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Permitted work, esa support group and reassessments

anthonyj1

Big Hi to everyone and especially to poppy, in these trying times,
And hope everyone is ok in these bad times, just a query to see if anyone has any info to this complicated question. Here goes....

Sister in esa support group, started permitted work aug 20,( agreed by dwp) little cleaning job in the evenings, working with her cousin who is the supervisor and doesnt have any contact with anyone else, which has been ideal as has major social anxiety, less than 16 hours weekly (approx 12 - 13 hours) is supervised and supported by her cousin. Has anxiety attacks before going to work, during work and takes alot of coaxing to get her there. Basically my sister would not be able to do this work without my cousin being there as supervisor and to provide support.
ESA reassessment is due, i presume so, as nearly 3 years since last assessment. Will this job go against her as she still has all of the mental activity issues and especially the question regarding activity about "uncontrollable epidodes of aggressive or disinhibited behaviour that would be unreasonable in any workplace" ....... my sister does have agressive behaviour that would be unreasonable in any workplace, but my cousin supports her in this little cleaning job and calms her down when she has these episodes. ..... Can i still include this on the form??? As she is working????

Any help or insight would be appreciated and of interest, other members must also be in this scenario
Thanking you all in anticipation of response big hugs to everyone xxx

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poppy123456

HI,

I'm not too bad thanks. Hope you are well too.

Re-assessments, well i can tell you that because of Covid they is huge backlogs all over the country so i wouldn't expect her to receive the form yet. I know they are concentrating on new claims at the moment and not on re-assessments. How long this will go on for i have no idea but all your sister can do is wait.

The good new is that Support Group is an ongoing award until a decision's been made on her next review.

When she is reviewed all you can do is fill out the form with as much information as possible about how her conditions affect her and yes this will include the addressive behaviour.

Hope this helps.

anthonyj1

Hi poppy,

Thanks as always for your quick reply, always much appreciated. So just to recap

no reasessments taking pkace at the minute because of the backlogss and
will still be able to complete the iquestion about behaviour whicd would be unreasonable in.any workplace dedpite the fact she is actually wotking ??

Many thanks and hope your well poppy
Xx

anthonyj1

And hi basket 123, PW1 sent in aug 20 dwp for permitted work and has already been agreed with dwp , thanks anyway for your response

feir

They've reassessed me twice this year for some reason. Your cousin could write a letter and you can send that in with the form, make sure to date it so they know the letter is recent.

poppy123456

As always, you are most welcome.

Reassessments are being done but new claims are being done before the reviews. Also those that returned their completed work capability assessment forms are continuing to be contacted with appointments for telephone assessments, where possible.

As she hasn't yet received the work capbility assessment form i wouldn't expect them to send this yet because of the backlog, although of course i can't tell you for absolute certain. The work capability assessment form is always the one that appears when it appears but there's less chance of receiving it anytime soon.

The 3 years you mentioned doesn't mean anything really because Support Group is an ongoing award.

Yes, she works but she can only do this with the support that she's currently receiving, if it wasn't for this then she wouldn't be working at all. Yes, details about her behaviour should most definitely be noted on the form.

poppy123456

basket123 said:

I thought , like with LCW you can work 16 hrs

That's not correct, sorry. When claiming ESA you can do permitted work BUT it must be less than 16 hours per week. If you work 16 hours then you won't be entitled to ESA and your money will stop.

@anthonyj1 sister has informed DWP that she's working and it's all above board, so no worries on that part.

anthonyj1

Thanks poppy very much, I think yout the most knowledgeable person regarding benefuts. Thus forum would be lost without you.

Just a quick one poppy, the exemption for future assessments for support group that came in, I think 2017, do you know the critetia for that?

Thamks

poppy123456

You're very welcome and thank you for those very kind words

The criteria for the severe conditions group is very specific and to be honest i've only ever heard of 2 people to be placed into this group. https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/sites/default/files/pdf/Severeconditionsguidance.pdf

More here https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/news/2017/october/guidance-work-capability-assessment-reassessment-published

Although if you were placed into the Support Group through regulation 35 i don't know if you can be placed into the severe conditions group.

anthonyj1

Thanks again poppy and thanks feir for your response about cousin writing a letter. I was thinking that also.

Another couple of questions or so ??? for you poppy, or anyone else.

Poppy you said that 3 years doesnt mean anything as support group is ongoing award, does that mean the award could last for a lot longer than 3 years?

