Work Capability Assessment

Alex_Scope said:

I'm sure he won't get into trouble @shellbell20 it's positive to hear that he was nice, it really makes all the difference when we feel anxious about something  

Well done for getting through the assessment, that's the hard part done and dusted, so well done! Hopefully you won't have too long a wait, but feel free to reach out for support if you need it while you wait, and let us know when you hear more.

I wish you all the best for it, and I hope you're enjoying the weekend.

Alex

Thank you for your support, I really appreciate your kindness.  I know it sounds strange but I am now second-guessing it all. The threshold mentioned could be one of two groups. I realise though this is just my anxiety, I worry all the time about everything. What I do know is that I am not ready to work or even search for work just now, so I will be doing an MR if needed. However, I am hoping that one day I will be well enough to go back to work, just not to the same type of job as I can never put myself in that situation again after what happened to me and how subsequently it had a profound effect on my MH. I will discuss it with my counsellor tomorrow when I start my counselling sessions once more.  

Alex_Scope said:

I hope those sessions will be helpful for you @shellbell20 they sound like they could be a real benefit for helping to manage your worries and anxiety Good luck for tomorrow, but I don't think you'll need it!

I just woke up literally, not a great night's sleep with my anxiety.  I have received an email from UC. It said I had to sign in to acknowledge my work commitments, when I signed in there was a letter which said I don't need to look or prepare for work and that I would get £343 extra per month. I thought the amount had gone up, or perhaps it's an old letter that hasn't been updated with current rates. I know that any backdated amounts will be with the old rate and from April I think the new rate will apply.  I still had to tick the box for commitments though. I also have no idea how long this will last, as I can see no expiry date or next assessment date like I did with my PIP award.  Anyway, now I can breathe a sigh of relief that I don't have to worry about interviews and perhaps start the healing process to recovery.  

poppy123456 said:

That’s good news. The extra money isn’t paid at all for the first 3 full assessment periods after you reported your health condition. It’s then paid from the 4th month of your claim, providing you sent for notes without any gaps until the decision was made.
When it’s paid from will depend on what date you reported your health condition and what date you usually receive your payment each month.
The extra money is £354.28/month which was the April increase but this won’t apply until at least mid May, depending on your assessment period dates. 
There’s no timescales on the WCA decision letters because it’s an ongoing award until a new decision says others. 

Yes commitments still need to be agreed too, which would only be to report all changes.

Thanks, Poppy and yes I sent three monthly sick notes in since making the claim in November but I had sick notes before I even claimed which I know won't count but I needed them due to an ET at the time.  I didn't miss any gaps because UC would remind me three times that a sick note was due, so I kept up with them.  I find it strange I must admit that they don't have a date for reassessment or end date for the award on the letter. Do you know the "average time" for another assessment or is there no such thing? 

poppy123456 said:

So your first payment would be either March or April depending on the exact dates of your assessment periods.
There’s no end date like there is for PIP because it’s an ongoing award until a new decision says otherwise.
Theres no average timescales because everyone is different. Some have a review after 1 year, some have them after 18 months and others have longer times.
When it’s time for your review you will receive a letter on your journal telling you they are referring you for another WCA.

Thanks, Poppy, looking back on the comments in the forum they have a lot of catching up to do. I am just very grateful they made a decision quickly as my assessment took place on Friday and the decision was made this morning.

L_Volunteer said:

@shellbell20 How have things been for you more recently? I appreciate it has been a little while since you last posted on this thread now.

I want to make sure you have access to the support you need and deserve but I am also aware that things might have changed since.

Please don't hesitate to let us know if we can do anything to help. We are all here for you 

Sorry for my late reply, but I have been undergoing a new set of problems that has just overtaken my life. It started I was moved into a flat, in late April,  as my son was leaving to go to Japan so I needed to find a place for myself and my cat.

Oh boy, I wish I had never moved into this awful place. It is full of dampness, it has a wet room that floods and asbestos, the kitchen has low down units for someone in a wheelchair, and it is 40 years old, I cant access my cutlery as the washing point has blocked the drawer, cupboard and also taken away half my worktop. I was not informed of the asbestos until after I pressed a green button to accept my tenancy, nor was I told my neighbour punched a pregnant girl in the stomach, and harassed a 72-year-old until she died of cancer or that he had been to court in 2019 for antisocial behaviour towards with a year's conditional discharge and then was in court for the same thing a month before I moved in.

Not to mention the neighbour from hell who is a drug addict and a nasty drug addict, who abuses me daily, he likes to bully women, vulnerable women. The housing association didn't tell me about him nor the asbestos. They are so discriminatory in every way that I am seriously thinking of taking them to court. When I went to sign my contract they said I had to do it on the phone. I said I can't do that as I have very poor eyesight. I am  under an optician who is monitoring whether I have macular degeneration or not. I asked if I could bring my laptop and then I realised I wouldn't have any internet, they said don't worry just press the green button. I didn't know that when I was pressing the green button I was acknowledging and accepting an asbestos report, it subsequently went to my emails where I was then able to read it. I complained that I would have never have accepted the tenancy had I known, they said that is how the tenancy agreement is done nowadays and most housing associations do it that way.

A couple of months later I said I wanted to move as the neighbour is causing my mental health to decline rather rapidly. I requested a two-bedroomed house so my carer (sister-in-law) could stay with me for a few days being depressed they said two-bedroomed houses are for families. I had already made a complaint about everything, not discrimination but everything that has happened, now they are asking why I want a 2 bedroomed house when I had already advised them I was in receipt of pip and have a carer.  The more I think about this the more I believe it is discrimination and the more I am inclined to start court proceedings, it's not just disability discrimination I feel it's also age discrimination.  

Every day I am being abused by a mad man, I go to bed and my bed feels wet and damp. I have to record a diary each day and submit all the videos of the abuse. He actually physically assaulted me this week by banging my arm as I took a cottage pie to a neighbour I have, that I had made for her and her husband.  Then this week a neighbour on the other side [Removed by moderator]. He died I think, as the police found notes because of worry about his utility bills. Less than 24 hours later and 500 yards away from my neighbour a young woman in her 40s was also found dead, not sure if that was suicide or an asthma attack, [Removed by moderator] I am reeling from it all right now. However, my counsellor is ringing me on Monday thankfully, she is aware of how I feel right now, pretty low.  

Thank you for asking how I am, I appreciate it, sorry I can't be more positive right now. I wish I could share light rather than sadness. Sorry this reply doesn't make much sense to read, just finding it hard to focus. x