Wow, so sorry to hear about that, Yellowted. Sounds like quite an ordeal to go through, as well, only to hear that they're going to try and force you into employment! Just what kind of work do they suppose you'll be able to do if things are sometimes so bad for you that you can't hold a pen to sign your name?!

It makes no sense what this government is doing, at all. I know that some people do take advantage of the benefits sytem, but now it's like they're calling us ALL cheaters. What worries me as well is that the jobs market isn't great at the moment -- I fear being put into a job against my will, that they deem me 'able' to do, but that could cause me crippling anxiety and depression. There are some lines of work I know I'm not suited for, it would just be too much.

My therapist helped me to fill in my form, and she said she will write me a letter if I need her to, to give her opinion of me not being fit to work yet. Is this the kind of thing you mean by 'reports' that you took with you? And they didn't even look at them?! Unbelievable.

If they're going to force you into work, I've simply got no chance. My mere anxiety/depression is going to mean they'll think I'm a proper scrounger. I have no way to prove them wrong. Before this happened to me I would have had no idea how debilitating it can be, but now that I have experienced it, I am terrified of being forced into a situation I am not well enough to cope with. I want to get better: I'm working with my GPs to try and find a combination of meds that works, and I'm going to see a therapist every week at my own personal expense -- because I WANT to get better, I WANT to work, but if I'm forced into the job market too soon it could be detrimental to my mental health. I've been slowly recuperating for some months, and I do not want to return to the dark place I was in that caused me to quit my last job. I did NOT want to have to walk out on that job. If I could have carried on working, I would have, BELIEVE me.

I'm really worried about being asked to attend this assessment. It seems futile. They're going to decide what they want to. I've been trying not to think about it, and perhaps I'm worrying prematurely, but it doesn't look promising, does it?

In a way, I feel the need to jump before I'm pushed -- to try and look for a job before I get forced to do something hideous. Kid myself that I have some kind of control. I suppose this is what they want. I hate that this is causing the desperation to set in again -- this is my LIFE, and I feel I'm being rushed into decisions that could be to my detriment, all so some politicans can make some good looking statistics in the short term, not looking to the long term effects on the affected people, or how long we'll manage to struggle on in our new jobs before being tipped completely over the edge and ending up in the hospital -- how much is THAT going to cost the taxpayer? That's if we don't all kill ourselves. But whatever, at least we won't be costing £65.40 a week in benefits.



Sorry to rant, I just find it all very upsetting!

Please do keep me updated as to how you go on, Yellowted, and if you're successful with your appeal.

Thanks for the link, Perna, maybe if the media and major charities vocally support those with illnesses and disabilities it might count for something. Here's hoping.