What do you do, if you aren’t really fit for work, but not poorly enough for disability?

[Soubriquet]

My back is very dodgy.

Some days it can be ok, othwr days it’s agony. I can’t walk for more than a couple of hours without needing a wheelchair as my back starts to really hurt.

However I just don’t think I’m eligible for disability with this. I can get about.

I manage to school runs (just on some days), I’m able to nip in to town and do a bit of food shopping, but all day shopping treks are out of the question.

Standing on my feet is out of the question, and raising my hands above my head for too long doesn’t help either.

I’m severely deaf too, so telephone work can’t be managed by me either.

My dh is currently signed off with severe depression and anxiety so I really do want to try to help bring money in.. (currently SAHM)

Oh before anyone says about seeing a doctor, I do.

I get a regular prescription of tramadol and pregablin

I work from home for a call centre. My payment kept getting stopped when I was claiming disability because apparently I must be lying cos no one in their 20's has arthritis. I used to cry down the phone begging for money to feed the kids and they didn't give a shit. This way, if I'm having a bad flare up, I can have a sick day and male arrangements to take holidays or swap a shift, which is easy in such a large company. I can get up and stretch or hop into bed for my lunch break if needed and there is no back breaking commute so it works for me.

Ps I do chat and email only, no phones.

@Soubriquet you do realise PIP has a Low & High criteria, you could qualify for the Low rate xx

Snipsnip I able disabled and would love to work from home can I ask what company you work for?

Thank you. I will investigate.

Snipsnip can I ask too? I'm slowly beginning to realise I won't be able to do a physically active job for much longer.

Me neither.

My mum has just been taken off ESA because she missed a few points on her assessment and the assessor was very impatient with my mum cause she the assessor wanted to get home on time. So wasn't taking my mum at all seriously.

So my mum has chronic back problems,high cholesterol, depression, diabetes, eyesight issues etc and they told her she could sign on to UC but my mum refuses because she says what job is out there for a unfit 58 yr old woman with a bad back and eyesight issues. So she is appealing the ESA decision which has also affected her housing benefit and council tax reduction. I feel so angry at the system having to watch my mum suffer!!!

Can you get esa (used to be sickness/incapacity benefit) start with medical cert from gp, look at benefit website, make a claim. They pay you for first few weeks on gp cert, then you have dp medical. Get help for this. There are two rates, support group if severe, work related if less severe and can do some tasks. Get help with pip as well.

Any advice on who I can seek to help? It would be much easier if someone was able to coach me through it instead of trying to muddle through it alone

I've no experience of these benefits but here's a quick Google for a start.

Benefits and Work do these, some you need to join to be able to access them.
www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/employment-and-support-allowance

Citizens Advice www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/employment-and-support-allowance/

There are probably FB groups who can advise as well.

OP - look up Fightback4Justice - they are on Facebook. They are brilliant and only ask for a donation if you don't have much income.

Good luck

I'm on ESA( support group) and receive Enhanced rates of PIP as I have cerebral Palsy of my Left side
I'd advise you to see Citizen's Advice as they know exactly the right wording to maximise your point
You can certainly start a claim for " New style ESA" with a sick note from GP then will be assessed in due course for work related or support group
In your position I'd certainly apply for both, even if your conditions vary this is taken into account and stated on your claims Good luck