Will UC understand that I can’t work ?

[WantTobutcant]

Will they do an assessment without any formal diagnosis or is it needs based so if I tell them my difficulties they’ll assess on that or do you have to have conditions formally diagnosed ?

But (and I say this kindly) you are unwell. Go to your gp, it will be hard but you will manage. Are you registered with one?

How did you meet your DP given the symptoms you experience? How do they support you with your health?

There are literally 100s of jobs out there which require no qualifications whatsoever.

My father in law is in his 70s and suffered polio in his youth - as a result, he has a withered leg and a malformed bicep in one arm. He never finished school (although in fairness, he would only have been expected to attend up to 14 anyway) and as a result, has a reading age of about 12.

He was until, his very recent retirement, a very skilled stonemason who helped develop many other young tradespeople through their apprenticeships and subsequent careers.

A lack of formal qualifications is a challenge, yes, but it's not a total block.

I think you're around the same age as me - I'm 43 - and you have so much life left to live.

However, I do think you are now at the stage where you're so lacking in confidence that you're putting barriers in your way, whether consciously or subconsciously.

OP from some of your comments, your difficulties could be related to autism. Here's a reputable website with professional standard online tests, which you can take for free. www.embrace-autism.com

Autism presents differently from the stereotypes, especially in women, so please disregard anything you might already know. If the tests indicate that autism may be the root cause, you can ask your GP to refer you for assessment, if you think that would be helpful. The NHS waiting lists are very long but there are private options for assessment too, which you can self refer to.

In any case you don't deserve to be struggling like this. Please go to the GP even if the tests don't indicate autism. You may be able to self refer to a mental health service in your area if you Google to see what's available. Then you'd go straight for an assessment. It may be best to write down the difficulties you've experienced. There will almost certainly be ways to help you achieve a better standard of life.

At the moment you're struggling too much to think of working - this isn't your fault. You're under no obligation to listen to people who don't have empathy or can't understand the struggles of others. I wish you the very best!

You need to get to the drs and explain everything, you will then have evidence of what is going on. X

OP there are definitely jobs where you don’t have to speak. Some people are unable to speak through deafness/ disability and are able to find work. Also not everyone speaks English. would you be able to communicate by writing/ sign language if you were anxious? some people work on a self employed basis at home and are able to claim benefits. Your partner could presumably support you if there were necessary phone calls. You can also get all sorts of tech to assist people who are unable to speak.
I think so much has gone virtual and online that things could possibly be easier for you now both to work and study. Possibly you could work towards English gcse. Some boards have a speaking component but not all igcses are equivalent and do not have a spoken element and are often taught online.
anxiety conditions tend to get worse if you avoid what you’re scared of. There’s also lots of newer treatments like EMDR and many things are available virtually. You can do cbt as online programmes.
I think you’ve had some unhelpful replies, this is obviously a big problem but if you can manage to ask for help (virtually if necessary!) I’m sure you could get some helpful advice about some positive steps you can take

I'll just add that the freezing up/not being able to speak you mention sounds to me like going non-verbal. This can happen when an autistic person is overwhelmed or stressed.

I am autistic (I was diagnosed about 10 years ago, in my early 30s). It took me three years to pursue my diagnosis through the NHS and I fought hard for it.

I was in the very fortunate position to advocate for myself and be capable of work / supporting myself, but the options open to adults with a late diagnosis of ADD / ADHD / ASD are very limited - some support is available, but realistically very little.

Also, the OP needs help and support now, not to be tied to a 'when my ship comes in'-type possibility of what might happen if / when they get a diagnosis.

They need practical coping skills.

@WantTobutcant you’ll be expected to get a job in a factory or something. If you could just say oh I’m ill with no proof a lot more people would do it

When I was on it I had to send sick notes in and then I had an assessment and took all my hospital letters in. They deemed me as being in the unfit for work category. They won’t just mark you as being unfit without proof which includes doctors letters etc.

How old are you and when did you last have a job?

When you apply to UC, and declare you are unable to work, you have to put a diagnosis in the box. You will also have to do the same when you fill in the Work Capability Forms.

The initial application for UC is online, but until you have a WCA, you will have to supply sick notes to the Job Centre and attend regular appointments. If your GP wont give you a sick note, you will have to look for work.

This^

I have just helped a relative claim UC and PIP, he has severe mental health problems (psychosis, clinical depression, ptsd etc.) He is a danger to himself and others when he gets very ill so it's not safe for him to be in a work environment. It was relatively straightforward for him to receive LCWRA but he has lots of medical evidence. Psychiatric reports from community mental health team, CPN letters, gp letters, letters to say he is prescribed antipsychotic medication etc.

My point is, without a lot of medical evidence you will likely be found fit for work. You need to write down all your symtoms/ difficulties (it's easy to forgot stuff when you're talking to gp) and book a gp appointment as soon as possible. You really need to be started on medication if you're at the point where mixing with people makes you ill. As pp said, as soon as you tell UC you're unfit for work, they will ask you for fit notes/ sick notes so it really is important you get to the gp straight away.

Good luck!

As long as your dh works and earns above a certain amount - I think it's going up to something like £930 soon ( but still ridiculously low), you will likely be put in the light touch group and have no or little requirements to look for work. However if you hand in sick notes and wait to be assessed for work capability, it can mean more money on your claim so it is worth getting assessed but obviously you would need to see your Gp and get sick notes.

