Can I claim any benefits?

[DepressedAspie]

I have aspergers diagnosed a few years ago. I’ve had anxiety and depression my whole life following severe abuse whilst in care. I’ve worked all my adult life but have always struggled and had problems.

I’m now 48 and feel that I can’t go on any more. I started a new job eight months ago after I was bullied out of my previous job. I’m not coping, my anxiety is through the roof, I’m having nightmares when I do manage to sleep and I’m wanting to self harm.

I’m on medication, but it only does so much. I finally talked to dh today and I said that I don’t feel I can continue working and I am wondering if I’d be able to claim any benefits. I’ve never claimed them before even when I had the anxiety attacks, but I’m at the end of the line now. I can’t function and I’m shaking and panicking in work. I work hard to hide it and I am good at hiding it.

What should I do? Am I able to do this? I feel so bad accepting this job and then being unable to cope

You could try for contributions based ESA if you have paid full NI contributions over the past few years. And you could try for PIP which looks at the effect your illness has on your daily living and mobility. You would ned a sick/ fit note to claim the ESA and you would have to have exhausted any sick pay from your employer first. To claim both these benefits you would need as much medical evidence/ psychiatrist letters/ therapy reports etc as you can get to increase your chances of an award.