Hello. has anyone experience of this situation?
Comments
-
Hi tanzy, you don't say where you are in the country there may be people in the voluntary sector who may support you at home, meanwhile you sound like an advocacy may be useful in helping you contact your local member or you could try local press while waiting for your post to bring a response from the scope community.
-
Hi LDnumberpain. Thank you for taking time to reply. I think I probably am ok without that support at home. as my son lives with me, Not sure what an advocacy is, but I do have appt. later in month with Cit.s advice. TBH, I would be very embarased to contact local press, although I can see that probably many people need to contact local press to highlight what I think must be a grey area for people having a rough time physically or medically. IE I do not feel I am disabled; in comparison to so many people who have severe conditions. I do however need some financial assistance to see me through this situation, but there seems to be no middle ground with how the government has set up the system of claiming some help. as a self employed person, I am not entitled to statutory sick pay, and I am not fit enough to claim JSA and look for work at this time and especially not after my knee replacement. which I think will take me at least several months to recover from, judging from the 2 keyhole surgeries I have previously had on knees. But the ESA and PIP seem geared to people, forgive me, who must be almost at deaths door in order to qualify. Its too black or white, with no shades of grey in between, no middle ground, so I am very worried indeed. I truly do not know how this government has been allowed to take such control of this country in such a mean spirited way.I don't think they have a clue how ordinary people live or try to live aka survive. In fact I don't think they want to know!
-
Hi Tanzy thank you for explaining your position a bit more may I do likewise by explaining that an advocate is someone who fully understands your position and is able to communicate in an effective way usually to your advantage to those empowered to help so they can be a valuable support when for example making an appeal many of which then succeed. You say you don't feel disabled that is exactly the sort of feeling the system highlights to your disadvantage. An advocate may suggest a different way of presenting your positive mindset in an appeal. The Citizen advice personal are excellent advocates for people in debt situations and can negotiate with Banks who encouraged people to take out loans with hidden add ons ect.
Many people who contact scope do so for the same reasons as you have done namely they are in a constant struggle with a seemingly inhuman Govt. system that as the teaching profession and hard working NHS staff also feel are in denial about the counter productive effects there economic ambitions are having on people in urgent need of support.
Yet the brutal truth as you are experiencing it is that at least one person with a serious heart condition has dropped dead on the street after visiting the local Job centre.
Having had some knee problems myself I can empathize with your frustration which in my case was as a result of an examination by a consultant surgeon who very quickly decided he could in his words 'do me a new knee' I thanked him for his suggestion which was the last thing I had in mind when I attended the appointment, I wanted a professional opinion about how helpful the exercises I was using to minimise my difficulty were. Being trained as a surgeon his now very past its sell by date view was that surgery was the only option for knee problems.
Here I am some years later I still have my sometimes irritating knee joint which helpt me make the decision to retire from heavy manual work in construction and try to get some educational qualifications to explore a change of vocation, I have been researching this for some years now.
Anyway be interested to know how you get on with your CAB citizen advice appointment and will leave it with you being as economic pressure is your main problem.
-
Hi @tanzy, you might want to also post in our 'ask a benefits advisor' section, as they may be able to offer some advice. Just a short outline of your situation and what you're looking for will do.
-
Sorry to hear of your plight. You definitely need some legal/benefits advice.
Check your council's website as they list legal advice...they may also be able to help you via your financial situation.
Write to the DWP don't call as the phone advice can be incorrect, and keep copies of all correspondence with them. When you post anything get a 'proof of postage' receipt from your PO, as that's free. If you don't already have them get letters from your GP, and any other professionals outlining your health issues, you will have to guide them on what you need stated, as the more specific the wording the better, doesn't need to be long just concise.
I understand what you mean re not seeing yourself as disabled, but that is what you are, and mental health problems are a serious part of that too, so just accept it for now.
You are heading in the right direction, but you will need patience as the process can be slow, but I hope all goes well with your appointment, and you get the help required. Best of luck!
-
Thank you Abnoba. I think I have now done all I can ie paperwork, and am awaiting postal deliveries of forms. I think the telephone conversation said I was entitled to the wrag group of ESA. I dont know whether that means I will recieve some money from them from the date I applied, or whether that means I will IF they accept the info on the forms I have not yet recieved. Or how long I have to be totally penniless! Seriously hoping they dont expect me to go to jobcenter for work focused activity- whatever that means, straight after knee op, as I wont be able to drive to my nearest JS which is 15 miles away, for ages. Thank you for advice and fingers crossed for me please! PS I meant I dont see myself as disabled in comparison to others who have far more serious medical issues than me. thanks again.T
Brightness
Categories
- All Categories
- 13.1K Start here and say hello!
- 6.7K Coffee lounge
- 72 Games lounge
- 386 Cost of living
- 4.3K Disability rights and campaigning
- 1.9K Research and opportunities
- 199 Community updates
- 9.3K Talk about your situation
- 2.1K Children, parents, and families
- 1.6K Work and employment
- 770 Education
- 1.7K Housing and independent living
- 1.4K Aids, adaptations, and equipment
- 589 Dating, sex, and relationships
- 363 Exercise and accessible facilities
- 738 Transport and travel
- 31.7K Talk about money
- 4.4K Benefits and financial support
- 5.2K Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- 17.2K PIP, DLA, and AA
- 5K Universal Credit (UC)
- 6.2K Talk about your impairment
- 1.8K Cerebral palsy
- 870 Chronic pain and pain management
- 180 Physical and neurological impairments
- 1.1K Autism and neurodiversity
- 1.2K Mental health and wellbeing
- 317 Sensory impairments
- 819 Rare, invisible, and undiagnosed conditions
Do you need advice on your energy costs?
Scope’s Disability Energy Support service is open to any disabled household in England or Wales in which one or more disabled people live. You can get free advice from an expert adviser on managing energy debt, switching tariffs, contacting your supplier and more. Find out more information by visiting our
Disability Energy Support webpage.