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7 years 9 months ago #164032 by Jayne
Universal Credit was created by Jayne
I am new here, so hello to you all. I am also new to forums so please bear with me if I say or do something wrong, while I find my way around. :S

Just to give you a bit of background before hopefully, someone can answer my query.
I have lived with mental health problems for 30+ years but for the most part have been able to hold down my job - albeit incredibly difficult at times and exhausting trying to appear 'normal' when my mind is behaving otherwise.

However, for the past year or so, my depression, anxiety and behavioural rituals have become so increasingly overwhelming to the point where I can no longer function well enough to continue working. I was working as a locum and so am not entitled to any sick pay, the last shift I worked was on April 16th when I felt so mentally unwell I had to go home and I haven't been able to work since. I have had every type of therapy and medication over the years but nothing now seems to help me anymore. My psychiatrist has started me on a new combination of medications which render me useless all morning until I start to feel vaguely ok enough to get out of bed in the afternoon.

Anyway, the point of this waffle is that I have never claimed Benefits before and I am just beginning this horrific process now. It has been a complete nightmare as my postcode (Hounslow) is an area that has rolled-out the full digital service, so I have been told by my work coach at the Jobcentre+ that I should make the 'new-style' DUAL claim for Universal Credit alongside contributions-based ESA - the problem is, that because this is new, I have consistently been given conflicting information when making enquiries by both the ESA adviceline and the UC digital service adviceline. It is all an absolute shambles and I feel even more ill with all this added stress.

So to my question, I saw this website and thought about joining to help me fill out the UC50 form but I have so little money that I couldn't afford it. Then, recently I noticed you were offering a discount and my son paid, so thank you for that! Unfortunately though, I have scoured this site and I can't find anything about Universal Credit or how to complete the UC50 - 'Limited Capability for Work' questionnaire and to make matters worse, I have an ESA50 on it's way to me as well. I am so scared by this UC50 form that I just sit and look at it literally for hours. I don't know how I can possibly express to a stranger not living in my head, how my mental health issues prevent me from being able to work. I have a career that I want and need to get back to, but right now I can't - I am so scared about what will happen to me if I am put in the 'wrong' group and deemed fit for work. Do you think that your ESA guide for completing the questionnaire will be ok to use for the UC questionnaire?

I'm sorry this was so lengthy, please delete it if it's inappropriate for this forum.

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7 years 9 months ago #164101 by Gordon
Replied by Gordon on topic Universal Credit
Jayne

In terms of an ESA claim within UC, the process is the same and the criteria are the same so you can use our ESA Claim guides to complete the form.

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/help-for-claimants/esa1

My understanding is that the UC50 and the ESA50 are the same form, so you might want to check which one you are supposed to return.

If you have further questions then please reply to this post and we will do our best to help.

Gordon

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
The following user(s) said Thank You: slaphead666, Jayne

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