Can anyone offer advise on financial support/benefits for a person with mental health issues

[joorla]

Hi, I've not posted on here for ages but I know there's a lot of people here who have a lot of knowledge and can offer support.

My SIL suffers with mental health issues, I don't think it's anything that you could put a name to and it comes and go's. She can be fine for months and months and then have a relapse where she is completely paranoid, anxious, unaware of how she is acting but also aware at the same time as she knows she's not being herself. During these periods she's unable to work and is really in a terrible state of mind, even suicidal thoughts lately.

The doctor has prescribed her some medication (not sure what) and sleeping tablets, the last time she was at the doctors he thought she may be able to claim some sort of benefit to help with her finances. Because of her financial situation, she has more outgoings than income, she gets very stressed and this is when the problems start. She does own her own home though, so I'm not sure whether she'll qualify.

I just don't know what to do, she's staying at our house tonight for the 3rd night, she's in a blow up bed in mine and DH's bedroom and I'm sharing my DD's single bed. She wonders around in the night and I'm nervous she may go into my DS's (12months) bedroom to and wake him.

Sorry to ramble on but any advise would be welcome

[Keziahhopes]

Hi, I would have thought visiting the CAB office would be helpful - they can also help your SIL fill in any forms,check any benefit she is entitled to etc. I think it makes a difference depending whether recently employes or not - there is a benefit called ESA.. sorry don't know more than that.

[Kaloki]

She should be able to apply for Income Support/ESA which does cover mental health, it may be an idea to find a charity who can help her fill out the form though, as it's a complete bitch to fill in, and it's highly likely she'll have to contest it. (They tend to reject most people at first, but it's worth persisting)

[joorla]

Ok, thankyou both, although I'm not sure she'll qualify for income support as she has a job. She works in a care home but hasn't been all week as she's relapsed.

Sat night a doctor came at 1am and gave her something to sleep and this morning she has gone to another SIL's to give us a break and a psychiatric nurse has been with her for a couple of hours. She doesn't seem to be getting better this time. The doctor last night said she was psychoic-depressive and that there is nothing that can be done.

I find it really hard to believe that nothing can be done, has anyone else had any experience?

[joorla]

*psychotic

[lazymumofteenagesons]

There is a benefit called DLA (disability Living Allowance). It is not means tested and does not affect any other benefit. There is a component for care and one for mobility. She should phone and request a form, but go into the local Citizens Advice bureau for help filling it in because it is tricky for mental health issues and they often turn people down. If unsuccessful go back to citizens advice and appeal.

When she phones to request the form it is tamped with that date and this is when the benefit starts from. The form has to be returned within one month of that date.

Good Luck.

[NanaNina]

Agree that CAB is a good place to start. Worried however that the GP has diagnosed your SIL as having a depressive psychotic episode (this can happen when depression gets very extreme) The fact that there is a psychotic element (meaning being out of touch with reality) means that your SIL needs the right medication and I can't believe a GP says there is nothing they can do. Has you SIL told you this, because if she is psychotic she may well be confused. Usually this kind of depression means a hospital admission unless her symptoms can be controlled by medication and the support of a community psychiatric nurse. Also I would have thought an urgent referral to a consultant psychiatrist.

You say that your SIL during these episodes is to some extent aware that she is not in touch with reality, but psychosis is a thinking disorder and depression is a mood disorder. I think you (or someone else close to her) needs to see the GP or CPN with her, to make sure that she is going to get the support that she clearly needs. The trouble is that when people are psychotic they often don't have an awareness of how they are acting and this is why someone needs to with her. It may be that the CPN and GP think that she can be "managed" at home with regular (can be daily) visits from a CPN or the crisis team. At times like this, some responsible person needs to be in charge of her medication, as suicide is a real risk.

I am not an expert but have suffered 2 episodes of depression and anxiety (both needing hospital admissions for 3 months) and I am still trying to recover from my latest episode. My last one was 15 years ago. I saw quite a few people on the ward with pyschotic depression and were quite out of touch with reality (like trying to remove their clothes, and asking if someone had sold their house, did they have to pay for their bed etc) but I also saw some make vast improvements and be discharged.

Do hope your SIL can get the help she desperately needs. I really can't imagine a GP coming out at 1.00 a.m. and getting a CPN involved is saying there is nothing else that can be done.

[summer111]

joorla,

I'd suggest you get the GP to refer her to SIL's local mental health services for a proper psychiatric assessment. The doctor who has diagnosed her may not be experienced in psychiatry and to say that she can't be treated is rubbish - (I work in mental health). The GP should make an urgent referral for her to be seen and treated. If she's not getting any better and has suicidal thoughts, she needs to be helped asap. Treatment could be as an inpatient or by a home treatment/crisis team - in either case a psychiatrist would assess her needs and she would receive the appropriate medication and social support.

Re her benefit entitlement, as she's working, whe would only be eligible to apply for DLA as a previous poster mentioned. The CAB can help fill out the forms but as a rule of thumb, they should be completed with the perspective of how much support your SIL needs on a 'bad' day...

Do you know if anyone has been in touch with her employer, to inform him that she is off sick? Obviously if they are not aware of SIL's mental health problems, you couldn't break confidentiality and tell them but it wouyld be helpful to let them know she's unwell so that her job remains open for her to return to.

best of luck