Depression and benefits. Am I entitled?

[makemineaquadruple]

Hi everyone.

I've been suffering with anxiety and depression since I was 12, officially anyway. I look back and I think I always suffered with anxiety to one degree or another.

I have left pretty much every job due to depression. When I had my dd however, the pressure was off slightly because I always said when I have children I would want to stay at home until they go to school. Well, dd started full time in september, which means i've got a lot of spare time on my hands.

The anxiety and low mood is still very much part of my life though and I am currently at the beginning of a course of CBT. I don't feel ready yet to go out there and work. I don't want to fail yet again. I ideally want to go back when i'm more mentally stable.

It gets complicated though. My dp's business has pretty much dried up and we have got absolutely no money coming in, which is obviously adding to the depression. I have never claimed for any benefits in the past, as I didn't believe I was entitled and don't really like the idea of it. The way things stand at the minute though, i'm wondering if in fact, I now am entitled. I am hopfully moving forward with CBT and one of my main goals is to get enough confidence to go back to work.

Does anyone know where I would stand regarding benefits when suffering with depression?

Thanks for reading

You need good face to face advice taking into account your current circumstances and your dp's circumstances, as one will impact on the other.

If the two of you have no source of income a claim for benefits can be made.

Whether you can get any sickness related benefits depends among others on your National Insurance Contributions.

The best thing to do is make an appointment at your nearest Citizens Advice Bureau or other advice centre for a full benefits check.

Thanks madmouse. I was on the CAB website this morning and I couldn't find anything that really related to me. I will definitely make an appointment asap.

Overall though, does depression count as sickness?

Mental health ssues can count if tyey are incapacitating. Expect a lot of scruteny / drs reports tough, as mental disability can be a bit harder to proove than, say, blindness.

I can understand that. I don't believe benfits should be handed out freely, but the idea of being asked countless questions about how rubbish i'm feeling and if I do really feel that depressed fills me with dread.

That's why I suggest a benefits check - it may not be necessary to go down the route of claiming on the basis of your illness. Depression is an illness like all others, but it can be hard to prove that it leaves you unable to work as many people with depression do work - it's all a matter of degree.

If you are under the care of the cmht, or have a strong medical history, sometimes that might be enough evidence.

But not often.