me I really appreciate the time you’ve taken to help me, just to clarify and sorry to be a pain but is there a section on universal credit form where you list all health conditions or is it a section where you just put the ones that effect ability to work

Because as I said before I was signed off with anxiety and tinnitus

But the other conditions I have are type 2 diabetes and Duputrens contracture I wasn’t signed off for the diabetes or hand problem but I do have an open appointment for my Duputrens contracture with the orthopaedic place because I can’t decide what to have done regarding an op so I have till dec to decide

But my hands do cause me a few problems with grip and dropping things and I thumk it might cause me to not be able to do certain jobs like keyboards because of positioning of my fingers and jobs that inlueded breakable objects like bar work with glasses or jars So there is limited capability there but my gp didn’t put this as a resin on my sick note

Could I ask my gp to include this in my next sick note or is this a condition that is not a Reason enough to say I can’t do certain jobs

Thanks again and really do appreciate your time helping me

poppy123456

As I advised, it asks you if you have any health conditions and this is where you put them down.

A fit note isn't evidence that you have limited capability for work so it doesn't really mater what it says on them.

When you receive the UC50 form it will be this that you'll need to tell them everything. Please remember though, it's not awarded based on any diagnosis.

sarah2024

thankyou so much for all the help you have provided. Very kind of you to take the time to reply to me.

sarah2024

how long from start to finish does the change over from Jsa usually take, my letter I received states I must do it by dec 19th

I was worried about the cut off point

I was told there would be a last payment of Jsa after the form goes in

But I was worried about the time it takes as obviously everything will go up in the air regarding keeping up to date with bills

Kimi87

You must claim UC before the date on the migration letter.

After you claim UC, the JSA ends immediately.

You will get one final JSA payment two weeks after claiming UC, and your first UC payment 3 weeks after that.

sarah2024

how can I score 15 points for anxiety and tinnitus on the universal credit limited capability for work

I’ve not changed over from Jsa to universal credit just yet, but am soon to do the forms

And I know I will need to score 15 points

What descriptors could I use

I really don’t have a clue how to get 15 points :(

poppy123456

15 points apply to LCW and you will not receive any extra money each month for that. For extra money you need to be found to have LCWRA and for this you only need 1 descriptor to apply. You can see the descriptors for this here.

https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/universal-credit-uc/uc-faq/limited-capability-for-work-related-activity

I'm afraid I can't tell you which descriptor may apply because I don't know exactly how your conditions affect you. It's not awarded based on any diagnosis.

sarah2024

hi, with regards to me doing my universal credit application, is it worth me waiting a bit longer to do it as I’m still waiting on my appointment for my ENT appointment, I know it has been advised that any award would not be because of any diagnosis but what about providing additional information other than my sick note from my gp as I’ve only been to see the gp and told him my symptoms and then he referred me, but is it worth waiting to find out what’s causing the tinnitus also if they class it as perminent or if anything can be done , and the type of tinnitus it is , any treatments and some kind of supporting letter to my gp from the hospital

Or is a sick note going to be enough supposing eveidence when it comes to the uc 50 and any assessment

Also is a history of anxiety and depression and past medication evidence

Also I am in the beginning of talking therapy’s and cbt

But I’ve only been to it once so far so they wouldn’t be able to do a report in suppport for me as only had one session

My universal credit needs doing by dec 19th

I’ve been waiting 3 months so far for my referral for ENT

Thank you so much

To all the people on hear that give advice and spare there time to answer and help people! You are all wonderful people with a heart of gold

poppy123456

How long have you been providing fit notes for JSA? The maximum amount of time is 13 weeks so once that is up you won't be able to provide anymore and you'll need to claim UC if you're unable to look for work for JSA.

For the work capability assessment for UC you will be referred for this usually 29 days after you provided your first fit note. Once a referral is made you will receive a letter on your journal and you will receive the form in the post a few days later. You will have 1 month to return it by.

I think either way, you'll need to claim UC and just continue with the WCA. Send any evidence relevant evidence you have and this can include letters from someone that knows you well and a diary written by you.

Other evidence comes from what you write in the form. Make sure you include as much relevant information as possible about how your conditions affect you. Make sure to include a couple of real world examples of exactly what happened the last time you attempted each descriptor that applies to you. Include detailed information such as where you were, what exactly happened, did anyone see it and what the consequences were.

Please do not pay anyone for any evidence, especially your GP because that isn't the best evidence to send.

sarah2024

Thank you for your reply, I have sent in one sick note for the past 2 months, this runs out tomorrow

poppy123456

You're welcome. That means you have about another 5 weeks, which runs to just before you need to claim UC by.