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We want to hear from you: please tell us about your experience of the online community.

Update

shellbell20

Sorry Guys I have been away from this forum for so many months, but my Mental Health deteriorated rapidly and I just had to take it day by day.

I cannot believe what I have had to do to defend my illness/disability but thus follows: a court case, claiming benefits and so many, many forms, not easy forms, whilst actually having a breakdown and being homeless, or being on warning to get a new place due to my illness and I have been so very, very ill. I am still not well, not even close to getting there.

However an update, my ex-employers denied I had a disability ( they should live my life for one day). I had to prove it, I collated doctors' records and sent them, I sent a Disability Impact Statement, they conceded. I told them I could provide a 150-page Mental Health report they said they didn't need it. Of course, they then said they were not aware I had a disability. although the termination email when they sacked me said due to your ongoing health issues, we hope you find a job to suit your needs, by the way, you're sacked and we can't do Reasonable Adjustments either or words to that effect.

So the saga goes on (could write a soap opera about it) and I now find myself fighting to be heard for Work Capability although I had applied for UC in November with full sick notes spanning 4 months. It actually took them 3 months to send out the form. And it goes on and on and on, but I am hanging in here.
I just wanted to say I so appreciate this forum in the time of my distress they were there for me they had my back, my health, my everything. I was reached out by total strangers with no agenda, just so much love. I now want to pass on any knowledge that I have gained during such a traumatic year and hopefully, help others.

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Comments

SueHeath

Morning - my name is Sue how do you do ha ha.

Your so right about this wonderful group, it's the best thing i've every done.

Sounds to me that you've had a hard time of it lately, think you've done the right thing in coming back to the group, at least you will be amongst friends and you may be able to help others as you say.

I look forward to seeing you around.

janer1967

Nice to see you back sorry you have had such a hard time recently and hope things start to get better

Ross_Alumni

It is indeed good to see you back on here @shellbell20, however of course it's a huge shame to read about what you have been put through.

Thanks for the update, I do hope that better things are on the horizon for you, and I'm glad that you have found the community to be a positive outlet throughout this time.

How is your mental health at the moment? And your living situation?

poppy123456

shellbell20 said:

I now find myself fighting to be heard for Work Capability although I had applied for UC in November with full sick notes spanning 4 months. It actually took them 3 months to send out the form.

In your case you should have been referred for the WCA on day 29 of your claim but they often miss this and do need prompting in some cases.

Most people have assessments so you should expect one of those. The worst part is the waiting because there's huge backlogs in most areas and some are waiting as long as 1 year.

I don't know if you're aware but you'll only receive extra money if found to have LCWRA. You can see the descriptors for that here. https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/universal-credit-uc/uc-faq/limited-capability-for-work-related-activity

The link also includes information regarding "substantial risk" which often applies to those with mental health. There's more information here regarding that. https://wcainfo.net/issues/substantial-risk-lcwra

You may also want to have a look at the PIP descriptors to see if you qualify for that. https://pipinfo.net/

shellbell20

Ross_Scope said:

It is indeed good to see you back on here @shellbell20, however of course it's a huge shame to read about what you have been put through.

Thanks for the update, I do hope that better things are on the horizon for you, and I'm glad that you have found the community to be a positive outlet throughout this time.

How is your mental health at the moment? And your living situation?

My mental health has not been great nor has my Menieres disease and my arthritis but I am taking one day at a time. As for moving, I have secured my own flat and just waiting for them to go in and sort out what needs repairing before I move in. I have waited an extra month as they are busier than they have ever been. For anyone interested it's a housing association called Places for People and you are not put on a waiting list. You simply go on to their website see a property you like, register for emails so you get them asap, and then register your interest in the property. It basically works on first interest is the person who gets the property. It's quite marvellous.

shellbell20

poppy123456 said:

shellbell20 said:

I now find myself fighting to be heard for Work Capability although I had applied for UC in November with full sick notes spanning 4 months. It actually took them 3 months to send out the form.

In your case you should have been referred for the WCA on day 29 of your claim but they often miss this and do need prompting in some cases.
Most people have assessments so you should expect one of those. The worst part is the waiting because there's huge backlogs in most areas and some are waiting as long as 1 year.
I don't know if you're aware but you'll only receive extra money if found to have LCWRA. You can see the descriptors for that here. https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/universal-credit-uc/uc-faq/limited-capability-for-work-related-activity
The link also includes information regarding "substantial risk" which often applies to those with mental health. There's more information here regarding that. https://wcainfo.net/issues/substantial-risk-lcwra
You may also want to have a look at the PIP descriptors to see if you qualify for that. https://pipinfo.net/

Apparently, a case manager referred me immediately, which is unusual but nothing. Then each couple of weeks I kept asking my work coach about it and they wouldn't do it although they had sick notes from the beginning that were 3 monthly.

I finally made a complaint and when they rang me they told me that it should have been referred but wasn't. Then the dept who deal with LCW and such rang me as I had forgotten my signature somewhere and I mentioned I had already waited 3 months before even getting the form and would I be waiting another 3 months or so, just to get an assessment. They said no as they had pretty much played catch up. I don't know if this is a true statement, but I do know they had a huge recruiting campaign back in September especially for PIP as I applied for a job and didn't end up getting it due to my anxiety and crying at the interview. That's when I knew I was not well enough.

I have applied for PIP back in January when the citizen's advice bureau who are helping me with my disability discrimination read my impact statement and saw the medical evidence, they suggested I apply. So I did and I did it online and the next day received a text and email to say it had been received

I will look at your link for mental health and thanks for sharing it with me.

shellbell20

Teddybear12 said:

Hi @shellbell20 I am sorry everything is so difficult for you at the moment. You are certainly a fighter. Please know the forum is always here for you. You can rant here anytime if it helps you. Good luck. Take care.

Thank you. I am so happy the forum is here for me, I felt the warmth immediately when I joined and the genuine concern. I will try to check in more often, just been bogged down with so much to do with court, benefits, and now moving. Not to mention the birth of my first Granddaughter in February Mone, pronounced Monet.

shellbell20

janer1967 said:

Nice to see you back sorry you have had such a hard time recently and hope things start to get better

Thank you, it has been exceptionally hard and at times I have felt like giving up, but I am taking the medication and trying to take one day at a time, that is all I can do right now.

shellbell20

SueHeath said:

Morning - my name is Sue how do you do ha ha.

Your so right about this wonderful group, it's the best thing i've every done.

Sounds to me that you've had a hard time of it lately, think you've done the right thing in coming back to the group, at least you will be amongst friends and you may be able to help others as you say.

I look forward to seeing you around.

Afternoon, nice to meet you!

I admit it has been so hard, like a long dark tunnel that never ends. I had to leave the group as I just couldn't keep up with the messages at the time, having really severe dizzy spells, and to be honest, I only scanned the messages didn't absorb them as I find it hard to read correspondence with my anxiety, but the edge is a little of my anxiety sometimes, still not going out as I get terrible panic attacks and still very depressed, but one day at a time and hopefully the sun will shine once more. Thanks for your lovely greeting.