Asperger Diagnosis

Hi wishface,

I was in the same position as you just over 2 years ago, and I would highly recommend you do get a diagnosis.

Firstly, regarding ESA, getting ESA isn't easy (if it were everyone would claim it), however it's not as hard as you think and having a formal diagnosis will make it significantly easier!

When I first applied for ESA I didn't have an Asperger's diagnosis, just one for Crohn's (an inflamatory bowel disorder which actually causes me more problems than the Asperger's), and I was initially refused - I appealed, and during the time between the assesment and appeal got to the point where although I hadn't got the actual diagnosis, was pretty sure I had Asperger's, and talked about this at the Appeal.

I won the Appeal!

I had also applied for DLA when I applied for ESA and was point-blank refused it, however, after having won my ESA appeal, and getting my Asperger's diagnosis, I re-applied for DLA and got lowest rate on both the care and mobility components - and I don't think that would have happened without the Asperger's diagnosis.

And, since the ESA appeal, I've had to re-complete the assesment questionaire/claim form and go for a 'medical' at least once and (thus far) had no problems (though I am currently going through that process again, so things could change).

Now, there are two other things which I think will make things much easier for you - firstly, go to your local Citizens Advice Bureau for help with filling out the ESA and DLA claim forms, and secondly, at both the CAB appointment and when you go for the ESA medical, take someone (e.g. a parent, partner, or advocate) with you who understads you and the difficulties you have (you may want to also take someone with you when you go for the diagnosis).

You may want to start the ESA and DLA claim process sooner rather than later, because it does take some time, but, as I said, you will find it easier once you have a formal diagnosis, so you may wish to pursue that first.

Now, you say:

wishface said:

ESA is supposed to exist to help people like me that have some problems, but instead the WCA is used to keep the claimant count down. The end result is that you are either too ill to work (if you’re even found as such) or you are perfectly OK. If you fall inbetween you are ignored. That’s not what’s meant to happen.

And that is exactly why the appeals process exists! Make the claim, at that point you'll be signed-off JSA (and, by the way, you should be aware that you can sign yourself off as 'sick', from JSA, without immediately needing a doctors note,for a limited period, so, at the right time, you may want to do that in order to give yourself some breathing space), and be put on the ESA assesment rate (which is exactly the same as what you get on JSA) - this will last until you've been assesed and a decision has been made, or upto 13 weeks (which ever is longer) - if the decision goes against you, and you appeal straight away, they legally must leave you on the ESA assesment rate (and not put you back on JSA) until the appeal has been heard - and, whether you win on appeal or at assesment, your money will be increased and that increase will be back-dated to the 13 week point if it's taken longer than that.

OK, so, once you won your claim (whether at the assesment or through appeal) you'll then be placed into one of two groups - the first is the 'work related activity' group - which you'll be placed in if they deem that you could work with some additional support (most people get placed in this group), and you will have to go to appointments where they'll discuss what help you need in finding work (but don't worry - it's nothing like on JSA where they put you under pressure to find work no matter what) - the second is the 'support' group - which you'll go in if they deem you unfit for work. The support group gets slightly more money than the work group (but it's only about £6 per week (and, btw, the work group gets about £30 per week more than JSA)).

Now, you also asked what doors will a formal diagnosis open, and sadly this is very dependant on where you live - some areas are fantastic - and you'll get access to help from social services, a personal budget (with which to employ help, etc), and the chance to get specialist councilling - some are worse than rubbish - and you'll basically get no additional support at all.

Finally, regarding doctors and sick notes - yeah, some of them just don't understand that if you don't send a sick note in to the DWP you don't get money - I had the same problem - be persistent and take in any and all letters to that effect that you get from the DWP - it sounds like your GP is supportive (which is more than mine was) and so I would hope that once they understand the situation they will provide you with the notes to send to the DWP.

I hope this has helped, and that things go smoothly for you.

And, try to keep positive - the system can only beat you if you let it.

