Hello,
I have a part time job (I work in retail in a stockroom and I've been there for over 7 years). I usually work up to 16 hours a week and I also volunteer for an MS charity as a video editor because this charity made a huge difference to my life when I was diagnosed with MS almost 5 years ago.
My part time job involves me being on a timer so I am always rushing to beat the clock. Just to give you an idea of what it involves - I have to scan tubs and every tub gives you a certain amount of time to take every item out of the tub, **** the items, tag them, hang them, cube them and then when I have a full rail of clothes that I've processed, I have to scan every item individually to find out if it belongs on the shopfloor or in the stockroom and then I have to put all the items away wherever they belong. All this is on a timer so it's not easy because it's a big rush but it keeps me active.
However, I do struggle with some MS symptoms, including MS fatigue, and when I overdo it and take on too many extra shifts, my symptoms feel worse. There are also days when I've had longer shifts and I've ended up with a very bad headache, feeling sick and then I've felt drained and had no energy for several days. There's no way I could do that 5 days a week.
In the past, I have struggled so much, my boss let me spread my hours out across the week so that I didn't have to work long shifts. So for example, instead of doing a 6 hour shift for one day, I'd do 3 hours for 2 days. That's when my fatigue was really bad a few years back.
It's frustrating. I would love to be able to work a full time job and earn more but I feel trapped at the moment.
I applied for PIP earlier in the year and after the telephone appointment, I scored 0 points.
I've since asked for a Mandatory Reconsideration.
As I only work part time, I am signed onto Universal Credit. Because my wages aren't consistently high enough and UC now want me to do around 20 hours every week, UC has been demanding that I have fortnightly appointments with them to discuss what I could be doing to get more work.
As I work in retail, sometimes the hours aren't there anyway and there have been a few months in the last few years where I have only been able to work my contracted hours which is 10 hours per week. That is not often but it has happened when the store has been quiet.
The Universal Credit work coach first told me I would have to get another job if my hours didn't increase. They know about my MS but didn't acknowledge it. I was fighting back tears and I just didn't have the energy to tell them how my MS affects me. I just wanted to get out of there.
Then the next appointment I had, they brought up my MS and the work coach was a little more understanding but repeated that I need to be working more hours.
Then the next appointment, he said, he wouldn't pressure anyone with a health condition but could I get a fit note from my GP.
I explained my situation to my GP and she's given me a fit note for 3 months (as it's my first fit note). I'm still having to have appointments with UC though. Which seems pointless but I feel like I am being treated like I am sitting down all day doing nothing and contributing nothing and asking for money I don't deserve and am not entitled to.
I am working as much as I feel able to. I enjoy the job that I have. I've been there for over 7 years. I'm not asking to stop working.
Is it really so wrong of me to feel that I could just use a little bit of support and help?
I'm just not in a position where I feel I am capable of doing the job that I do, full time.
But I literally feel like I'm just stuck and I just don't know what to do.
If anyone could advise me here, it would really mean a lot.