Citizen’s Advice can help with the form. You will need to submit a fit note within 7 days of submitting claim and after 28 days get the form then a face to face assessment. Until the decision you may have a commitment to look for work.

The other groups not expected to do work related activities at all are if responsible for a child under 1 or a carer for a disabled person. When child is 2 you get ready for work and after that expected to part time then full time when child is older.

whatever you do about the universal credit see your GP as you may be able to get help just to make normal life easier.

you may also qualify for personal independence payments (pip) but although possible just meeting the criteria to get points usually need medical evidence.

You can do free courses but unless found unfit for work you will still be expected to seek work or to take appropriate steps to get there. However there is a lot of support if you have a work coach and you may be able to join programmes to help with anxiety or to explore steps forward for you. You will be expected to attend the job centre weekly at first

I am peaty sure you’re agoraphobic. I know that the common definition suggests that means solely fear of being outside, but it’s not just that and can be far more complex. It’s broadly about unknown or uncomfortable situations, or even just thinking of them, and can trigger panic attacks but - also given what you’re talking about - lethargy and hopelessness.

I absolutely could be wrong. It’s hard to try and diagnose with what you’ve said on here, but regardless, you’re having a difficult time and you need (and deserve) help. GP appointments can be online now, it’s worth talking to them.

Regarding UC, I’m afraid the agencies in charge are pretty unforgiving so you’ll need some proof in their eyes that you can’t work. I’m sorry to say that what you’ve said on here wouldn’t qualify. Speak to the GP, get a diagnosis, and then you might qualify.

Also, you sound smart to me - I know and work with quite a few people without formal qualifications who are doing well for themselves work-wise, should you want to go down that route. Anyway, good luck to you.

I'm not disagreeing, but what practical coping skills could help OP when she's possibly in a state of meltdown or shutdown from sensory overload when leaving her house and she has no idea why or what's going on? She's had bad experiences with medical staff previously and is understandably avoiding going back. If she can begin to understand what is actually happening to her in these times of distress she will surely feel more confident and capable of change.

I agree it's rotten that there's essentially no NHS support for ASD adults with low support needs. Are you glad that you know the reason for the differences and difficulties you have experienced? Do you think that if OP is autistic, she would want to have that explanation for relief and self-knowledge? Bearing in mind that she may get a deal of that from a few minutes taking free online tests and some further research. Even without a formal diagnosis.

You will be allocated a,work coach who will meet you and go thru the options. Maybe refer to a health backtowork program

I agree with this. You are living a half life and a doctor can help you live a full life.

The medication you were on a long time ago, was it Seroxat?

They can make people more likely to develop anxiety, so they don't cause the phsyical symptoms in themselves but are an underlying reason that needs to be supported. I.e. people with ASD/ADHD can find it hard to read social cues and don't always know how to respond in social situations, so they become anxious about socialising out of fear of getting things wrong. People with ASD/ADHD can also have sensory sensitivies that make the noise, smell, lights, of busy places feel overwhelming, which makes social interaction even harder for them. I'm not saying you definitely have anything other than severe anxiety, but it might be a reason why standard anxiety approaches didn't work for you when you were younger, if there was something underlying your social anxiety that wasn't being addressed by the treatment.

OP you need help to sort this out. My DD is only 19 but has been housebound for 5 years due to mental illness and I am just starting a UC claim for her, which will then progress to Limited Capacity for Work Related Activities. I tried to start this claim recently I am usually pretty savvy (she gets PIP) but it beat me to be honest and I don't think you will get through the process without support. Citizens Advice Bureau are appointed to give advice on this here: www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/contact-us/contact-us/help-to-claim/

There's also a great Facebook group that I use all the time: www.facebook.com/groups/269892517081937/

My DD hasn't spoken to anyone other than her psychologist, her sister and dad (and me) for 2 years, she is unable to hold a conversation she can't use the phone can't be on line or on screen, sometimes I'll drive her round in the car but she can't get out, I can understand the restrictions you live under and how you have just "got by" for this long, but please don't live like this, ask the GP for help. And please get proper advice on claiming UC because I think you are going to struggle. Someone earlier linked to this: www.disabilityrightsuk.org/activity-16 - I think it describes you but you will need proof from GP and/or the community mental health team. I wish you all the best.

@WantTobutcant

Check out these links, anxiety disorders are very common in people with ASD, as are learning difficulties which make passing exams hard and difficulties with employment. Have a read and see if it sounds like you… also this book may ring true amzn.to/2K5pwjh?ascsubtag=471fad83-5f70-4dcc-a802-a86ec603c980&correlationId=471fad83-5f70-4dcc-a802-a86ec603c980

www.healthline.com/health/autism-in-women#symptoms-in-women

autismandhealth.org/?a=pv&p=detail&t=pv_asd&s=asd_asd&theme=dk&

Lots of online reading for you to do OP!

If none of that fits then it is purely mental health. In either event you need GP support.

There are lots of courses, online and face to face that are free to those on benefits. Infact it's the best time to do it because it's free.

That is not quite the point. There are plenty of free courses, but nobody is going to provide you with an income while you do them.

To me you sound autistic. A lot of the anxieties you describe are being triggered by sensory issues (lights etc) and social interactions, and you go non-verbal. I think yoir panic attacks are likely to be meltdowns. I think that needs to be your starting point... you've had some great advice up thread about it. Having no diagnosis means it's hard to understand why you're not coping which makes the anxiety worse. Big hugs OP!