IntroductionIntroduction
If you are living with an anxiety disorder, the chances are that you will have additional needs. Your anxiety may have had an impact on your ability to work and consequently you may have suffered a loss of income. There are a number of welfare benefits and other entitlements which, as an anxiety disorder sufferer, you may be able to access.
Benefit rules are frequently complicated and often the forms you need to complete in order to claim such benefits can be difficult to fill in. For this reason, we strongly recommend that you obtain help and advice from either a Welfare Rights Officer, usually available within Social Services Teams, or based at your local council. There are also many advice centres in operation throughout the county. These centres can offer you independent advice.
Organisations & Websites
The following organizations/websites also offer helpful advice and information:
Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH)
www.samh.org.uk
SAMH operate a Benefits Advice Service, dedicated to providing advice to people living in Scotland with mental health and related problems. Use their information service for specific enquiries relating to mental health problems. Contact SAMH Information Service on 0800 917 34 66 or email info@samh.org.uk.
The website also contains some very useful sections on benefits and mental health.
Citizen’s Advice
www.citizensadvice.org.uk
Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB) offer free independent benefits advice. Many CABs also run specialist mental health projects.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/directgov/
Tel: 0800 88 22 00 (Free)
Textphone: 0800 24 33 55 (Free)
The DWP run a Benefit Enquiry Line which offers confidential advice and information for people with disabilities, their carers and representatives, about social security benefits and how to claim them.
Dial UK
www.dialuk.info
Tel: 01302 310 123
DIAL UK is a national organisation for a network of approximately 130 local disability information and advice services run by and for disabled people.
Mental health in the workplace
Mindful employer
www.mindfulemployer.net
Website that provides information on work and mental health and which aims to increase awareness of mental health in the workplace.
click here to download a copy of the ‘Mindful Employer’ pack
Disability Alliance Rights Advice Line
www.disabilityalliance.org
Tel: 0207 247 9342 Monday to Friday between 10.00am to 12.00 noon and 2.00pm to 4.00pm
ACAS
ACAS stands for Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service. They aim to improve organisations and working life through better employment relations. They help with employment relations by supplying up-to-date information, independent advice and high quality training, and working with employers and employees to solve problems and improve performance.
Whether you’re an employer or an employee you can get free advice from their website or by calling their telephone helpline.
Their website www.acas.org.uk
Call their helpline on 08457 47 47 47
Mon-Fri, 8am – 8pm – Sat 9am to 1pm
With the changes to benefits and Atos assessments, are people with bad agoraphobia being put in the ‘fit to work’ group? Do they have to attend meetings, interviews? I have to get a note from my GP to say I can’t attend an assessment interview in another city. Presumably t hen they will assess me on the basis of the form I’ve filled in. Just wondered how other people have fared and if they expect you to apply for jobs when you can’t leave the house most of the time. Any feedback much appreciated.
Hello,
For information about benefits and how this would affect you the best place to speak to is the Citizen’s Advice Bureau, you can contact them by telephone or online.
Thanks
I was looking more to find out what was happening, the trend, more than what the rules and regs are. Which category people are being put into. CAB won’t know that because they don’t decide that and there is no condition that is allotted to one category.
Interested to hear from anyone who’s been Atossed who has agoraphobia.
they said im fit to work even though ive had agarophobia since i was 19,{im 41 now} and im appealing against their decision! they wont visit you at home,i had to cancel first two appointments due to panic attacks,had to be accompanied there and back. the whole saga made me ill,dont think they realise how traumatic these episodes are for an individual sufferer!!
It’s my understanding that even with a letter from your doctor, most requests for a home visit for the ATOS medical assessment are refused.
It is only in the rare case that they are allowed, when people literally cannot walk.
I was advised on this from a third party and on being so I did not seek a home visit because a letter from my doctor costs £15 and it seemed a waste of time and money if the likelihood was that it would be rejected.
Do not expect ATOS or the DWP to treat you as your doctor would, they take a different approach.
Well they told me to get a letter from my doctor. I can’t walk now anyway as the muscle problem that started at Xmas has got so bad – can’t even walk five minutes without awful pain. I don’t want them to visit my home anyway but there’s no way i could get to Bristol from Bath at the moment.
I have recently been put off ESA and I suffer from Anxiety. I was threatened with my benefit stopped if I did not attend a medical assessment in another town approx 30 mins drive away. I have to dope myself up with pills and get my husband to take a days holiday from work to drive me there. I was then kept waiting and treated as if I was interviewing for a new job. They seemed more interested in whether I can walk 20 mtrs or take off my jacket unaided!!! When on my medical certificate for the last 6 months (I have worked for 22 years) was Anxiety.! Needless to say I am appealing the decision with the help of CAB and Welfare Officer and GP. Best wishes to you all
Hello all
I have just been dropped from ESA and am currently appealing the descision.
ATOS etc seem to judge your capability to work based on mainly physical aspects rather than mental health issues.
As I can hold a conversation and am not physically disabled I didnt receive enough points to qualify for ESA.
Although my crippling agoraphobia and anxiety has pretty much ruled my life for 10 or so years.
oh well.
Also, I was initially put on a back to work scheme which ment having to attend regular interviews in a town 10 miles away from where I live. Not the best thing for an agoraphobe without transport.
I appreciate that there are alot of folk with difficulties out there, but there seems to be no proviso in the current system for those of us who find it very hard to travel.
rgds
LoK
Hi all ,
I have an ATOS medical assessment on Monday at my home .I had to fight like mad to get it . I’ve waited since last summer to get the appointment. I am really worried about Monday .I have agoraphobia and cannot get to work .I couldn’t possibly get to a place of work and stay there and do it day in day out . I know i will have to really spell it out to them how bad it is.
I just wish that there was a way that people in my situation could actually do guinine paid work at home .It seems that this has never been considered as a alternative to employment for those of us who could benefit from working but not outside the home. The modern Era i feel of technology i would have thought made it easier to do this .
Any more thoughts anyone would be greatfully received .
Best wishes to all .
Bessie x
Hi , had the assessent . Although , it wasn’t the worse thing to happen ,I feel that the Dr didn’t write as much detail about my problems as she could and i questioned her about it . I had some read back to me . That’s why iam suggesting it wasn’t as detailed as it could have been . Heaven knows what will happen when the DWP adjudicator makes their decision ! I did end up getting upset and expressed my worries about it .
She told me should would put in her report that i was upset. She seemed to be a decent person but have i been lulled into a false sense of security about it . It is after all up to the adjudicator . Aparently appeals ask so many different questions about your problems etc.
Now there’s a wait of 4 -6 weeks to find out .
Good luck to anyone who is waiting or is due a medical .
Take care
Bessie x
Please read the Lotus Sutra interpreted by Nichiren Daishonin, best English by Burton Watson, it shows a better place to take in life. You can find it on the internet.
Hi all ,
I actually passed my med assessment. I have been placed in WRAG but i am actually looking forward to it . I feel that i can be helped .I have asked lots of questions about it and when i get to speak to the advisor i shall be asking them even more in order that they will listen and help me. I hope they will and therefore i will be able to move on .
I know most people want the support group but i feel i have a chance ( am i being conned !) so i will see what happens in the next few months and if i am still unable to function i shall have to start again . A risk i know but i am willing to try .
Good luck all
Bessie :)