Q16 - coping with social situations
This advice applies to England. See advice for See advice for Northern Ireland, See advice for Scotland, See advice for Wales
This question is on page 17 of the form - see what it looks like
How to answer the question
This question is about how you cope with meeting and speaking to people.
It's about whether you have difficulties relating to people, or if meeting and speaking to people causes you significant distress.
The reason you have difficulties could be because:
you have a condition like autism which means you find it hard to relate to people
you have a learning disability
you have issues with anger or aggression
you have a mental health condition
The DWP is trying to understand:
whether you have difficulties with people you know
whether you have difficulties with people you don't know
how often you have problems - whether it's all the time or most of the time
"Can you meet people you know without feeling too anxious or scared?"
No
Yes
It varies
This could be anyone you've met before like your doctor, your neighbours or friends. It doesn't just mean people you're close to.
Don't feel embarrassed if you have to tick "no", for example if:
seeing people you know makes you anxious or scared, for example because it makes you feel stressed or nervous
you avoid meeting up with people
"Can you meet people you don't know without feeling too anxious or scared?"
No
Yes
It varies
This could be someone like a cashier in a shop, a person in the bus queue, or a neighbour you've never met. Consider how you'd feel if you needed to deal with the public in a job, for example in a shop or a hotel.
You might need to tick "no" if:
speaking to strangers makes you scared or anxious, for example because it makes you feel stressed or nervous
you try to avoid meeting and speaking to new people
you try to not go out because you don't want to see people
You might need to tick 'it varies' if bumping into people you didn't expect to see makes you anxious or scared, but you're okay when you plan to meet them.
If this is the case then explain what happens and how it makes you feel in the box.
What to write in the box
It's important you tell the DWP more by explaining your situation in the box.
Use the blank box to explain how you feel about spending time with other people. For example:
how you feel when you have to meet and speak to people
if you find it hard to relate to people - how they react to you, and how it makes you feel
how often you avoid seeing or meeting people
whether you find it easier to meet other people if someone you trust is with you
whether you have good and bad days
if you could cope with meeting or speaking to more than one person at a time
whether it physically affects you, for example makes you feel hot, faint or dizzy
Keisha says: "I can't make eye contact and talk to my friends - they're people that I used to see all the time. It's impossible for me to leave the house because I don't have any confidence and wouldn't be able to deal with it, even if I had a few weeks to prepare for it. I wouldn't be able to cope if my GP left and I got a new doctor - my pulse would race and I'd have a panic attack."
How the DWP assess this question
The DWP look at a list of statements called 'descriptors'. They'll give you a number of points depending on which descriptor applies to you.
The DWP add together all the points you get from the whole form. This means you can qualify for ESA even if you don't get all the points for this question.
Descriptors for question 16
Descriptors | Points |
---|---|
Descriptors
16 (a) Engagement in social contact is always precluded due to difficulty relating to others or significant distress experienced by the claimant. |
Points
15 |
Descriptors
(b) Engagement in social contact with someone unfamiliar to the claimant is always precluded due to difficulty relating to others or significant distress experienced by the claimant. |
Points
9 |
Descriptors
(c) Engagement in social contact with someone unfamiliar to the claimant is not possible for the majority of the time due to difficulty relating to others or significant distress experienced by the claimant. |
Points
6 |
Descriptors
(d) None of the above apply. |
Points
0 |
Next steps
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