Has anyone had any luck in claiming incapacity benefit for depression and mental health issues? What do you need to make a claim? Is it easy to get the support of a doctor?

I'm convinced my doctor is going to tell me to go **** myself and it's putting me off making a claim

Well my uncle has type 2 schizophrenia meaning that despite being a qualified doctor he cannot really leave the house and interact properly with people, and is basically very very withdrawn. He was diagnosed when he was young, I think in his early/mid 20s. That was about 20 years ago and he didn't claim benefits for a while, basically because he hoped he would get better and one day be able to work again. He didn't and hasn't been able to work at all in basically all that time (he is really badly effected, he can't cook or clean or anything properly).

It turns out that under the new regulations because he didn't claim benefits in the first two years after diagnosis all that time ago he might not be allowed to claim benefits any more, despite the fact that in psychologist/doctor/human being in the world could tell he is completely unable to work despite his best efforts.

So basically if you think you have a problem that will mean you are unable to work in the long term/will get worse (I don't mean to depress you, but could rather than will) then I suggest you look into claiming benefits and making your situation clear as soon as possible.

The thing with depression is it is periodic and often treatable (I'm not making light of it, just by nature someone who suffers from bouts of depression can be well a large proportion of the time) and I think they should be aware of that and realise that you will try to work as you can and hope to return to work eventually.

Ok so you will have to fill in a form about what you can/can't do... For eg can you sit down in a chair properly, clean yourself, concentrate on reading etc... The incapacity form is the same form whether you are physically or mentally incapacitated. Then you will be called in for a meeting with some people. And again they will ask you similar questions about how you can cope during the day and who looks after you and things like that. Then you will get a letter telling you how many "points" you have. You need to gain a certain amount of points before you will be able to claim this money... I was taking loads of anti depressants, seeing a therapist, and not leaving my house for days on end... And still didn't get enough points to qualify. It is really hard to get it for depression.

Yeah, its a shame.
I think the problem is that there are SO many people who are/have been depressed. The economy can't handle them all being out of work, so the government tries to force them in.

As my last post proved I think, they are REALLY picky about who they give benefits to. If they can find a loophole in the policy that means they don't have to give them to you, they'll find it.

I think the UK is in a really weird place about depression at the moment. I went to a doctor because I was depressed and also wasn't leaving the house for days and not eating/sleeping etc. but because I didn't look emaciated and I turned up wearing make-up with brushed hair they were like "theres nothing wrong with you, go home". Its like you have to prove yourself, just saying "I need help" because you personally know that you do isn't enough.

I am really worried about it. I know that I couldn't cope with work, but if I get rejected for incapacity benefit I will have no income.

I get really stressed out in work. On one hand I'm so bored by any job I get that I feel depressed because I know that this is all my life will ever amount to. On the other hand, I have so little confidence that I don't trust myself to do the simplest tasks, and I **** them up and then I hate myself. My only options round here are to work in a shop or be a secretary, and I hate how this sounds, but I know I could do more than that? I'm not good at dealing with the public either. I'm capable enough to take care of myself physically so I won't get any points there. My mood is mostly stable but it doesn't take much to set me off so I know work wouldn't be good for me.

I'm on a waiting list for therapy (six months), I don't know how they expect me to suddenly get better without any help. I know people personally who are completely fine and are just too lazy to work, and they get benefits without a problem, and it ****es me off