Hello!
I hope I'm posting this in the right topic.
I'm claiming ESA, and am working on completing the form ESA50. The NAS website page on filling in the ESA50 form says, "See an advice worker if possible (advice workers usually work at advice centres, law centres, local authority welfare rights teams or Citizens Advice Bureaux). Alternatively, ask a friend or family member to help with the form. Without help it is very difficult for anyone to have enough insight into their own condition to complete the form well."
I'm not exactly clear on what the term 'advice worker' means for filling in ESA50. Does it mean someone who's familiar with ASD? Is it someone I'd see only for filling in ESA50? I think I'm going to need someone to accompany me to the face-to-face assessment, someone who can more effectively communicate what having an ASD means. Should that person be the 'advice worker'?
Since I have difficulty expressing, describing and explaining the difficulties I have, I imagine I would need to see an 'advice worker' who would be able to help with that. But that would mean someone who knows about ASD. The bit that says, "advice workers usually work at advice centres, law centres, local authority welfare rights teams or Citizens Advice Bureaux", doesn't sound particularly like that.
I already know to emphasise, on the form, that I have difficulty expressing, describing and explaining the difficulties that I have. And I'm intending to say that I need to be assessed by someone who knows about ASD.
I'm also intending to ask the NAS's Welfare Rights Service, but I thought I'd ask here, too, as I don't know how long I'll have to wait for the Welfare Rights Service.
