Reassment

charlie79

Im kind of not in a good place. Covid lack of support services and I know I'm over due a reassessment. I need support services when the paper work is to be filled. This is due to evidenced needed by professions dated with 3 months. 
This is due to accessing records for example police reports medical ect which need authorised personals to access the in a limited time. Which to emotional impact and way it impacts on my life. I would not be able to access these in time. Physically or mentally as reassessments deteriate my mental health and physically.  Also covid limits services available due to being house bout due to severe agrophobia
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charlie79

I dont leave my flat due to the severe agoraphobia so i am house bound

poppy123456

HI,

I'm sorry to hear this. I think a lot of people are struggling with support purely due to Covid. I know my daughter lost all of her support.

As for the reassessment, there's huge backlogs for the work capability assessment reviews so you may not even receive the form anytime soon, although no one can tell you for certain.

May i ask who told you that evidence needs to be dated within the last 3 months? Who ever it was, this isn't true. Providing the evidence you send states how your conditions affect you then it doesn't matter when it's dated from. I've sent evidence for my work capability assesment that's dated from the past 5 years and never had any problems. Actually my last review was just as the first lockdown began and i sent 1 piece of medical evidence and the rest was purely recent real world examples of exactly how my conditions affect me.

Sorry there's nothing i can tell you but there's nothing you can do until you receive the forms. When you do receive them advice agencies are offering support through phone calls.

charlie79

The problem is Poppy12345. They benefits system like your doing a college course. All the focusing on paperwork and there systems. The emotional and psychological stress can make you more of a victim having to relive things collecting the evidence, So much so the struggle to move on and better yourself virtually impossible from the impact it has your mental health. 

charlie79

My last reassessment they sent me a home appointment after my GP had instructed them i needed a home visit and my support worker would have to be present as I don't answer my door. Also i would need support with communication due to the mental state i get into someone coming into my home. Usually due to trust isssues people have to introduced slowly and only medical personel who know my information in cdepth and 2 friends who do my care enter. Quite complexed. On the back of the assessment form was a map and a letter. I called they checked and said i should of had home visit. The medical personel read my evidence and a paper based report was done as my evidence was all there to back my claim. They said the medical evidence should be dated within 3 months. May I was misinformed about the 3 months 

charlie79

I have a fear of the phone. I get so nervous panic at the slightest thing. I cant hold a long conversation and get confused.
Sorry to hear your daughter lost her support. I hope your both keeping safe this covid reminds us all. We care all spend 2 minuets of kindness. and 10 mins of understanding and time

poppy123456

I totally understand just how stressful these reviews are having been through them many times myself.

I can tell you for a fact that evidence most definitely doesn't need to be dated within the last 3 months, that's just ridiculous. If that was the case then very few people would send evidence in. When you had your last review, if you kept copies of the evidence you sent (which you should have kept ) then send this for your next review. Although this could potentially be quite while.

Do be aware though that face to face assessments are still currently suspended and telephone assessments have replaced them. If a paper based assessment can't be completed and they can't get enough of information through a telephone assessment then claimants will need to wait until face to face assessments are back up and running again and when that will be. i have no idea at all.

I am ok thank you for asking.

All you can really do is try to relax for now at least, although i really do understand just how difficult that it.

Take care.

Ross_Scope

Hello @charlie79

Happy new year, hope you're okay today.

I'm sorry to read that this is causing you stress, it doesn't sound easy to go through and I hope the advice given above by Poppy has been helpful for you. The benefits system can be confusing at the best of times, I totally get where you're coming from when you say it can feel like a college course.

Are you currently able to effectively manage your mental health? You mentioned that the whole situation is taking it's toll on you and I'm hopeful that you have support in place or coping techniques to relieve the poor mental health in the moments where it impacts you most.

If you need help with things like filling in the application, it might be a good idea to ask your GP about where you might find this help, I know others have had success in doing that. You could also ask a loved one or trusted support worker to assist you in filling out the form if you felt this was required.

If you want a friendly chat about your situation and to discuss possible steps forward, you might find contacting Scope's helpline useful. I know you said you struggle with phone conversations and that's fine, much like with the community you can always get in touch with them through typing via email.

charlie79

I understand Im not the only one, but the way they do this system for benefits actually keeps you more of a victim when you trying to progress due to the processes.

Waylay

Very much agreed!