ESA and going to Recovery College

Hi

My primary wellness tool to better manage my mental health issues is to attend recovery courses at my local recovery college. I am in the support group for ESA. My question is: does attending courses at my recovery college fall into the definition of 'work' as used within the Permitted Work rules? I need to know whether the 16 hour rule applies to seeking to improve my mental health through attendance at my recovery college.

Thank you.

Hi Gordon

I appreciate your response.Can I seek further clarification?

I am in receipt of the ESA50 'questionnaire' as we speak and working upon my submission. That was the origin for my initial enquiry re what constitutes work. Your response has raised a further enquiry. My mental health is in freefall and has been for the last 4 months. It is therefore arguable that attendance at college has not helped me manage my mental health issues over that period. Your answer re the consequences of an improvement in health through taking up recovery courses has left me in a quandary about disclosure as I have been a student at college for 2 years. In the real world, there have been both improvements and setbacks over that extended period. I don't know what is the best course of action in the circumstances. I appreciate that it would be inappropriate to directly advise on this point.

That, gets me to the critical question of timescales used by the DWP/Maximus for the assessment of the effect of mental health upon capabilities. If it's anything less than 4 months, then there isn't a problem. If it's more than 4 months, I will have to have to take into account mood swings over an extended period.

Apologies for the lengthy discourse. I am understandably worried and clarification of the timescale question would help me provide an accurate representation of the effects of my mental health.

Thank you in advance.

Charlie

Gordon

That is such a helpful response. All being well, I can now get past my 'writer's block' and recommence working on completion of my ESA50.

Before I got the dreaded questionnaire, I was already struggling with bipolar disorder (rapid cycling) and EUPD traits. As a direct consequence of receipt of the assessment form, my anxiety is now running wild. The three conditions are ganging up on me. This is hell on earth. I'm gobsmacked that the DWP can assert that the ESA50 does not have a serious deleterious effect upon people living with mental health conditions. I am in bits, the worst I've been in decades.

Be assured that I have support out there to help me through a extremely difficult time.

Thank you so very much.

Charlie

I can fully empathise with your situation. I got a letter two days ago, and I'm now having a massive fibromyalgia flare up and suffering terrible anxiety.

I can't sleep or eat and this will go on until the assessment and beyond. I will have to ask my gp for valium to be able to attend the assessment, which is in a place deliberately inaccessible to the disabled people forced to go there.

The system is set up to make you fail and its vile.