How to move forward when very afraid!

Karen_08

Hello. I have ME and lost my job in 2019 due to my health deteriorating. In a nutshell, after several weeks off sick, the company (it is a small family run business) maintained that they couldn't make reasonable adjustments for me, so I felt I had no other option but to leave as I was getting more and more unwell. The legal process of leaving was very traumatic for me, my employer turned nasty and then withdrew contact. It got so bad that I developed - and still have classic symptoms of PTSD -(flashbacks, hyper vigilance, avoidance, paranoia etc). I live fairly close to where I worked and border on panic attacks and try to avoid seeing people associated with the company.

I am in the support group for ESA and I use part of this income fund private therapy, as well as general outgoings, bills, etc. My husband's wage alone doesn't cover all of our outgoings, but with my ESA, we just about manage. I am low and lonely without having work and a sense of purpose in life, and I feel trapped. I want to move forward and perhaps try some voluntary work online (I can't do a lot physically due to health).

My big concern is that if I start to do a few hours of voluntary work and/or consider paid work, my ESA will be taken away (just like my job was) and I very genuinely fear for my mental health (and also how my husband and I would cope financially) if that were to happen. My doctor has not been particularly helpful as I don't fit the 'classic' PTSD criteria, so I feel quite stuck and disbelieved. Perhaps I should raise this again, as even just talking with friends about their jobs can sometimes trigger flashbacks.

I would appreciate any advice about my situation, which I appreciate is quite complex. Thank you for reading if you got this far!

Ross_Alumni

Hello @Karen_08

Welcome to the community, it's lovely to see you join us and thank you for being so honest about how you feel, you've clearly been through a lot.

Do you receive any support at all from your GP for your mental health? Did you get any sort of counselling following what you went through with the past job? You referred there to them not being very helpful which I'm sorry to hear, but I'm just wondering if they support you at all with your mental health? If that remains a concern for you, you could try going to see a different GP, and there are always places like Mind that you can contact to access support for how you feel.

You can do permitted work when you receive ESA, this information page provides further details about the sorts of work you can do, and for how many hours. I think it sounds like a great idea, volunteering somewhere can help to build confidence and skills, so I hope you are able to find something you enjoy.

poppy123456

HI,

People do permitted work while claiming ESA but you must tell DWP that you're working. This can be paid work as well as voluntary. You must make sure you work less than 16 hours per week and earn no more than £143 per week. Providing the work you do doesn't contradict the reasons why you're claiming ESA then it should be fine.

Have you looked at the criteria for claiming PIP? Find the descriptors here. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/Global/Migrated_Documents/adviceguide/pip-9-table-of-activities-descriptors-and-points.pdf It's not means tested which means any other household income doesn't affect the amount you're entitled to.

Have you also used a benefit calculator to check entitlement to Universal Credit? Your ESA will continue as normal but your Support Group award will be honoured in UC and you'll receive the LCWRA element in with your maximum entitlement. Do be aware though that a claim for UC will end any tax credits you may already be claiming. Benefit calculator here. https://www.entitledto.co.uk/benefits-calculator/Intro/Home?cid=cacdb8e8-93a1-40af-a2d0-5ee83d6f6c7f

The standard element of UC is being reduced by £86 in October 2021 so do take that into consideration when doing the benefit calcualtor.

Karen_08

Hi Ross and Poppy. Thank you for your replies. I applied for PIP but didn't score anything and didn't have the energy to appeal the process. 

I think I need some extra help or at least understanding from my GP about my mental health. Because what you are both suggesting should be reassuring (and rationally it is) but I still feel this terror in my body about things being taken away if I do go back into some kind of voluntary or paid work. My job was literally taken from me, I am so scared that my ESA will be too.
Because of my health now, I wouldn't be able to go back to the work I did as it was physically and mentally very demanding. 

 I checked about UC before but because of my husband's income (which is rather modest) it said I wouldn't be entitled to anything. 

All of this feels very overwhelming and stops me from feeling like I can move forward. The trauma response is very debilitating and I guess perhaps I need to speak again to my GP about it, so that it can at least be on my records and highlighted at my ESA reassessment, whenever that comes. 

poppy123456

A GP wouldn't have any knowledge about benefits. When your review for ESA takes place they very rarely contact a GP or any other medical proffessional for any evidence. If they do contact a GP they are sent a tick box form to fill in and return but these forms ask for very limited information. Really the only person that knows your conditions is yourself.

Karen_08

Ah that's useful to know, thank you Poppy

MaisieBoohoo

@poppy123456
hi, can you do any permitted work in support group of ESA?
I thought you could not?

calcotti

MaisieBoohoo said:

@poppy123456
hi, can you do any permitted work in support group of ESA?
I thought you could not?

Yes you can. Read the link posted by Ross in the first reply.