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Asperger Diagnosis

wishface

Hello, I am posting here as someone unemployed with problems that may or may not be on the autistic spectrum, specifically Aspergers. I have the chance to get a diagnosis next month, though getting there will be problematic. This has caused me to re-evaluate the purpose of this. Specifically is it worth it? What will getting a diagnosis (if at all) achieve? What doors does it open? As someone out of work I can’t see it enabling a successful ESA claim, and there’s no way I will get through the WCA.

The whole purpose of this isn’t to get a label; I know the issues I have so that means nothing to me alone. The point is really about money: about securing an inecom somehow. I find it difficult dealing with full time work (not that there is any) and having to deal with JSA is a nightmare. I am on the Work Programme but that is no help at all and they have admitted they have nothing to offer and no experience of dealing with mental health issues of any kind. So where does that leave me?

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. My GP supports that I should be on ESA, but is dead against writing a sick note. He doesn’t understand the benefits system, unsurprisingly, and really isn’t much help at all.

I don’t want to dismiss the appointment out of hand (and I doubt he’d be happy if I did), but the purpose of getting it is to enable support. So the question is what support does it enable?

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  • wishface said:
    Everyone seems to fail with zero points because that's how the system operates. If Aspergers is the only issue (I note you mention you also have Crohn's, which itself is a considerably serious condition) then I just don't see myself passing.

    The point is though, wishface, that I failed the WCA with zero points when I only had a diagnosis of Crohn's. By the time of the appeal I was sure I had Asperger's and mentioned it at the appeal (and I'm pretty sure the doctor on the appeal panel will have gone "yeah, he may not have a diagnosis yet, but he has many of the signs of having Asperger's") and I won the appeal. And since I've had the Asperger's diagnosis I've had a least one more WCA and passed with no problem! Plus they've since changed the assessment process and WCA to better take in to account the difficulties caused by Asperger and other Autistic Spectrum Disorders.

    In short, it's the Asperger's that has made the difference in my case, and I expect, given the recent changes to the process, I will find it even easier to pass this time round.

    You've got two choices:

    1. remain defeatest, do nothing to help yourself, and probably end up be given a harder and harder time by the JobCenter until, in the worst-case scenario, they finally take away some, if not all of your benefits, and you become homeless.

    2. get some help to go to the appointment to get a diagnosis, then, whatever you get diagnosed with, you get some help to make an ESA claim, and you get someone to go with you to the WCA assessement, possibly get some help making an appeal if you don't get onto ESA straight away, but, best-case scenario, you get onto ESA, you get the appropriate support for finding work, and your life get's better, not worse.

    It's entirely up to you - which do you want - crap stressful life, or not-so-crap not-so-stressful life?

    I don't dispute my GP's legal obligations but I just can't force him.

    Yes, you can! GP's are there to do what's right for you, not what's right for them, or anyone else. As I said before, if he's not doing his job, you report him to the PCT, and/or find yourself another GP! He's legally obliged to provide you with sick notes whilst you're making a valid ESA claim - that's the way the system works - his not knowing that that's the way the system works is not a reasonable reason for him not to do that.

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  • wishface said:
    Everyone seems to fail with zero points because that's how the system operates. If Aspergers is the only issue (I note you mention you also have Crohn's, which itself is a considerably serious condition) then I just don't see myself passing.

    The point is though, wishface, that I failed the WCA with zero points when I only had a diagnosis of Crohn's. By the time of the appeal I was sure I had Asperger's and mentioned it at the appeal (and I'm pretty sure the doctor on the appeal panel will have gone "yeah, he may not have a diagnosis yet, but he has many of the signs of having Asperger's") and I won the appeal. And since I've had the Asperger's diagnosis I've had a least one more WCA and passed with no problem! Plus they've since changed the assessment process and WCA to better take in to account the difficulties caused by Asperger and other Autistic Spectrum Disorders.

    In short, it's the Asperger's that has made the difference in my case, and I expect, given the recent changes to the process, I will find it even easier to pass this time round.

    You've got two choices:

    1. remain defeatest, do nothing to help yourself, and probably end up be given a harder and harder time by the JobCenter until, in the worst-case scenario, they finally take away some, if not all of your benefits, and you become homeless.

    2. get some help to go to the appointment to get a diagnosis, then, whatever you get diagnosed with, you get some help to make an ESA claim, and you get someone to go with you to the WCA assessement, possibly get some help making an appeal if you don't get onto ESA straight away, but, best-case scenario, you get onto ESA, you get the appropriate support for finding work, and your life get's better, not worse.

    It's entirely up to you - which do you want - crap stressful life, or not-so-crap not-so-stressful life?

    I don't dispute my GP's legal obligations but I just can't force him.

    Yes, you can! GP's are there to do what's right for you, not what's right for them, or anyone else. As I said before, if he's not doing his job, you report him to the PCT, and/or find yourself another GP! He's legally obliged to provide you with sick notes whilst you're making a valid ESA claim - that's the way the system works - his not knowing that that's the way the system works is not a reasonable reason for him not to do that.

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