Hi wishface,

I was in the same position as you just over 2 years ago, and I would highly recommend you do get a diagnosis.

Firstly, regarding ESA, getting ESA isn't easy (if it were everyone would claim it), however it's not as hard as you think and having a formal diagnosis will make it significantly easier!

When I first applied for ESA I didn't have an Asperger's diagnosis, just one for Crohn's (an inflamatory bowel disorder which actually causes me more problems than the Asperger's), and I was initially refused - I appealed, and during the time between the assesment and appeal got to the point where although I hadn't got the actual diagnosis, was pretty sure I had Asperger's, and talked about this at the Appeal.

I won the Appeal!

I had also applied for DLA when I applied for ESA and was point-blank refused it, however, after having won my ESA appeal, and getting my Asperger's diagnosis, I re-applied for DLA and got lowest rate on both the care and mobility components - and I don't think that would have happened without the Asperger's diagnosis.

And, since the ESA appeal, I've had to re-complete the assesment questionaire/claim form and go for a 'medical' at least once and (thus far) had no problems (though I am currently going through that process again, so things could change).

Now, there are two other things which I think will make things much easier for you - firstly, go to your local Citizens Advice Bureau for help with filling out the ESA and DLA claim forms, and secondly, at both the CAB appointment and when you go for the ESA medical, take someone (e.g. a parent, partner, or advocate) with you who understads you and the difficulties you have (you may want to also take someone with you when you go for the diagnosis).

You may want to start the ESA and DLA claim process sooner rather than later, because it does take some time, but, as I said, you will find it easier once you have a formal diagnosis, so you may wish to pursue that first.

Now, you say:

wishface said:

ESA is supposed to exist to help people like me that have some problems, but instead the WCA is used to keep the claimant count down. The end result is that you are either too ill to work (if you’re even found as such) or you are perfectly OK. If you fall inbetween you are ignored. That’s not what’s meant to happen.

And that is exactly why the appeals process exists! Make the claim, at that point you'll be signed-off JSA (and, by the way, you should be aware that you can sign yourself off as 'sick', from JSA, without immediately needing a doctors note,for a limited period, so, at the right time, you may want to do that in order to give yourself some breathing space), and be put on the ESA assesment rate (which is exactly the same as what you get on JSA) - this will last until you've been assesed and a decision has been made, or upto 13 weeks (which ever is longer) - if the decision goes against you, and you appeal straight away, they legally must leave you on the ESA assesment rate (and not put you back on JSA) until the appeal has been heard - and, whether you win on appeal or at assesment, your money will be increased and that increase will be back-dated to the 13 week point if it's taken longer than that.

OK, so, once you won your claim (whether at the assesment or through appeal) you'll then be placed into one of two groups - the first is the 'work related activity' group - which you'll be placed in if they deem that you could work with some additional support (most people get placed in this group), and you will have to go to appointments where they'll discuss what help you need in finding work (but don't worry - it's nothing like on JSA where they put you under pressure to find work no matter what) - the second is the 'support' group - which you'll go in if they deem you unfit for work. The support group gets slightly more money than the work group (but it's only about £6 per week (and, btw, the work group gets about £30 per week more than JSA)).

Now, you also asked what doors will a formal diagnosis open, and sadly this is very dependant on where you live - some areas are fantastic - and you'll get access to help from social services, a personal budget (with which to employ help, etc), and the chance to get specialist councilling - some are worse than rubbish - and you'll basically get no additional support at all.

Finally, regarding doctors and sick notes - yeah, some of them just don't understand that if you don't send a sick note in to the DWP you don't get money - I had the same problem - be persistent and take in any and all letters to that effect that you get from the DWP - it sounds like your GP is supportive (which is more than mine was) and so I would hope that once they understand the situation they will provide you with the notes to send to the DWP.

I hope this has helped, and that things go smoothly for you.

And, try to keep positive - the system can only beat you if you let it.