Also other people have said permitted work triggers reassessment, do you know if this is true.

And last but not least and not sure if anyone knows anything about this but my sister is under the local community mental health team, who have offered virtually no further support apart from a support worker to come and go for a walk with her for 15 mins ot so every 2 weeks!!!! Its very difficult to get my sister out and she has find it hard to get a connection with her ( but she does find it difficult to connect with most people) and also the social worker from the CMHT is always quite abrupt with her and has pressured her to pay for private therapy as the NHS waiting list is approx a year to a year and a half!!!!
Anyone else had this issue and does anyone have any ecperience of what Community Mental Health Teams are suppossed to do?? As i think my sister is being failed but dont want to stir anything up. So am at a loss what to do

Hoping anyone can give advice ??

poppy123456

Yes of course it can last longer than 3 years between assessments, i've lasted 3.5 years so i'm proof it happens. Although, you can be reassessed anytime from 3 months.

Permitted work can trigger an early review, if the work you do contradicts the reasons why you're claiming ESA.

I don't know about waiting lists for other areas but my eldest daughter went through a very difficult time about 2 years ago and at that time the waiting lists for therapy was 18 months so she paid privately, infact i gave her some money towards the cost of that.

What support is available to you will depend on your local council and what support they think you need, if any. She can refer herself for a needs assessment from her local council, although whether they would come out to her house for this at the moment, i have no idea. I know in my area they are not doing home assessments for this at the moment.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/help-from-social-services-and-charities/getting-a-needs-assessment/

If support can be given then she may have to contribute to the cost of this but they will assess her financially for this.

anthonyj1

Thanks poppy, so it looks like this is the case everywhere then ??. Sorry that your daughters had a difficult time poppy, hope she's better. Its awful mental health isnt it poppy? My sister is crippled with her anxiety and the depression and she's just in an awful state all the time. I have contacted a couple of therapista/counsellers already, but it's good to know that other people are having the same problem and my sisters case is not an isolated one.

I will have a look at link you have sent. Do you happen to know anything about community mental health teams? And if so what their role is supposed to be exactly?

Also, you said that if the work contradicts the esa form it could trigger an eatly review, as my sisters permitted work is cleaing and basically she just stays with my cousin during work and basically just emptys bins and wipes a few desks could this contradict any of the mental health questions or the fact she has support and supervision confirmation of her mental health capabilities?

As stated previously she wouldnt be able to complete this work if it were not for our cousin and our cousin copes brilliantly with her as she has what we call 'meltdowns' more or less every day and at work where her anxiety just gets too much and has full blown panic attacks, so it has really been a blessing this little job to get her out of the house and just worried if anything jepordises it xx

poppy123456

You're welcome. She's much better now thank you. Had her first baby this year too, definitely made the year liveable. He's pure joy and nannies little sweetheart!

I've never had any experience with the community mental health teams, only the learning disability team for my youngest daughter. Other members may have more experience about that.

I would try not to worry too much about your sisters permitted work, it sounds very much like she wouldn't be able to continue to work at all if it wasn't for your cousin. I'm sure everything will be just fine when she has her next review. The majority of people are successfully placed into one of the groups without any issues, myself included.

anthonyj1

Thamks poppy for your reassurance, glad your daughters feeling better and congrats on thr birth of your grandchild, some happy news needed this year. Takr care poppy xx

poppy123456

You're welcome and thank you. Take care

anthonyj1

U 2 poppy and thanks agqin. Xx

anthonyj1

Hi poppy and everyone, another quick question to see if anyone knows.

My sister has the chance to exchange nearer to family, it is within the same borough/local council and as far as I am aware she is able to stay on ir esa and pip without being moved over to U C as its within the same local authority but have been advised her housing benefit will change to 'adjusted housing benefit'' does anyone know what this means please?
Thanks in anticipation

poppy123456

You've got me on that one, never heard of it. Is she privately renting or from social housing and how long has she been living at her current address?

anthonyj1

Hi poppy,
Its social housing and she has been there 9 and a half years.xx

poppy123456

Then it's not what i thought it might be so i'll have to pass on that one. Best thing she can do is ask her local council what exactly it is. Although her full rent should be covered anyway, unless she has any spare bedrooms.

anthonyj1

Thanks poppy, was I right with sayong that her esa would still continue aa its within the same authority?.