Thought provoking article about MH Illness and the "new improved" Benefits system!

[BriarRose]

This does not make comfortable reading I'm afraid!

guardian.co.uk/commentisfre...

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This happened to me last summer. I had to go to a back to work assessment. I was having a bad day and was in two minds as to cancel it because i just couldnt get out the door, but i had to force myself out because my benefits would have been stopped if i didnt go. I got there feeling really anxious (bearing in mind i was not on anti depressants for my anxiety, i was coping without treatment but was seeing a cbt counsellor), the local drunk approached me in the waiting room at the assessment place, which made me feel panicky and stressed out. My name was called and i was asked questions for a tick box answer on a sheet of paper. I broke down crying a few times because i felt overly anxious and i was having a bad day. Anyway, i was deemed fit for work a few weeks later, and all my benefits stopped! I didnt know what to do, my rent went into arrears and i was getting letters off my landlord and eviction notices, i had 2 weeks to sort my arrears out or i would ave been evicted!. Council tax was building up and i had red letters from them. My bills were not getting paid and i had no money for food. Eventually, i got a letter through and was told i could go and sign on or appeal against the decision, so i did the latter. I got a job at a stables in October last year but with the stress of it all i had a nervous break down because my anxiety and nerves were so bad i could not cope with working there anymore and had to leave the job. I have to send in sick notes every 4 weeks to the dss and i get paid every 2 weeks. They took my incapacity benefit off me and nearly rendered me homeless through eviction. They dont even tell you what you should do when they do stop your benefits. If anyone is like me back then i could not read any letters or concentrate on anything or understand what i was reading and it was only my daughter who explained what i needed to do.

This government stinks! And there are going to be more people living on the streets because of evictions and MH patients getting worse

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O dear

This is terrible I really do feel for you , my heart goes out to you

I am not good at trusting I am afraid & take for ever to open up fully , if ever i do , I have a little wall I put up & nobody fully gets through it , not even hubby , think thats what I do to try & protect my self from pain as I no I can only cope with so much

But , I am on disability , mental & health problems 10 years plus now , before Christmas i got the forms to fill in have to now send them back , after everything I have read I do feel this is going to me the one that breaks me , I dont meen read on here , I meen you cant miss the news etc

I am in constant worry , I would never cope , i no people will say "you will" but some where in me I no just how much I can deal with & this feels it would be that "one to many "

My family have all been hard working & I have grown kids that I have pushed & encouraged in jobs etc "we are not scrongers " as sometimes I feel they make you feel "

Every one that knows me , knows i couldnt hold a job down , infact even get to one , again physical as well as mental illness , even my own GP would back that up , but I just dont feel I could cope if they were to call me in

I have sent a brief medical record in with my form , my full one would cost £50 & letter from gp £30 , I have been advised at this stage they dont take any notice of them unless you have to appeal , so the brief one would be enough , it does back up everything I have said on the forms & that only to me shows how honest I am as I filled the forms in before I got the brief medical records & they match up !

I am living in fear of this , it is making my physical problems worse as the more anxious I get the worse my pain gets

I am trying not to think about it the best I can , but its hard not to

Has any one got any positive stories or advice ???

I do understand people claim benifits that shouldnt be on them & its wrong , but when its genuine & they are sending people to the edge & some over its a disgrace , I sit & cry , as if I dont hate claiming as it is , never mind been put through this , sure helps to make me feel useless

I do hope I get through this , as if I allow myself to think , I feel I wont

whywhy x

[BriarRose]

Hi my sweets and lots of love xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

This is a comment on the Guardian article by someone who works as an adviser for the CAB, urging people to contact them for help. This is what they say:-

"And it's not just your friend or the patients mentioned in this article. I work as a volunteer adviser at the Citizens Advice Bureau and these ATOS assessments are one of our biggest headaches. The initial form ESA50 takes an experienced adviser like myself over an hour to complete and it is totally unsuitable for evaluating the fitness to work of people with mental health problems such as the patients mentioned in the article.

I had one client who had multiple physical and mental health conditions some of which were progressive, meaning her condition would only worsen. At her ESA appeals tribunal the judge said that the ATOS assessment had no credibility whatsoever. Another, a young man, who had one operation on his neck and was awaiting another. He had taken a letter from his orthopaedic surgeon, which stated that he mustnot work as he risked paraplegia, with him to his ATOS assessment and was simply told that they could not look at it nor take into account. He was found fit for work.

It is possible to claim ESA while appealing a decision but it is paid at a lower rate and often results in clients getting into debt.

Clients, such as those mentioned in the article, with serious mental health conditions, often do not take any action once their benefits are stopped and, as they also lose their housing and council tax benefits, are often reduced to penury by the time they come to us.

I would urge anyone who has to complete an ESA50 for themselves or family members or who has 'failed' an ATOS assessment to seek help from their local CAB, although this will put more pressure on our service. Our bureau has outreach sessions at many of the GP surgeries in the town."

Please, please, anyone in this situation, contact the CAB - they will NOT judge, they will NOT criticise, the WILL help!

All my love

Rose

xxxx

PS for anyone on Facebook, I have set up a page on there called "Reform the Work Capability Assessment"

facebook.com/ReformTheWorkC...

If you're on FB, please "Like" my page - we HAVE to stop people being tormented in this way!!!

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