RA and benefits: Just wondering if anyone knows about... - NRAS

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RA and benefits

masymae profile image
16 Replies

Just wondering if anyone knows about benefits. I have RA and taking methotrexate for 6 weeks now. Since taking it and with the RA, I have been really unwell sick and nauseous, and have pain all other with horrible muscle aches. Still waiting for medicine to work. I'm on job seekers allowance so I thought I would tell the job centre about my illness, and to my surprise they wanted to stop my money and chuck me off job seekers allowance. Does anyone know what I should do, as I am sure I would not be able to claim for anything else at this moment in time. I cannot live on nothing. Thanks !!

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masymae profile image
masymae
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16 Replies
miss-scarlett profile image
miss-scarlett

hi

did they not mention pip/dla to you. or what about esa? look on direct guv website for more information about benefits, it tells you eligibility and how to apply.

direct guv is not the job centre website

good luck with getting help

anita

masymae profile image
masymae in reply to miss-scarlett

Hi, thanks for your reply. They did mention esa, but I don't think I would be entitled to it. I told the job centre that I did not want to sign off jobseekers allowance, I was just informing them of my illness and that I do feel unwell, especially when I have taken medicine, but they got really stroppy and threatened to stop my money there and then, even though I told them I haven't been signed off on the sick and would not be able to claim esa yet. They just wanted to stop money. I told them I had hospital appointment, not very helpful at all, thought they would have a bit more compassion

miss-scarlett profile image
miss-scarlett in reply to masymae

you get more money on esa and it lasts a year. at some stage you have an assement with the dreaded atos people who decide which group to place you in. support group where you are too poorly to work or the work related group which i presume will be similar to jobs seekers, but a bit more money.

apply for pip/dla this is extra money and does not effect benefits ie housing benefits or pip/dla you can even get it if you are working!

as i menioned if you can have a look at the web site i mentioned or speak to citizens advice

miss-scarlett profile image
miss-scarlett in reply to masymae

you get more money on esa and it lasts a year. at some stage you have an assement with the dreaded atos people who decide which group to place you in. support group where you are too poorly to work or the work related group which i presume will be similar to jobs seekers, but a bit more money.

apply for pip/dla this is extra money and does not effect benefits ie housing benefits or pip/dla you can even get it if you are working!

as i menioned if you can have a look at the web site i mentioned or speak to citizens advice

miss-scarlett profile image
miss-scarlett in reply to masymae

you get more money on esa and it lasts a year. at some stage you have an assement with the dreaded atos people who decide which group to place you in. support group where you are too poorly to work or the work related group which i presume will be similar to jobs seekers, but a bit more money.

apply for pip/dla this is extra money and does not effect benefits ie housing benefits or pip/dla you can even get it if you are working!

as i menioned if you can have a look at the web site i mentioned or speak to citizens advice

miss-scarlett profile image
miss-scarlett in reply to masymae

you get more money on esa and it lasts a year. at some stage you have an assement with the dreaded atos people who decide which group to place you in. support group where you are too poorly to work or the work related group which i presume will be similar to jobs seekers, but a bit more money.

apply for pip/dla this is extra money and does not effect benefits ie housing benefits or pip/dla you can even get it if you are working!

as i menioned if you can have a look at the web site i mentioned or speak to citizens advice

miss-scarlett profile image
miss-scarlett in reply to masymae

you get more money on esa and it lasts a year. at some stage you have an assement with the dreaded atos people who decide which group to place you in. support group where you are too poorly to work or the work related group which i presume will be similar to jobs seekers, but a bit more money.

apply for pip/dla this is extra money and does not effect benefits ie housing benefits or pip/dla you can even get it if you are working!

as i menioned if you can have a look at the web site i mentioned or speak to citizens advice

miss-scarlett profile image
miss-scarlett

sorry my pc stopped responding so i kept hitting send

masymae profile image
masymae

Lol, thanks for replying, I will have to try and claim esa, as I cannot pretend that I am well at the moment when I feel dreadful and sick all the time. I suppose I will need to get a doctor to sign me off sick if I can. After reading a lot of messages, I can see that people have a lot of problems trying to get pip and esa, and you cannot claim it for 3 months of being diagnosed. Its good this getting ill lark, aint it lol. You just get condemned for it, instead of a bit of help

miss-scarlett profile image
miss-scarlett

yes they don;t want to help us and make it very difficult. i have good and bad days, but more bad than good. yes you need to be off sick to claim esa at the beginning if you are working, or maybe you don;t need to be working and your doctor can still give you sick notes to say you are unwell. just tell everyone how you are on bad days, because we do get penalised for having a good day

you need a sick note from your doctor than you can go on esa

wishbone profile image
wishbone

I don't think they can leave you without any income...that said I wouldn't be one bit surprised if they try. Go to citizens advice to find out what you're entitled to.

EmmaS-NRAS profile image
EmmaS-NRASNRAS

Hi masymae,

Further to the posts above, NRAS has two publications on benefits - one is just simply called 'benefits' and the other is specifically on the Personal Independence Payment. Both can be found on our website or requested by post. nras.org.uk/publications

The Citizens Advice Bureaux should be able to help more generally on benefits or do give our Helpline team a call (9.30 to 4.30pm) and they should be able to talk you through what might be available to you.

Best wishes

Emma

masymae profile image
masymae in reply to EmmaS-NRAS

Thank you for your relply

earthwitch profile image
earthwitch

Go see the disability welfare officer at your local CAB. They are best placed to advise you.

Grymalkyn profile image
Grymalkyn

I had the same. Methotrexate never worked on me but only made me more ill. It doesn't work for everyone, get it changed :-)

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