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No money!!

grahame22

Hi, new here, recently diagnosed with ASD.

I've been on ESA for the last few years for 'general anxiety', and it's been my only source of income. Was recently diagnosed with ASD and upon notifiying the DWP was subsequently kicked off ESA and told to get a job! 

I have no idea how to get a job and feel completely horrified at the thought of working. I find it hard enough to go to the shop yet alone being employed. That being said though I went to the job centre and asked them what specialist help they could give me to help me find suitable work. They put me in touch with the St Loyes foundation. The St Loyes foundation however told me they can't see me until October/November. I went back to the job centre and the only other suggestion they had was I look at volunteer work?!

So basically I have no money, and no help to find a job. The job centre are being completely heartless and useless and I have no idea what I'm supposed to do now?

Anyone have any suggestions?

  • PIP can be claimed regardless of employment status, as it is a disability benefit, not an (un)employment benefit.

    Grahame, you can indeed apply for PIP, but do get advice and support about appealing the ESA decision too.

    All the best.

  • Former Member
    Former Member

    [edited]

    It seems that you have been switched out of being treated as sick to being treated as disabled but they haven't put you into the right benefit scheme.

    I think you should be looking at PIP www.gov.uk/.../overview

    This applies to people with a permanent disability and ASD can count as such - there are a lot of people on the forum who claim this. See the threads returned by this search community.autism.org.uk/.../pip A lot of the discussions are about refusal etc but this is the appropriate benefit for people with severe enough ASD as I understand it.

    Is the St Loyes foundation acting under "Access to Work" which is the scheme to help people with a disability to get into work?

  • When you say "kicked off" ESA, do you mean you have gone through the appeal process i.e. asking for a mandatory reconsideration and then a tribunal? It is quite common for people to be refused ESA but to have the decision overturned on appeal. And I would reason that if you scored enough points before then that shouldn't change just because your diagnostic label has changed (or been added to).

    If you are currently on JSA but feel you are not able to work then you could ask your GP to provide a medical certificate stating you are not fit for work.

    Please note that I cannot give advice on what to do, only highlight some ideas. For advice you should go to a suitable service e.g. Citizens' Advice or a local disability benefits advice service. They should also be able to tell you what is available locally for people struggling financially.