i am thinking of starting a business but worried — Scope | Disability forum
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i am thinking of starting a business but worried

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happyfella
happyfella Community member Posts: 489 Pioneering
edited January 2022 in Benefits and financial support
My life seems to be passing me by. My daughter has suggested i start a small business but i am worried.

I have had UC on my back for nearly a year now and i am having an assessment next month about my ability to work.

I have tried to explain to them but they are not listening that some days i cannot leave the house due to the amount of pain i am in. I have told them if i got a job in the normal world then i would be sakced within a week.

I explained to them that is because at work i could be in so much pain that i would need to come home. And, other days i would be phoning up sick because i would be in too much pain to go to work.

I am on full PIP which comes up for renewal next year. I am worried that if i try and get a part of my life back and start a business which would be like a blog or something similar working from home then i would be looked at different.

I am concerned that they would take my car aware which is a life saver for me and helps with my depression and as my councillor says is an important therapy tool.

I just do not know if it is worth starting a business to try and get some self respect back and then when it comes to my pip re-assessment they say, well you have started a business, so you do not need help from us.

My councillor thinks it would help with my depression. I really do not know what to do for the best
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  • calcotti
    calcotti Community member Posts: 10,010 Disability Gamechanger
    edited January 2022
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    happyfella said:..when it comes to my pip re-assessment they say, well you have started a business, so you do not need help from us.
    PIP entitlement is not based on work, it is based solely on your ability to carry out the PIP activities to the required standard.
    Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Rules may be different in other parts of UK.
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  • happyfella
    happyfella Community member Posts: 489 Pioneering
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    calcotti said:
    happyfella said:..when it comes to my pip re-assessment they say, well you have started a business, so you do not need help from us.
    PIP entitlement is not based on work, it is based solely on your ability to carry out the PIP activities to the required standard.

    Thank you for that. I require constant support. However, a friend of mine who works at a hospital was talking to a woman who nearly died, a long story. She was on full PIP and she started a tiny business as she felt her days were wasted. When it came to her PIP renewal they took away her car and they put her on low for both.
    At her assessment according to my friend, they said to her that if she was capable of running a business then she was not as bad as she has claimed.
    This woman has nearly died three times in the past three years and is much worse than me. She struggles to walk.
    Although my councillor has said it would be good for me to do because it would help with my depression, she has said she is concerned how being stripped or losing my car because i went self employed would affect my depression.

    I am fed up of not doing much during the day. i want my self respect back as my illness has stripped me of that. I am in a catch 22 position
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  • woodbine
    woodbine Community member Posts: 11,621 Disability Gamechanger
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    It rarely does any good to take notice of "third" hand stories about PIP or any benefit as we are all different.
    2024 The year of the general election...the time for change is coming 💡

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  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Community member Posts: 16,103 Disability Gamechanger
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    Hi @bekindalways - I think this is the thread to which you refer: https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/85442/fibromyalgia-and-working-im-considering-starting-my-own-business-is-this-okay

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  • Garza
    Garza Community member Posts: 149 Pioneering
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    I think there may be quite a few people in the same situation on benefits, eager to contribute in some way but not able to do the 9-5 as it were, I hope you can figure something out that helps you with your depression and general health
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  • Libby_Alumni
    Libby_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 1,251 Pioneering
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    Hello @Garganzolla,

    I would just like to gently remind you of our community house rules. We do not allow advertising on the community, so please be aware of this when you post in the future.

    If you have any questions about this, then please do let us know :)

    Libby
    Online Community Information Coordinator
    Scope

    Concerned about another member's safety or wellbeing? Flag your concerns with us.

    Did we do a good job at answering your queries or concerns? If so, complete our feedback form now. 
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