Dole Meeting: Be honest or lie?

LegacyUser

Hi I have an upcoming dole meeting with a welfare officer in regards to how my search for work is progressing and so forth. The issue I have is since my last meeting, sometime in the summer, I haven't looked for work. So essentially I am breaking the rules.

I have being struggling for a while with stress and since the last meeting, the crap just hit the fan, severe anxiety and insomnia, depressive episodes. I've attended my GP regularly and taken varying meds as prescribed, but they made things worse and I was passed onto the psytriatric local team for anxiety/depression or possible bipolar. I just had my initial assessment and they are starting a new treatment of meds for anxiety/depression, but they have also suggested that it may be the onset of bipolar disorder as my symptoms and history show some of the markers for that.

I'm attending counceling via a charity as the waiting line via the public health system is quite long. So I am paying about half the normal cost of counceling. I also pay rent and for my GP/meds as I do not have a medical card. The rest of the money for the most part I save.

I talked to my GP about employment and was recommended to hold off for a short while until I'm a bit better.

So do I tell the welfare officer the above and risk losing my dole? Or do I keep my mouth shut, in which case they will push for me to do an internship now.

The idea of going into a meeting and lying, whilst under scrutiny is really something I don't need at the moment. But on the other hand, I am breaking the rules.

I just worry that if I'm honest, I'll get my dole cut, have to apply for disability and go through that process, risk not getting that, and even if I do, then I'm labelled as being impaired, which will hurt my future employment prospects. I'd almost rather sign off voluntarily and just use the money I've saved to get me through the next few months and hope I'm in a position to have a better handle on things then.

Lux23

I sympathise, I was on the dole for one period of 9 months and another of over a year, however I always applied for jobs and could prove that I attended interviews also. Have you even sent in your CV? If you're really not well enough for work than applying for disability might be the least stressful option for you.

LegacyUser

I'm sorry about your situation. I found my anxiety got extremely bad when I was unemployed but nearly vanished after a few months when I found my job.
Tbh. .. I normally don't condone lying but if you tell them you are not looking for work they will either cut you off or suggest you go on a other payment like disability which can take months and is very hard to get.
I don't see how you can lie because they will ask for proof that you sent cvs and are actively looking for work. Is the what they did in your last meeting,asked for proof?

LegacyUser

Thanks for the reply, I was applying and had interviews until I got pretty ill in the summer. I feel guilty about it, in that part of me says I could have done more, but I don't know, at that point I was had pretty severe insomnia and anxiety. Making it to the doctors or seeing friends was an anchievement at that stage, as silly as that sounds. I would have the medical records to back that up over the last few months as my GP had me in regularly and I also have had an assessment by the local psytriatric team who I have to visit on a monthly basis now.

I'm am pretty qualified and was told last time by my welfare officer that they didn't have too many like me attending their office, so it is pretty obvious I should have something more going on then a blank record. I just really don't need a fight to get disability allowance, even temporary, as I don't imagine that would be a straightforward process or guaranteed by any stretch.

Senna

AFAIK, you can get a sick note for the dole, especially JSA. If your doctor has recommended not seeking work for a while, then they will be more than happy to sign a sick cert for you.
Best of luck.

ComfortKid

You need to get a cert from your GP to say you are unfit to work, then go on illness benefit.

LegacyUser

As others have said, get a sick note saying your incapable of looking for work. Go in without that and tell them you've done nothing and you're in trouble.

LegacyUser

Thanks for the responses, I met them half way and brought proof of some very recent job applications and explained my situation.

Stinicker

Hi Op, I know someone in a similar situation and the best thing I can tell you is to be honest and don't lie. From the sounds of your situation you are unfit for work due to your mental illness. You should inform this to the Dole Officer and you should not be on Jobseekers Allowance but rather you should apply for Illness Benefit (If you have enough contributions) or alternatively Disability Allowance and in the meantime whilst your Disability or Illness Benefit Claim is pending you could claim Supplementary Welfare Allowance as you would not be entitled to JSA (Dole) as you are unfit for work.

Best of luck with everything and try think positive thoughts :-)