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Resident Bipolar · Mar 15, 2015, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Innerzone

Understanding systems can be hard, even when they're the ones in your own country -- and I don't think these larger things come into play in your immediate situation -- but just for my own clarification…
The Employment and Support Allowance. Is this what you have traditionally been on? Is it something that comes up for periodic review? If so, is there any reason you think your status within it might be jeopardized?
I get why you'd seek the help of the Work Related Activity Group if you didn't qualify for the support group. But you're already qualified for the support group. Is there something that impels you to seek the other? Just curious, as there doesn't seem to be any kind of obligation involved.

What are these exams of which you speak?

Regarding your partner… I wonder if maybe there's not a bit of projection at play there. Maybe he is having some feelings of guilt on his own account. Not to play Dr. Cyber-Psych, but it's a possibility. It might make you feel better to at least consider that his comment may not actually be a reflection on you.

You've pretty much understood everything exactly as I meant it. Sometimes it takes a while to get the important information out of me, in fact the difficulty of explaining my emotion, thoughts and personal situation has caused many a moment of frustration for myself and my psych. So sorry about that if I haven't been clear.

Employment and Support Allowance is what I've been on since my last major relapse, around a year and a half ago. It's like sick pay but it isn't paid by an employer, and it can be long term or short term. I've been awarded it until at least Feb 2016 but yep, it's a benefit that is reviewed but I don't believe it'll change until I'm judged fully fit to work by my psych.

The reason I want tto move from the support group to the WRAG is because there are schemes they make you go into if you are in the WRAG but if you're on the support group, they don't want to know. You're sort of untouchable because you're deemed to be somewhat of a "write off" and potentially a waste of resources if they feel I won't progress. Which we know isn't true - Bipolar doesn't render me, or anyone for that matter, permanently unfit for employment.

So basically I want to be moved into the WRAGroup so I can get help going back into work, which isn't available for me in the Support Group. The advisor I saw basically had the following attitude: "MMeh. You're not required to attend so why would you want to?" Well I want to because I want he'll finding employment stability.

See. There's a scheme, in which I was referred to years back but I never went to because I relapsed and was hospitalised. It's a scheme that has links with employers to get you into paid work, and they provide a lot of support throughout the process of settling in, along with a support worker to occasionally go into work with you to support you. I wanted to be referred to this scheme again, because I don't "hhave to" go to it, which meant he just brushed me off. Maybe because I'm not a statistic to be met if I'm in that group.

So if I was in the WRAGroup, id actually be forced to go into this sscheme instead of begging to go into it and bring turned down because I "ddon't have to". Hope that explains it.

As for your theory on my partner, perhaps you're onto something. To be honest, i dont think he fully understands. It's hard to emphasise until you've been there.