I don't know what to do about jobcentre situation

[Nightmarewithjobcentre]

2 years ago I had cancer, with lockdown my op and treatment was delayed for months.

I was working but on furlough so financially I was OK.

After I had my op I lost the use of one of my arms, and there was some nerve damage. They have also diagnosed FND.

I am in pain 24/7, I cant move my head and neck, I sleep very poorly as I wake every time I move, I'm on 7 different medications, and I have no feeling in my arm, alongside this my voice sometimes goes for up to a week at a time.

After furlough I applied for benefits, as I couldn't do my (very physical) job anymore they told me to quit rather than keep being signed off.

Since then I had one phone appointment and have been declared fit to work.

Every week I go to the jobcentre and get berated because I can't think of a job I can do.

I appealed, nobody contacted me, and it came back again that because I could raise one arm above my head I could work.

I absolutely can't, if I could I would. I put it for an independent reconsideration, and the letter today said it could take several months. Meantime the jobcentre said I need to keep looking for work or they will stop all my money.

I'm already up to my eyes in debt, completely on the bones of my arse here.

My worker is particularly unpleasant, one of my dc is in part time education just now due to a condition, that child goes into school and my little one comes out of nursery, they don't allow dc in the jobcentre so the only way I can go is if my friend bbysits after 4, unfortunately she has covid right now, so I asked if I could change the appt to a few days time, and she has changed it to school hours which I can do, and then told me I'm being deliberatly obstructive.

I have worked for 30 years, never once had a period of unemployment, and I seriously cannot work right now. I'm sure the independent review will come back agreeing that I cant, so I'm supposed to look for work, apply for jobs I can't do, keep up being spoken down to every week and be threatened to have absolutely nothing to feed my kids with if I don't comply with rules I physically can't follow.

I don't know what to do, or who can help, I cannot keep this up for several months.

I've been told to get a laptop, I can't afford one, they told me to use the library, but I cant get there during the day.

Does anyone have any idea what I can do, at this present moment in time I honestly don't want to even be here having to beg the jobcentre for a tiny scrap of compassion so I don't have to freeze and starve.

Ignore my autocorrect above. i obviously meant tourettes, not tourists!

I think you were given bad advice to quit your job. I really hope you get sorted soon, sounds really stressful.

For DLA if you complete the online downloadable form it is only backdated to when DWP receive the form, whereas if you call for a form as long as you get it back to them within 6 weeks it will be backdated to when you called - you can still type your answers if you want.

When you're filling it out do it as if she's having her worst possible symptoms on her worst possible day.

Don’t do this, by all means explain what a bad day is like but you also need to explain how often that occurs. If you make out every day, or even most days, is like the worst day and it actually isn’t it is fraud and can also undermine everything you have written.

Op please do not fill out the DLA form just based on a worst day. It is poor advise. You can describe a worst day and how often they happen but don't write the form just based on what your child is like on a worst day.

I never said to lie. It asks you about frequency, be honest and say it's variable. Then it asks what the symptoms are, this is where you explain how bad they can be. No need to try and obfuscate that it's only sometimes, the frequency questions do that.

Hi, thanks so much to everyone for all the advice.

Today is the first positive day I've had in forever.

I requested another advisor, I didn't put any detail as to why, but they changed it immediately to a lovely one I saw, who has allowed phone appointments for now, and also immediately referred me to a computing course, which will count towards my jobseeking, and I can do it at home, and he said that he will keep referring me for courses as much as possible until I either get carers for my dc or my appeal goes through. He has also asked a charity they work with for a laptop for me just now to help with the course.

I'm so happy I could cry, that's a massive pressure taken off me.

I emailed my MP, filled out the online forms for my dcs tourettes as well, felt a bit weird doing that because I'm always looking at the positives and the things they are all to do, and writing all the difficulties was pretty upsetting, and a realisation of all we are actually coping with that is just normal life for us.

I also emailed tourettes charity and they have given me some helpful advice so I have a docs appointment for a referral for CBT, and they also suggested asking for melatonin. I was a bit wary about medication without trying absolutely everything else first, which we have from meditation to hemp oil to bloody crystal therapy (I was desperate) and nothing is touching it at all.

I cant thank you lovely lot enough, although my finances and condition aren't sorted out I feel like the biggest weight has been lifted from just not having that advisor anymore, it's also made me pretty angry that my new one could do so much in one phone appointment when she has done absolutely nothing at all apart from make me feel awful but that's in the past now I guess.

I also had my neurologist appointment today (thankfully my dc is now allowed to the hospital) and he has emailed the doctor for a total reshuffle of my meds, he recommended a different painkiller (they wanted to put me onto tramadol but I didn't feel able to take that long term because it makes me feel really fuzzy and that's no good with having to look after my kids, so neuro recommended dyhydrocodine instead of the cocodomol I'm on and bigger doses of the other ones I'm on too) he says when I get on top of the pain control then he can refer me to a different type of physio than the one I've been seeing.

In other news the side of my head and my ear is also numb, he did a sharp test, and I really hadn't realised I had no feeling there either, he was really shocked I hadn't realised, but I keep laughing tonight because I'm trying to concentrate on feeling the other side of my head, and I can't either 😂 is it something people think "oooh the side of my head and my ear is numb".

I was so deflated yesterday, I wasn't suicidal or anything but I seriously wanted to just go to sleep and never wake up again. And thanks to a good old MN kick up the arse I've got so much sorted, so thank you all again

So pleased to see you have had a positive day OP. I have just read through this whole thread with my jaw dropping as I have been very fortunate to have never needed the benefits system. Good luck to you with your next steps.

Good lass, keep your chin up and don't let em grind you down 💐
It's so hard not to take it personally, I've seen friends go through it and be left in tatters. Add that to life's shit and it's easy to understand how some people can't see a way through.

Report it on your UC account under change of circumstances - health. Write a journal message to your work coach. It will need to be a condition that was not part if your past capability assessment to start on the health journey again.

💐💐💐

They are disgusting towards people at the JC, they are bitter because they're at work and you aren't.

You need to get clever about "looking for work" and you should be looking towards PIP.

You shouldn't feel guilty about not being able to work.

You should apply for ESA and go through the assessment and next assessment don't be raising your arm. Say it hurts, because it does.

And if you get refused, appeal, and you will remain on the assessment rate with a view to backdated. When you get to appeal say all the stress has made you a liability in the workplace as you are now on medication and have an extremely short temper and cannot work around others.

They can't put such a person into the workplace without risking being sued if they harm someone.

Go and get a solicitor specialising in Universal Credit & disability .You are 100% unfit for work
They are trying to get you sanctioned and would love to see you homeless or commit suicide.They are pure evil.(That's my view,I could be wrong).

I can empathise, OP. The jobcentre can be absolute vile cunts. I've got a severe neurological disability and I got told that I don't have a disability and that I choose not to take medication (I'm not allowed to take it as my moods aren't stable).
I'm thankfully on an ESA non work related activity group.
I really hate the jobcentre.
How does meaning raising one of your arms mean you are able to do care work???? These 'tests' are dickension.
OP : I took the the job centre to tribunal after some witch sanctioned me too many times. I won them all back.
canyon get a disability charity to help you.... GOOD IDEA: CALL MACMILLIAN CAMCER THEY CAN HELP WITH ISSUES SUCH AS RELATED BENEFITS!!!!!!! THEY ADVERTISE IT.
I really hope you get the help you need. This is what happens when the Tories come in and have 'crack downs'.
search for 'disability advocates'
I had law students from a university help me get mine and I won it before I got to court.
Citizens advice bureau would be rely good with this..
I have battled this battle... GOOD luck xxxxx