too sick for jobseekers allowance?

[Spireite]

I had my trip to theatre as planned (80 miles away). When I received my discharge letter I noticed it didn’t have a date on it so I asked the nurse if someone could put a date on it in the same handwriting as the rest so it could be my ‘evidence’ for the suspicious JobCentre as to where I’d been that day, when they are certain that I should have been in their unwelcoming building just to sign their little bit of paper. Most people I meet who haven’t suffered the JobCentre themselves overestimate what it does even though they do have a fairly low opinion of it. However, the nurse said she understood exactly as her son had had the same problem, as well as many patients. She went on to rant about how ridiculous it was, how the JobCentre is all negative and nothing positive and what is more important than your health, even for employment prospects. We agreed that the JobCentre seems to be secretly trying to keep the unemployed unemployed and it does seem to be possible to not qualify for Jobseekers Allowance even when applying for 50-100 jobs a week and attending interviews, and doing other modern jobseeking activities beyond the comprehension of the JobCentre.

So being too sick for JSA while not qualifying for ESA seems to be not just a problem for my local area but nationwide as other patients there come from all around the country.

[cracker]

i was at jobcenter a cupple weeks ago mid flare up & the lady who i saw avised me to go for ESA & to have a chat to my gp. what happens after that please? i bit confused

[mazza111]

Cracker you get a fit note from GP.

Make application for ESA.

You will probably be called for a medical with ATOS. Although some people aren't.

They will then either put you in Work Related Activity Group (WRAG) or Support Group. Or fail the medical and need to go back to JSA. All depends on the medical

[cracker]

thanks mazza11

[Spireite]

Cracker, I wouldn't automatically do whatever a Job Centre 'advisor' tells you to do. I've been ordered to apply for DLA and ESA based on next-to-nothing by a complete stranger. It may well be you should be on ESA but don't take the Job Centre's word as gospel. Best research it yourself, eg threads on here!

[cracker]

thanks spireite

[mazza111]

Just a wee note to say that Spireite is absolutely correct. Do you meet the descriptors for ESA?

http://www.tameside.gov.uk/esa/wca <-- first link I came across, but should give you an idea

[cracker]

cool thanks mazza i have a wee look

[kiawah]

Ive recently had probs with DWP over ESA and JSA - I was unwell and unable to get out of the house to go to a medical, I informed ATOS and asked for another app to be sent out. What I rec. from DWP was notification that they were stopping my ESA as I hadnt attended a medical !!!!!!!! For the next 5 plus weeks Ive been trying to sort it out, everytime you ring DWP somebody tells you something different, I was initally told to appeal the decision and that id be paid a reduced rate of ESA - that didnt happen I was told to reclaim ESA - that you cant do. In the end I reluctantly decided to try to claim JSA and at the same time I completed a form claiming ESA When I had my first app for JSA at the job centre I too saw a very young girl who knew nothing about HMS Plus the job centre is off the bus route, on a very steep hill etc I struggled to get into the building and certainly wouldnt have been able to access it had I not had a car to use that day - that in itself posed problems as the disabled parking spaces are behind a locked gate in the staff carpark ! This young girl put on my form that i would comute 90 minutes each way and do a shop job ! - Totally unacceptable. She told me that she had to put something down on the form ! She did do one thing - she spoke to somebody = I think the manager = she then spoke to the disability advisor - and an app was made for me to see her. When i was about to leave, struggling thru wide open spaces the manager came up to me and offered to help me to my car !!!! it was also raining. me being me and trying to be independent said id be ok to which she replied hang on I will get an umbrella - this umbrella was in the form of a BIG security gurard with a pink umbrella He did help me to my car etc.
This past wk I saw the disability advisor - lets just say she now knows about HMS and the limitations I have - she was pretty anoyed about all the probs id had and about the system in general. Job search area is now down to 30 mins bus travel and kept to the local area - which in my case means no more than 8 mile radius on public transport as I dont actually own a car. My suggested working hrs are no more than 16 a wk - even that I know i will struggle with and my gp,consultant, physio will NOT be happy.
I have had a letter back from DWP saying that I dont meet the criteria for ESA as my sick note and the medical condition I put down on the application form are the same as before !!! - well Yes I will always have HMS. The disability advisor suggested my gp alter it slightly and add the blood condition i now have and that would get me ESA without having to wait another 6 months to claim.
All these problems have made me worse, however I had to giggle at the letter from DWP awarding me JSA - I get an extra £30 a wk compared to being on ESA.
Some of the expertations are not really possible for me - she told me to hand write at least two speculative letters to local employers - some days I cant even hold a pen! let alone write a letter to an employer - no way would i be given a job on that basis lol I will plod on and do what the Job Centre say - well within reason, Yes id love to get a part time job for an employer who understands HMS - think they are pretty few and far between.