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Hello, I was wondering if anyone could help me.

I am 26 and have never been able to work because of my OCD. I have been housebound with it for 6 years.

I still live at home, and my parents have been supporting me financially, but they are both over 65 and cannot afford to keep doing it.

I know I need to start claiming benefits, but I am scared of the process and it all feels too difficult. I think I should be eligible for PIP at least, but I worry that I might answer the questions wrong. I feel like a fraud.

Does anybody have any advice?

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Guest OCDhavenobrain

You are not alone in your situation. 

Your thoughts about parents and thinking about what is comming is something I wonder about too. My parents are also over 65. I really understand that I have to get over all this timewasting. And you do too. We are throwing away time to an internal bully. 

There is hope, and your biggest if not only priority now is to get over OCD.

 

Edited by OCDhavenobrain
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Hi Lost, 

It definitely sounds like a good idea to claim PIP and ESA. I receive both for my severe OCD and would be stuck without them. 

I can send you guides on how to claim the benefits if you like. The guides are written by lawyers for a benefit charity. 

One of the most important things to do when you apply for either benefit is to supply medical/psychiatric evidence. Ideally you need a medical professional or therapist to write quite an in depth letter/report outlining your difficulties and how they relate to the different activities set out on the PIP/ESA form. If you are unable to attend a benefit-related health assessment because you are housebound then you also need your GP or a CPN/therapist to write a letter requesting a home-based health assessment or a paper-based review. 

Are you currently receiving help from your local CMHT? 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by BelAnna
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Thank you both for your replies.

It helps to know I am not alone. I'm sorry you are facing similar worries though.

That would be very helpful BelAnna, thank you. Did you find it a very difficult process to claim? I'm not currently receiving any help and my GP doesn't know a great deal about my situation. I was afraid I would need to be in therapy to apply. I wouldn't be able to attend a meeting or have someone come to the house, that is the trouble.

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Hi Lost, 

It is quite a difficult process applying unfortunately but it's definitely worth doing.

I tried to PM you the two guides for ESA and PIP but I think you cannot receive messages. PIP guide 2018.pdf ESA mental health.pdf I'm not sure if this will work to attach them to this post but I'll try! 

It's quite important to get medical evidence when claiming benefits so if I was you I would write a letter to my GP to explain that I was/am housebound (and had been for years), that I had/have severe mental health conditions etc. and to request a letter. Alternatively perhaps your Mum or Dad could make an appointment to discuss the situation with a GP? 

 

Edited by BelAnna
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On 18/11/2018 at 14:47, Lost_in_a_Dark_Maze said:

Thank you both for your replies.

It helps to know I am not alone. I'm sorry you are facing similar worries though.

That would be very helpful BelAnna, thank you. Did you find it a very difficult process to claim? I'm not currently receiving any help and my GP doesn't know a great deal about my situation. I was afraid I would need to be in therapy to apply. I wouldn't be able to attend a meeting or have someone come to the house, that is the trouble.

I'm sorry I forgot to quote - I managed to attach the guides above!

Edited by BelAnna
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On 19/11/2018 at 12:40, BelAnna said:

Hi Lost, 

It is quite a difficult process applying unfortunately but it's definitely worth doing.

I tried to PM you the two guides for ESA and PIP but I think you cannot receive messages. PIP guide 2018.pdf ESA mental health.pdf I'm not sure if this will work to attach them to this post but I'll try! 

It's quite important to get medical evidence when claiming benefits so if I was you I would write a letter to my GP to explain that I was/am housebound (and had been for years), that I had/have severe mental health conditions etc. and to request a letter. Alternatively perhaps your Mum or Dad could make an appointment to discuss the situation with a GP? 

 

Sorry! My inbox was full. Quick reply for now, but just wanted to say thank you very much for the guides and your advice. I appreciate it. :)

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Is it just me, or is the whole process very confusing? I feel very daunted by it all and I'm not sure I could take the stress of applying! I'd be so scared of answering the questions wrong and claiming something I wasn't entitled to, that I'd probably doubt myself and end up playing everything down and getting nothing.

 

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It's definitely not just you- they are deliberately making it tricky to apply for benefits so that people who are entitled but are too ill to apply cannot claim! 

Please do apply- just think about the massive impact OCD has had on your life and about the fact that if you didn't have parents you wouldn't have any source of income or housing. It would be a good idea to get this sorted out so that you have your own income, in case your parents need to pay for their care or something in the future and cannot cover you any longer. 

I was advised to answer the PIP and ESA questions based on my worst days but the official guidance is to apply on the basis of how you are most of the  time so for example if you are mostly housebound but occasionally manage to go to the GP practice then you would say 'I am unable to leave the house for the majority of days (at least 6 days) each week'. 

If you need any help then let me know! 

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  • 1 month later...

I still haven't made the claim yet as I don't have an account it could be paid into. I discovered you can't have benefits paid into an ISA and my current account has been made dormant. I don't think I can get it reopened without going into the bank and I am housebound, so feeling rather stuck. Also I have no passport or driving license for ID. Does anyone else have this problem?

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I think it’s more difficult to open an account without either a passport or a driving license but not impossible. I opened one, three or four years ago and didn’t have either - they accepted a letter from the tax office. Perhaps you could get in touch with one of the banks by phone and explain your circumstances and see what they recommend?

 

Edited by CJay
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  • 1 month later...

I've finally managed to open a new current account, with a different bank, on the phone! Received the welcome pack yesterday, so can now start the application process.

I'm terrified it might result in someone turning up at the door wanting to come in. Do you think this is likely?

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Hi Lost,

That's great! well done. No they wouldn't send someone around if it's all completed over the phone. 

Remember when you fill out the PIP and ESA forms to provide lots of detail about just how bad things are. 

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Thanks. :)

Sorry, my question was a bit ambiguous. I meant that I'm worried someone from the DWP will turn up at the door if I apply for benefits.

I'm just trying to fill in the online application for Universal Credit (you can't apply for ESA anymore) and it asked if I get any disability benefits. I put 'no' as I don't currently, but I was going to apply for PIP too, so should I have said 'yes'?

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Hi Lost, 

I don't know if it's an option for you but it might be better to apply for PIP first.

If you are awarded PIP then they might be more likely to decide that you are incapable of work related activity when you do claim Universal Credit because an award of PIP indicates significant disability. Although it's technically possible that a DWP worker could turn up at the door unexpected; they do not do it unless someone suggests that you claiming are benefits which you are not entitled to. You are likely to need an assessment though and I guess if you are housebound that might involve an assessment either at home or over the phone unless they agree to a paper based assessment (I had a paper based assessment for my ESA and PIP applications). 

I hope your applications go well!

 

Edited by BelAnna
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4 hours ago, Lost_in_a_Dark_Maze said:

I phoned up and started my claim for PIP today.

That's brilliant, well done! I know it's stressful applying for benefits but it will help you and your family so it's definitely worth it.

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Thank you. :)

I made a total idiot of myself on the phone. I'm getting a bit better at it the more calls I force myself to make, but I am still scared of phoning people! I ended up saying "d for door" when spelling something. I panicked and said the first thing I could see that began with 'd'. :blush:

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