Esa - son is 20 ASD/adhd learning difficulties - they want a sick note???

[oldstudentmum]

Long and short we were informed by college he could apply for esa. He has been awarded esa (SEptember) but not paid, I quieried this. a telephone message has been left saying he will not be paid until we supply a gp sick note? He gets higher rate DLA care and low rate mobility. I have to fill his forms out etc. He is not sick/ill he has a disability how can a doctor sign a sick note. Prior to turning 20 I received child benefit and ctc for him as at college in non advanced education.

Esa is a sickness benefit hence the need for a sick note.

Do you mean ESA or EMA?

The GP will sign a fit note stating he can't work. Yes it's stupid but that's the system.

Hi, my ds is 17 and in receipt of esa he is autistic and has severe learning difficulties. when he was going through the assessment process we had to supply sick notes (or fit note as they call it) I generally got the gp to make the sick note for at least 3 months and would write it on my calendar when I need to get a new one, if you don’t send in the sick note your payment will be stop.

Once your claim for esa has been assessed and your claim is successful they put you in either support or contributions category, my ds is in the support category as he will unfortunately never hold down a job.

It is then that I no longer needed to send in sick notes until his esa is due up for renewal, then we have to start the form filling in again, luckily I kept copies of the last one.

Just one other thing, as I applied for esa I had stop claiming for child benefit, it’s either esa or child benefit you can’t get both and as esa worked out more I cancelled his child benefit.
Also the doctors just put on the sick note asd/adhd and learning difficulties as the reason for not being fit to work.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-fit-note-a-guide-for-patients-and-employees

Thanks guys I was a little confused as I never needed a sick note when I swapped from ib to esa. And he isn't "ill"
I will get on to the doctors tomorrow and get a sick note and get it backdated.
He has been told he is entitled to esa , I no longer get child benefit etc for him.
Thank you all for replying I was getting a little stressed earlier, we got a good gp practice so note should not be a problem.