To ask if people what benefits someone with depression and anxiety can get if they feel they can't work

I know what you mean. When the request is PIP rather than support back into a different type of work it’s quite frustrating.

Want to comment but darent

She can claim new style ESA (employment and support allowance) which is for people who have paid NI contributions over the past couple of years. It is not means tested, she will need to get a sick note from her GP to start the claim.

She might also be eligible for universal credit as a couple but it depends on what her husband's pension income is.

Her best bet is to focus not on what she can't do but instead to focus on what she can.

For a lot of people a change in occupation can help. One of the staff at my DC preschool had left a very stressful job with mental health. She switched to working 8.45 - 3.15 at the preschool, term time only, and was much happier.

@HazelPlayer as your relative has been working up until recently, she may be able to claim contributions based ESA, which is not means tested... meaning her husband's pension will not be taken into account.
She would be better off making an appointment with her local CAB, and they can go over what she needs to do in regard to claiming.

In actual fact they do an online UC claim. UC will look at their health needs, meds etc, and make a decision as to whether the claimant is or is not fit for work. This is how it works. Be honest and truthful on the application. Do it today.

I would really try to help her find a low stress job. In my experience staying at home and isolating yourself can make anxiety and depression worse. Work can give routine and purpose and socialisation, I find these helpful.

The op agrees with me so back in your box love.

citizens advice are great and will help with forms.

Lcwra(limited caperbility for work related activity, pip and universal credit. Will have to be assessed as having limited caperbility for work and pip do assessment.

this is the issue. Whether she was unable to do her previous job or whether she is unable to do any job, are two completely different things. If the first ,UC would be the most appropriate, with the aim of taking a breather, possibly getting support and then finding a new job. I think they used to give you up to 6 months to find a job in your desired field and after that you'd be expected to apply for anything and everything, and, yes in my experience they would check - obviously they wouldn't be able to definitively establish whether you'd done 36hrs exactly but they would expect details of what jobs you'd applied for, proof of application submitted, etc.

Whether the person actually put any effort into said application is of course not so easy to prove, and why so many adverts get applications from completely unsuitable candidates who clearly don't even want said job and are just tick boxing to get their UC/JSA.

For the second it would be PIP but that would require proof and at some point an evaluation.

That's quite an assumption about someone you don't even know - and there may well be some kinds of work she could do, doesn't mean there is a lot of that kind of work available. Or anyone who would be willing to take her on, as we all know discrimination happens.

Her options are pip, ESA and universal credit.

Pip and ESA are not means tested. She will need to have assessments to see if she qualifies for help. Both benefits have big forms which she would be wise to get help filling out.

Universal credit is means tested. Her husband's pension would be deducted £ for £, and it's not an especially generous benefits so you might find she doesn't have any entitlement. Best way to check would be the turn2us benefit calculator.

If she does apply for universal credit or ESA she will need to submit sick notes while she waits for an assessment.

On UC, there's a possibility that she will be asked to look for work while she waits for the assessment

You asked whether her having given up her job would affect her being able to claim benefits. Benefits can be sanctioned at the beginning of a claim if the person is found to have quit there job without a good reason. Health problems are almost always accepted as a good reason.

She'd be asked to keep a log of all her applications online, so the work coach can view it. They also expect you to apply for absolutely anything, not just something within your skillset. I guess if they doubted she applied to all the jobs she said she did, they could ring some of the companies to check whether an application had been received.

I think she would need significant medical evidence to get PIP, but she should try to claim UC in the meantime.

I was on Universal Credit when I couldn't work due to anxiety for a couple of years. They were very understanding and supportive. They put me on some courses to benefit me and help me with my mental health and easing back to work.

I don't believe that there's really nothing at all she can do for work

In the immediate, she could ask her doctor for a fit not, which she can then show to the jobcentre, so they won't expect her to look for work straightaway. If she's unable to work for a longer time, she will have a work capability assesment, where the jobcentre will assess if they think she would be able to work. If the assessment class her as either Low Capability for work, or low capability for work related activities, she won't be expected to work (though might need to do courses on the former), and her uc payment will also increase.

She could also apply for pip separately, which isn't administered through the jobcentre, and is to cover costs related to her disability. If she gets that her partner could then become her carer, and ask for the carers element to be added to their uc claim.

Has she accessed talking therapies and mental health support OP? These services often have an employment adviser who can help.

She couldn't claim jobseekers. But she isn't job seeking so it's fine.