Today i finally met my new advisor for the first time, and the whole experience was just hideous.

First i was sat down the 'main room' which was very warm with people all around me tapping on computers. I was waiting for about 10 minutes, at this point starting to feel dizzy and as if i was going to pass out.
Then my advisor approaches me and hands me a multiple choice thing, which i feel like i have filled out a hundred times, but i do it again anyway.
He then starts rambling on about courses and starts booking me into all these different courses 'interview skills, confidence building' and so on. At this point i am feeling extremely nauseous and cannot absorb anything he is saying.

He then takes me off to his work point, which again is not a private room and there are people everywhere. He starts tapping away on his computer saying am i ok with what he is doing, so i said 'no!', he then asks may i ask what is stopping you?
My heart sinks as i know i have to go through explaining my whole anxiety panic attack issue AGAIN, for the zillionth time, a lifetime of explaining myself to random people.

I start getting very short on breath, and ask if we can go elsewhere!
We go to a private room, i explain everything, (nausea, vomiting, panic attacks, depression). He seemed understanding, and apologised saying he 'didnt know'.
He then booked me in for another appointment in 2 weeks time, and requested i go to the library next week where there is a talk on 'self employment', this actually interests me and could be beneficial, so i hope i am well enough to go.

Now he was nice enough, but i still feel very much like i am going to be pressured into things everytime i go. Its actually making me worse. And i really really really want to be better!!! As this is no life for anybody.
As i have mentioned before on this forum, i have a therapist, i am on medication, i am seeking loans and funding for courses which will give me my own specialist qualification. The work programme is not going to help me in any way shape or form, and it has not helped me thus far, i just feel like another number to them. They have absolutely no understanding of any sort of condition, or why people are on ESA in the first place.
I am at a loss to understand why the government think this is a good idea, and whether its actually just wasting more money.

I have set myself a deadline to be in self employment by summer and get off this sodding work programme. But with this added pressure which i do not need, i feel i am up against it.
Going in every 2 weeks seems excessive aswell (considering the job centre said it would be once every 4-6 weeks) and being bullied into go on different courses - which might i add would likely be no help at all.

Has anyone had any similar experience and how did you get through it?

Really ?

Once every 2 weeks isn't excessive, And the courses will not help if you go in with the attitude you are wasting your time before they even begin

Is one to presume you have actually experienced the work programme ?

the Work Programme is a separate thing run by mainly private Companies

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Work_Programme it runs for two years

what the OP appears to have had was a routine 'work-focused interview' - a person on ESA may get six of these in a year - normally spaced out ' once a month '

http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/emp...used-interview

I have been though the whole thing { Work Programme for two years with Avanta } but due to my age they have spaced out 'work-focused interview' to every three months ' and they also offered me a telephone review just in case I was unable to reach their office.

The OP should request a telephone review - they may not get it but if you dont ask you wont get it.

They could be if the person is too ill to attend.

oh lord.


is there any official guidance on this?

i originally did not appeal the decision, i thought going once a month was reasonable enough, and was actually optomistic they might be able to help in some way, even with finding proper accredited courses and funding.
how wrong i was.
i did originally have another advisor when i started at the place in the summer, i only saw her twice and the rest of the time she emailed me.

i actually got a letter saying i had a new advisor and they had changed the rules so that ALL esa claimants had to attend every 2 weeks.
now unless they can wave a magic wand and make me better then no its not going to be helpful at all, as so far from what i have seen they have absolutely zilch to offer other than a bag of stress.
after my experience today it dawned on me it was all going to be far more difficult than i thought, and i get the feeling they are there just to heap on pressure on claimants till they crack and get sanctioned or just bullied off benefits.

If the frequency of activities is causing distress then I'd suggest getting some assistance from the GP, local council mental health team, Mind or Citizens Advice Bureau to help pace out these interviews, etc. It seems like the DWP advisor doesn't have a full understanding of the effects of anxiety issues.

If these meeting are mentally doing more harm you can ask your gp for a sick note. The note has to say " limited capability for work related activities "
This way you can be excused for attending these meetings.
This is what people in the fb benefit help groups recommend.
I have never been called into one of these when I was in the wrag so I can't help much except what I put above. Thankfully they left me alone, and now i'm in support group they have less of a hold on me.

you may be in a pilot area as I have not seen any mention about this before.

you should go and see a local Citizen advice advisor just in case the rules have been changed .

I last saw my advisor 13 November and she fixed up the next appointment for 13 February but I live in London.

If they were asking everyone in so frequently they would have to employ a lot more staff

have you been asked to join the work Programme ? - first year I saw them four times and then they said ' we will contact you by phone ' but they never did although I did see them at the end so all in I saw them five times in two years.