(UK) Disability Living Allowance?

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Just wondering, do you have DLA and/or do you work? Min or max details as you see fit.

I have DLA (low/low), but I work so it may not last. It was very difficult to get it, the 'worst day' thing is very demeaning.

Sometimes working whilst claiming causes me inner turmoil, but ultimately, work leaves me so down and out drained once I'm done that I've no life left to be 'working to live.'

Surprised I haven't melted down yet.

Anyway. You?

yeah, i get low/low. Havent worked in a while. Im very glad i applied for it, because the new welfare 'reforms' (translation: dismantlement) cant f**k with it. JSA alone is not enough to live on.

The 'worst day' thing is gutting isnt it? I really feel for parents who have to fill these in for their children - it must be heartbreaking having to write your child off like that.

Dont feel guilty - you shouldnt be working - at least not in that way, or for that long per week. Were supposed to enjoy productive work, not 'live to work'. So
do not feel guilty whatsoever.

I'm claiming the new thing "Employment Support Allowance" but am still using a doctors note - haven't had the interview yet. It sounds like it's gonna be horrible, I could barely fill out the form.
I haven't worked since May and have been diagnosed with AS since - my attitude is that I'll find work once I'm getting help with the condition.

The doctors interview i had replacing the sicknotes wasnt bad at all, that was a while ago though & it might be luck which doctor you see, if you see a real doctor at all that is.

Its the new 'work focussed interviews' that ive heard horror stories about. Some of the staff there are heartless mercenaries & the whole setup is a scam, its literally a set-up. the 'doctor' present is actually a computer program called LIMA, which the mercs type in whatever they like.

I have DLA (low mobility, high care) and I work. I have a diagnosis, so it is indefinite, being that autism is classed as a permanent affliction. I will always have it, whether I work or not.

My job, however, is sketchy. I work in a pub, and it is not making much money, so my shifts are being cut. Tomorrow I'm going to the Job Centre to make an appointment with the Disability Employment Adviser, to discuss whether or not I should work. If income support, DLA, and housing benefit are worth more money than working, DLA, and WTC (Working Tax Credit), then I guess I'm going to do that. I like working however, and not working makes me depressed and feel worthless. Hopefully I can get something.

The other option of course is to return to education - possibly through the OU, and then take the benefits.

I have tried the education thing, but that was before the diagnosis, and I failed miserably. To return would mean having to get support and some sort of mentor to help me through it. Plus, I would need money, which I don't have right now.

If you did a year or less of a degree I think you still get funding for the whole thing - though I am not 100% sure of the rules. DSA's are also there for all the support you may need.

Did all the people here manage to get a diagnoses from the NHS?

I've been out of work for a few months now because I left my last job as it was causing almost constant panic attacks. Since then I've just been claiming job seekers allowance but they have just decided to stop that as they feel I left my last job "voluntarily". I really feel as thought if I start work again the panic attacks will again start, but the goverment don't seem to consider this a decent reason to help me, and I'm having a lot of trouble trying to get a diagnoses of aspergers (which I strongly suspect I have but can't be certain until I get diagnosed) on the NHS here in Chester. Anyway I'm pretty sure if I did get a diagnoses they would be more willing to help.

Anyone had similar problems? no of any solutions?

DLA is not a unable to work type benefit-its there to pay for the needs resulting from own impairments,
so they cant stop it for having a job voluntary or not voluntary,from what have read on a disability forum-they might investigate the award again if they know are working when the claim forms had said have difficulty doing something are doing in that job.

am get high/high [the high- high rate mobility component is due to coming under its severe behavioral difficulties and severe mental impairment boxes] and am not able to work,though will eventually try basic volunteer work with cats [that are permenant residents,not changing] or horses as have always got one to two support staff with self,had tried to do it before but no place would give a chance stating risk reasons which was rubbish as have said-always have own staff [one to two,no excuse].
going through too much change long term to get into that now but its still plan.


LadyMacbeth,
what about voluntary work,

I don't know I think I get DLA. Well apparently when I leave school I can actually get a bus pass to college on public buses.

I get DLA but I get the minimum of £50 a week but I don't have a job yet. I would like a job in care but I don't know whether I will be able to keep with one, I had a go in the charity shop but I got really annoyed so I had to stop working.

£50 is a lot more than minimum, you must be getting one component at low & one at medium.

Lower and lower equates to £35.50, and lower and middle equates to £62.60. So I don't know how she got a figure of £50.

KingdomOfRats: I will be suggesting that at my Disability Employment meeting on Wednesday (which I think Sazarina should think about making an appointment for). I do enjoy working, and it wont make me feel guilty for being such a burden on the state. Though I probably do deserve it, given that I've been stressed out having to talk to ppl at work for many years, etc.

Kangoogle: The less-than-one year uni I did set me back £5000. I am still in debt for this amount. I don't know whether the Student Loan ppl will allow me to gather funding for another spat of education without paying at least some of this off. But this is a plan for this year - get at least a little out of debt. I don't have to pay most of it off until I get a job worth over 15 grand a year, but £1200 I do have to pay ASAP, as I didn't finish the year, but had funding for that time. I don't know, maybe if I tell them about my diagnosis, they might be a little less harsh on the idea.

I get disability allowance and have done for years because the speacilist believed I would be unable to work a minimum of 8 hours a week. However, I can get on the job support working under the supported wage system.

Thanks for the input guys - I had been told that AS was difficult to get DLA for, but perhaps in recent years with it coming to mainstream attention things have improved a little.

Does anyone in receipt of DLA live by themselves? I do (and informed them) but I am still visited by the folks several times a month, still can't look after the place properly or myself (I wash up and stuff for work, but minimally and not well).

I also have an on-off illness from another syndrome which has caused me physically to get worse than when I claimed, but that isn't taken into account (was hard enough going through the process once).

One thing that sort of bugs me about this is I feel like I shouldn't be out there living life and meeting people, because I get paid for having problems with that (that is, when I don't feel like doing it full stop, which is sadly often). Is that stupid of me?