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At 48 I was diagnosed Autistic and then set about trying to understand my life and the mistakes that made me.
Unfortunately having worked in care for 24 years didnt automatically qualify me for support via colleagues and work so I was forced or felt inclined to leave a job I enjoyed. I had problems with discipline- nothing major just words and commnets repeated and behaviours ( mostly linked to Autism may I add) Apparently I was a 'problem' in the team yet in 8 years doing other jobs at the same firm I was able to manage myself and not attract such derision.
Anyway I complained after I left that I was discrimimated against whilst working and won round one recently after a year. I am waiting for some form of compensation or apology I cannot go back.
I still work for the same firm albeit 12- 15 hours a week and a separate entity and do the job fine. So it's not me after all. I also volunteer and do a small 4 hour post as encouraging others to work on a greenspace. This fills my week and is manageable.
What isn't is my financesI just get by. I claimed ESA which entitles me to £74 a week for 12 months after which I have to wait 12 weeks to reapply. I just get by with this for 2 of us. My partner has anxiety issues and does a small cleaning job for £30 a week to keep her motivation.I earn £140 in total a week to stay withing permitted limits for ESA across both jobs.
I was refused PIP and there are no other help options for a working disabled person long term like me or is there something I missed?
Unfortunately having worked in care for 24 years didnt automatically qualify me for support via colleagues and work so I was forced or felt inclined to leave a job I enjoyed. I had problems with discipline- nothing major just words and commnets repeated and behaviours ( mostly linked to Autism may I add) Apparently I was a 'problem' in the team yet in 8 years doing other jobs at the same firm I was able to manage myself and not attract such derision.
Anyway I complained after I left that I was discrimimated against whilst working and won round one recently after a year. I am waiting for some form of compensation or apology I cannot go back.
I still work for the same firm albeit 12- 15 hours a week and a separate entity and do the job fine. So it's not me after all. I also volunteer and do a small 4 hour post as encouraging others to work on a greenspace. This fills my week and is manageable.
What isn't is my financesI just get by. I claimed ESA which entitles me to £74 a week for 12 months after which I have to wait 12 weeks to reapply. I just get by with this for 2 of us. My partner has anxiety issues and does a small cleaning job for £30 a week to keep her motivation.I earn £140 in total a week to stay withing permitted limits for ESA across both jobs.
I was refused PIP and there are no other help options for a working disabled person long term like me or is there something I missed?
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@steve51
I hope you find you are entitled to some additional benefits as it cant be easy living off the amount of income you are getting
I send in fit notes with my ESA claim. My partner has issues with accessing help- we manage so shes happy to carry on as we are. I fear we just adjust each time my income drops and i have few savings now as they went July 19 to feb 20 waiting for ESA.
The UC problem is my rented property. Only one mind!- which is a real burden, has been the whole 18 years. I have tried to sell numerous times to offset my personal mortgage but ....anyway there is a good tenant now thank god and it just pays it way now.
UC take the income/profit from it after deductions and the capital value or equity- same as housing benefit and councul tax benefit.
Basically we qualify for nothing even though on paper it appears we have income that is either spoken for in mortgage payments or hypothetical as in if we could sell tomorrow for the market value.
There should be a designanated disability working benefit for those that need support while working and fair.
All the other subsidies or help require other entitlements, such as pip opens up this and that etc. I don't qualify for pip, its ableist criteria doesn't allow for mental health or Socially defined disabilities.
I have lobbied the MP for a change in the working support of Disabled workers.
I exist at present, i get by we get by, If my missus could work more she would but I cant force her thus ESA is the only benefit that works.shame its only 12 months though.
Thank you all the same, I appreciate the listening aspect of this.
As a late diagnosed I have not really understood what affects me day to day. I know where my issues are but they dont always fit the criteria of PIP and I present very articulate so my demeanour belies my struggles.
I will try again for the sake of it as anything helps.
Can you explain WRAG with reference to ESA as I am so confused, new style, income related, contribution related its not well explained in any gov material or the job centre. Ive paid stamps for NI for 24 years as a carer I just would like some recognition for 24 years of getting this far without help at a time when i am struggling.
I applied for ESA in JUly 2019 and was refused I appealed etc etc.
eventually January this year I managed to get my income to fit the criteria.
I work 15 hours at £9.30 as a carer.
I was working over 30 hours in 2 jobs all over the place, then diagnosed and then had work issues in one of the jobs(same firm) left that job tried to get another job post diagnosis failed miserably and got so down so concentrated on the one job as didnt want to lose that either.
was very skint for 9 months lived off savings etc until ESA was successful.
Dont know which group im in to be sure assumed wrag but have no appointments to attend. just submit fit notes every 3 months from GP.
the pip i appealed went MR and went to tribunal stll failed. Will defo try again
The tribunal was related to PIP.
Im still waiting for a tribunal date for ESA.
How do I find which group im in?
It just says from 21st January I get £73.10 then from April it goes up. They havent asked me attend anything face to face since then just asked for 2 fits notes the 3rd is due now but they didnt text me or ask this time.
Oh and in 365 days it stops because thats maximum days for contribution based ESA
I assume everyone knows my story its like I think my telepathy can send the info and save time.
lol
anyway yes i was refused and got no pip. I sort of gave up as the system didnt seem to want to support me and was resigned to trying to find another job but Ive found the stuff i do now is enough if that makes sense.
I would have to give up everything that has worked for me for the last 2 years. The 4 hr partime greenspace role, the volunteering and my 12 hours community care work/job. I also run a neuro diverse group now each week. I decided i need to slow down as my age is catching me up at 50. Yes I can still run around like a kid at times but suffer thenext day, I can drive for 6 hours but suffer the next day, i can work hard but suffer the next day, i can write all day but suffer the next day. recovery time is longer which is annoying. If you imagine I dont just do a job I live it and breath it when i get into no matter how much time it involves. It something that makes me, me i suppose but its tiring because I have no regulation.
I digress- so after my ESA year I can reapply for ESA then after 12 weeks?
The system expects you to cut your loses for 3 months- Like I said Im not the only one seems 50 is the magic number or Auties alike to be thrown on the scrap heap.
you are a star thank you forgive my negativity - you have given me more helpful information than the dwp ever could.x