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Am i entitled to anything?

GasCatGasCat Member Posts: 3 Listener
edited September 2018 in What benefits am I entitled to?
first apologies this may be a bit of a long post. i have a small collection of issues so i guess running through them is the first job, i suffer recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax which was put down to a connective tissue disorder, i was talked into an operation (VATS) to help stop the collapses, during that operation the nerves to my right hand were damaged severely limiting my range of movement and leaving me in rather severe pain. since then i have also been diagnosed as Aspergers Autistic and ADD (Inattentive)

I have always worked in the past but could only hold a job for any reasonable amount of time if it was something which took my interest, initially i was an electronics repair engineer until my hand was damaged after which i ended up working a very niche software job which i was very good at however i was made redundant and the job doesnt really exist anymore.

since then i have applied for an incredible amount of jobs and attended dozens if not hundreds of interviews but still failed to get a new job (im currently basically homeless, living on sofas etc) The people around me have told me i should apply for for some sort of benefit but i dont believe id be entitled to anything as i have worked in the past, regardless of what my job was i did it therefore im capable of work and surely wouldnt be entitled to anything, am i right or should i apply for something? its not something id ever have considered before but im genuinely struggling to get anywhere on my own and running out of ideas at this point
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Replies

  • Sam_AlumniSam_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,729 Disability Gamechanger
    edited September 2018
    Welcome to the community @GasCat
    You can fill in a benefits calculator to see if you would be entitled to any support.

    You might also like to chat to the Support to Work team, Support to Work offers advice to disabled people applying for jobs. This is a digital employment service supported with telephone or Skype. It’s open to disabled people who: 

    • are of working age
    • are looking for paid work
    • have access to the internet, telephone and email 
    • and live in England or Wales.
    Scope
    Senior online community officer
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  • poppy123456poppy123456 Member Posts: 22,910 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi,

    It depends on circumstances to what you can claim and also what's in your area.

    Firstly, are you currently looking for work or unable to work?

    Have you worked and paid enough National Insurance contributions in the last 2 tax years? If not then it's not possible to claim a Contributions based benefit but Income Related benefit is certainly possible.

    Check what's in your area first because if it's a full universal credit area then it's this you'll need to claim. https://ucpostcode.entitledto.co.uk/ucdate

    Proud winner of the 2019 empowering others award. This award was given for supporting disabled people and their families for the benefit advice I have given to members here on the community.
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  • GasCatGasCat Member Posts: 3 Listener
    I was working until Feb of this year and still am (albeit with no luck) as far as im aware we are not yet a universal credit area yet.

    as far as my circumstances everything i own fits in a backpack, i live on friends/familys sofas etc and my credit score is beyond terrible, so in short: homeless, jobless, penniless
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