[Neptune83]

As I'm sure those of you here in the UK know, the government are changing over those who receive incapacity benefit and others are being swapped over to employment and support allowance. I got a letter through the other day saying I'd be swapped over soon and to expect a phone call. There's all these rules about having to go to interviews and such which quite frankly are terrifying me! As much as I'd love to have a career I know I'm not stable enough right now and I wouldn't be reliable enough. I don't see any employers offering you a job where you can take as much time off as you need if you have a bad spell.
The other thing that really concerns me is on paper I'm diagnosed as having bipolar and BPD. I strongly disagree with the bipolar and I have asked and asked for a second opinion but no one seems to do anything. I'm assuming I need to be able to explain exactly why I cannot work at the moment, but how do I do that without a proper diagnosis? Can I just simply explain my symptoms and how it hinders every day life or do I have to prove it with a firm diagnosis? I'm not going to lie and tell them I agree with the bipolar diagnosis when I don't because that isn't right. But I don't want to screw myself either and end up forced into work when it's not the right time. That would have serious consequences not just to my health but it would affect my family as well if I was employed then suddenly not. We'd have no money to live on!
I'm not sure how to explains to them when they call. There doesn't seem time to get a diagnosis that would be more self explanatory because they're calling in two weeks.

[Dionysius]

Originally Posted by Neptune83

As I'm sure those of you here in the UK know, the government are changing over those who receive incapacity benefit and others are being swapped over to employment and support allowance. I got a letter through the other day saying I'd be swapped over soon and to expect a phone call. There's all these rules about having to go to interviews and such which quite frankly are terrifying me! As much as I'd love to have a career I know I'm not stable enough right now and I wouldn't be reliable enough. I don't see any employers offering you a job where you can take as much time off as you need if you have a bad spell.
The other thing that really concerns me is on paper I'm diagnosed as having bipolar and BPD. I strongly disagree with the bipolar and I have asked and asked for a second opinion but no one seems to do anything. I'm assuming I need to be able to explain exactly why I cannot work at the moment, but how do I do that without a proper diagnosis? Can I just simply explain my symptoms and how it hinders every day life or do I have to prove it with a firm diagnosis? I'm not going to lie and tell them I agree with the bipolar diagnosis when I don't because that isn't right. But I don't want to screw myself either and end up forced into work when it's not the right time. That would have serious consequences not just to my health but it would affect my family as well if I was employed then suddenly not. We'd have no money to live on!
I'm not sure how to explains to them when they call. There doesn't seem time to get a diagnosis that would be more self explanatory because they're calling in two weeks.

Have you been to an "assessment" by Atos yet?

[Neptune83]

No, all I've had was a letter saying I'd get a phone call first then the rest to follow. It's pretty daunting. I think because mental illness is harder to prove so I always feel like people think I'm making it all up.

[Dionysius]

Originally Posted by Neptune83

No, all I've had was a letter saying I'd get a phone call first then the rest to follow. It's pretty daunting. I think because mental illness is harder to prove so I always feel like people think I'm making it all up.

Well, the phone call is to set a date for your Atos "assessment". Try and get together as much medical evidence as possible. Atos have been paid £1billion= and have been instructed by the multi-millionaire government to declare everyone "fit to work" Please do not panic. If you are declared fit for work you must appeal straightaway. Ask your jobcentre for a copy of the Atos report. Then you will see what has been said about you. Keep any correspondence between you and the jobcentre and Atos. While you are awaiting a date for your appeal hearing you should be placed on "ESA", the appeal tribunal is independent of Atos and jobcentres. Hopefully you will not be declared fit, but if you are the above is the process you need to follow. I hope this helps and if you have any questions which you want to keep private, then you are welcome to contact me via a private e-mail. Reagards Dionysius.

[Neptune83]

Thank you. It's really worrying me, especially after hearing that they're trying to declare my terminally ill, 60 year old neighbour fit to work. There is no way he is fit to work, poor guy. His wife cares for him and they're trying to force her into work as well! He'd be lost without her and they've been through enough, I think just leave them alone and let them live out the rest of his life how he wants to because he might not have long left. It makes me so sad. And then I think, if they're doing this to them in their circumstances, I have no doubt they'll attempt the same with me because physically I am able. But mentally, I'm not.
What I would like to do is return to learning at home to gain some qualifications so when I am able, mentally, I can get something decent so I can properly support our family. I started a degree a while ago but a lot happened towards the end of the first course I did so I decided to leave it for a while. I left school at 13 because of bullying so I don't even have GCSEs behind me.