I'm 1234adam! I struggle with my mental health, how do I get assessed + am I eligible for benefits?

1234adam

Hi iam looking for advice please, I would like some help finding my next steps I suffer from mental health issues that have now caused me to have to leave my job and it is impacting my family life now as well as causing me to be withdrawn and disconnected from day to day activities.
I have been getting treated for depression and anxiety on and off over the last five years but i really do think I have something else underlying, how do I go about being assessed properly for mental illness because my doctor just giving me the same treatment ie change medication go for blood test and still not improving my mental condition if anything it’s causing it to decline.
so has any body been through this ? 

How do I go about getting assessed properly?
Would I be entitled to any benefit because  it’s stoping me from being able to work ? 

Thank Adam 

poppy123456

What assessment are you thinking of?

Regarding benefits, are you currently claiming any benefits at all? If you left your job what have you been living off since then?

1234adam

To find out what my mental health issues actually are, and no iam not claiming anything and saving 

poppy123456

You would need to speak to your GP again regarding that because they will be able to make the referral.
If you’ve paid the correct amount of NI contributions in tax years April 2019 to March 2021 then you can claim New style ESA. You will need a fit note from your GP to be able to claim this. It pays £77 per week for over 25s.
You can also use a benefits calculator to check entitlement to Universal Credit. If you live with a partner you’ll need to claim as a couple and your joint circumstances will be taken into consideration. If you have savings/capital of more than £16,000 you’ll be excluded from claiming.
If you claim both the above together the ESA will be deducted in full from any UC entitlement. https://www.entitledto.co.uk/benefits-calculator/Intro/Home?cid=0abc428d-9e46-45f8-b629-a0347e37398d

If you claim UC you will need to report your health condition supported by a fit note within 7 days.

Cher_Alumni

@1234adam Hello and a warm welcome to our online community, how's it going today?

I can see Poppy has helped in relation to your benefits query. You can use the Turn to Us Benefits calculator to check your entitlement to Universal Credit. 

With regards your mental health, I'm sorry it's been a bit of a struggle and you feel that there's something underlying. I can understand you wanting to explore this in more depth and visiting your GP is a brilliant starting point. Otherwise, I wondered if you had ever been referred to your local NHS psychological therapies service? This is commonly a route to talking therapy such as counselling or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy however as part of the referral process you would undergo a triage assessment where it would be identified what kind of service and treatment would best meet your needs. You can self refer via this NHS website or through your doctor. Would you consider trying this?

Just to add, I've tweaked the title of your thread to help others better spot it and understand what it's about

Take care and please ask away with anything else that might be on your mind. 
 

1234adam

I have been placed on talking therapy before but that was just for anxiety and depression they said I would have to contact doctor with regards to my concerns with it being something else so I was removed from the list. I have spoken to my doctor on numerous occasions but it has become frustrating because it feels like I just get palmed of and told to try different medications that makes thing worse because it’s not fixing the problem it’s just prolonging it.

I will look on nhs site and refer myself I was not aware this was a option.  

 

Thank adam

Cher_Alumni

@1234adam I hear what you're saying and the frustration that accompanies it. If you feel you're being palmed off, it could also be worth asking to speak with another doctor at your GP practice for a second opinion or looking into changing GP surgeries altogether. Your health is a priority and you have to follow your gut instinct when you feel that more could be done. 

Please keep us updated with how you get on and if we can be of any further support, just give us a shout. Take care.