I went to Stepping Forward today to complete the Work Capability Assessment form. It’s the final hurdle I need to pass before I feel I can breathe a sigh of relief, since being deemed not capable of working is essential for me to maintain receiving Universal Credit (incl. rent payments) without being forced to look for work.
The benefits adviser filled it in for me with input. I just need to get an updated supporting letter from the doctor which includes the evidence from knee medical records which she should now have. Then I need to print out various diagnosis documents (again) and return the form. How many times I’ve printed out such supporting evidenceβ¦!
Being deemed not capable of working comes with an extra income payment. Since we initially requested the Work Capability Assessment in June 2021 the payments would be backdated to then π±. I would’ve been receiving this payment since February 2020 if I’d passed the assessment the first time (I was totally saved by the pandemic in not being forced to look for work). 2.5 years of additional support I could’ve had!
Anyway, I’m in a much better position this time for the assessment and the Stepping Forward benefits adviser added up the points he thought I’d be awarded based on our responses on the form, and says he’s fairly confident that I may not even need an in-person assessment. However, since I’ve previously failed it they may still ask me to go to one anyway :). It’s not easy trying to describe the impact of OCD and traumatic events briefly enough for the benefits adviser, or anybody else, in layman’s terms. I find that much, much harder than having the time to describe those things in full. How do you really begin to describe something like that? Everything comes out so understated, because it needs a lot of time. Time which no one has.
I still can’t get over just how narrowly I’ve scraped through certain junctures throughout this whole crisis and battle to survive π€·ββοΈ. But I’ve rarely looked back on them; I haven’t had that luxury. Disbelief has remained suspended. I am relentlessly looking forward come what may, so it’s never really caught up with me. I won’t even fully realise and appreciate the house move until this current hurdle is out of the way.
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π πΆπ πͺππππ πͺ 
OCD and Anxiety are often two crippling conditions when comes to committing to regular work becauss the commitment itself can be a big trigger to both. This is my observation of some of my clients sufffer such conditions. Once they got the Disability Support Pension (Australia term), the pressure is off, partner with stable and safe living arrangement and adequate support, most of my clients are engaging in low hour regular paid work or voluntary work or studying.
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Yes exactly, especially when you throw trauma into that and isolation. Thanks π. You need pressure off and time in order to build back up on your own terms, to avoid going backwards.
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I often think granting the pension it’s money saving for the government welfare expenditure. Proactive than reactive.
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Oh absolutely. Anyone saying otherwise is playing on creating division by demonising people in need. It’s absolutely possible to identify those in need, some governments just choose not to. UK’s is very much in that category at the moment. Funding welfare properly (or any public services) pays back fantastically in the long-term. Our economy has always been stronger in times when those were better-funded, and worse when they weren’t.
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It’s like God’s punishment for the government if they oppress the needy.
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I suppose so lol
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