Explain why you are writing.

Explain the main symptoms or difficulties you have because of your illness or disability. 

Remember to explain how they affect you.

I have severe epilepsy and depression. I get little or no warning of seizures and have frequently been hurt when they occur. After a seizure, I feel terrible and 'foggy' for about four days afterwards.

Because of my depression and because of the lethargy caused by seizures, I often can’t face getting up, so I stay in bed - sometimes all day, because I know I won’t get hurt if I have a seizure there.

If you feel better on some days than on others, explain what help you need on both. If you can, say how frequently you have better days and bad days.

I have 3 -6 seizures a month on average. Immediately after a seizure I feel very disorientated and confused, and I can be aggressive. I also feel very lethargic and I can’t think straight for about 4 days afterwards. I feel depressed every day. 

Explain what descriptors you meet and why you should get those points. Try to be as clear as you can about how your difficulties meet the descriptors. 

Remember to say everything – even things that you find embarrassing. It will be a lot easier to write it down than to say it in the hearing. Going into a lot of detail may seem unnecessary, but it will help the panel understand your condition.

I need supervision to cook a simple meal. I have hurt myself in the past while trying to cook. On different occasions I have dropped a pan of boiling water on my foot, cut myself, and left the gas on due to my fogginess. If I had a seizure while cooking alone it could be even more dangerous. I don’t cook alone. 

Due to the fogginess and due to my depression I need prompting to eat anything most days. I rarely eat more than once a day when my brother pops in to help me. 

I need supervision and prompting to take my medication. Left alone, I sometimes don’t take it because I hate the side effects, but that makes the seizures worse.

I need supervision to have a bath in case I have a seizure while in it. I have hit my head against the toilet when having a seizure in the bathroom and I had to have stitches. I also need prompting to have a bath because of my depression, lethargy and fogginess. 

When I have had a seizure I need supervision and prompting to cope with my toilet needs. I often wet myself and I need help to even realise sometimes and to get cleaned up and into clean clothes afterwards.

I cannot go out anywhere at all without help from another person because of the seizures. I need supervision to help me stay safe and to help me after a seizure because I am so disorientated and confused I couldn’t find my home again, or ensure I was even safe. I do not even go to the corner shop on my own. Even thinking about it makes me very anxious.

Tell them if you have ever been hurt (or might have been hurt), because of your illness or condition. 

You also need to tell them if you have hurt somebody else because of your illness or condition.

You should also say if you have ever hurt yourself on purpose.

Three years ago I fell down the stairs during a seizure and broke my collarbone. I had to have stitches in my head another time and have burnt myself or been left with more minor injuries countless times.

I can be aggressive while I am disorientated or confused immediately after a seizure. I once punched a woman who came to try to help me.

Is there anything you don’t do because you don’t have the help you need?

If there is any other evidence that backs up what you are saying, refer to it.

If not getting the help you need causes other problems, it is very useful to say so. They won’t make the connection for themselves.