Gloom?

Yesterday we sat around waiting for the man to arrive from the charity to sort out my benefit problems. His appointment is for 9.30am. By 10 & there’s still no sign of him, I ring up to find out what has happened. He had no note of the appointment despite the fact he himself made the arrangement. There was no apology. He didn’t even see a need to see me! He’s now coming around on Christmas Eve. As I’ve already said I’m considering appealing, he is going to bring the appeal form with him.

I confess my faith in the help & support of this charity has evaporated. I can’t help thinking I might try to get help from somewhere else if I do appeal. In some ways it has had a good effect in that it’s made me take up some responsibility for what is or is not to happen. I confess I’m never very happy at delegating something so important to someone else, especially when I feel I have a better grasp of the legal implications than they seem to.

So this morning I got onto Jobcentre Plus to get some more information about the new Employment & Support Allowance (ESA). I’ve requested a written statement of the basis for the decision to put me in the Work Related Activity group. I’ve found out some of the implications of it. I feel a little wiser about what the situation is. I feel I’m on the way to establishing if I have some basis for an appeal on law, not just sympathy.

It seems the Fox is now allowed to claim Carer’s Allowance which he wasn’t previously entitled to. However, it comes at a price. After the first year, if I am still in the Work Related Group & unable to find an appropriate job, then the ESA becomes means tested, which means I will get nothing. If I am in the Support group I would continue to collect Contribution-based ESA which is not means tested until I reach retirement age (67) or have that miraculous improvement in my health (if only).  I gather, too, I have the joy of another medical to look forward to mid-Feb, not exactly the dream prospect that I wrote about last time & feel I need.

I am relieved, though, to realise that the month deadline in which to make an appeal is fluid at the moment. Apparently they are so inundated with appeals to claims for ESA, they’re being more flexible on these deadlines, especially if you have a good reason eg health difficulties, Christmas delays. Meanwhile I continue to collect ESA until either the first year or an appeal comes to some other conclusion.

All of this is not conducive to much festive spirit. On Monday, Angie, our home help, decided we needed some tinsel up to make the place look cheerier. Our long shelf of cards would not suffice. To me, it looks sad rather than cheery but I just couldn’t be bothered to take it down. Over the weekend we will put up the tree. I just hope that adds some sparkle to the gloom hereabouts.

Talk about gloom, today is so dark I’m tempted to put the room lights on.  It may be nearly lunchtime but it is a browny grey outside with rain splashing down & a wind blowing. I feel sorry for the men who have come to re-point our chimney. I can hear them working away on the roof but this isn’t the day I would choose to do such a job!