Self employment with support (UK)

Post Reply New Topic

I have tried self employment in the past but ended up having a breakdown and hospitalised because of the stress. I cannot get a job in the competitive job market so will need to be self employed, but if I try it, I will end up hospitalised again and cost the state more money and set me back further.

Is there a way to be self employed with support? So I could escape the competitive market mechanisms that prevent me from getting employment, and at the same time avoid being hospitalised?

Please don't mention the NAS, they won't help as I don't have any support or funding from social services. I get literally no help from any organisation that I know of, they all tell me to go to each other in a huge loop.

Have to admit that I'm not sure what to do self employed though. My degree's not much use with this, and I can't do any driving or industrial work as I have epilepsy.

I did approach the Prince's Trust twice BTW, but on both cases they turned me away, saying going to the NAS, you have Aspergers, ick, we don't want to know. On the third attempt they didn't even reply to the (paper, posted) letter I sent them.

What kind of support are you looking for and what is the nature of the business you would set up?

I suggest you get into some kind of home based Internet work. One idea is to free lance for people and companies. I don't know what sort of skills you have, so I can't be more specific on that area. Another I-net option is to do some sort of I-net work based on your own interests. Since you don't seem to be involved in making any products, a web based store front for selling your non existing products is out, but you could do a news letter or blog and get money from hosting ads at your site. I don't know how much you could make that way, but it does depend on how popular your site is. You could also host an I-net store front for someone else's products in connection with a blog or news letter. The products should be related to your text offering. I-net businesses like these allow you to set your own hours. They also minimize contact with strangers, so it would be easier for you to handle, and would also eliminate the stress of having a boss looking over your shoulder, and you wouldn't have to deal with co-workers. This would reduce your need for outside assistance, but you will still need to research first, your own interests, and second, how to set up and run an I-net business of the type you select. Third, you will need to learn some basic business info, like bookkeeping, and other record keeping. If you do freelancing, you will need to research the best way to find clients. The library, and the I-net itself can help you a lot with the research.

As for someone to help you out with business issues, here in the USA we have the Small Business Association, which provides help for start-up businesses, and those that are trying to expand. See if you have something like that in the UK.

For help when you are stressing out, you will need a therapist or psych doc. Check with your physician or local hospital for a referral.

Good luck, and remember, we on the Autism/Asperger's spectrum are all:

A Different Drummer

If a man does not keep pace with his companions,
Perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.
Let him step to the music which he hears,
However measured or far away.

--Henry David Thoreau

I'd rather work normally, to be honest. Self employment won't end well, and I have no skills to "sell". But I can't get into proper employment, never had a job, apply for dozens every week, for six and a half years, no luck. Can't see a way out.

Need a job that pays decent enough so I can get private health insurance and hopefully pay for a support worker.

All that running around in circles sounds stressful and exhausting.

I can't offer any answers, I'm afraid, as I've had similar experiences to you - except I have previously worked, but it's difficult to deal with office politics, being Aspie. So in a way, self-employment would be ideal, and yet I'm not cut out for that either, because executive dysfunction traits leave me terrified of being responsible for invoicing and book-keeping and filing tax returns (if you don't do that on time or corerectly you can get fined and in some cases prosecuted!) I asked the disability adviser in the Job Centre what assistance was available, would I be able to claimfor a support worker/personal assistant to do that kind of stuff, to enable me to go self-employed. He was very dismissive,and said that lots of people who are self-employed have to pay for a book-keeper or accountant, so if they have to pay for it,so do I. I tried to explain that they have a choice, I don't, Iit'snot that I would choose to manage my time and outsource certain tasks, in my case, I would have to,due to my disability, which meansI'm incapable of doing it myself.

I was basically toldthat there was no assistance available, even though I do have skills and relevant experience in a particular field that would lend itself to self-employment and there are lots off freelances working in thatsector.

So I believe you when you say you've tried and been given the run around and sent round in circles, because that's also beenmy experience.

I honestly don't know what the answer is, but I fear the system isn't set up to accommodate Aspies and people like us who have neurodiversity issues or people with fluctuating medical conditions.

People assume that there's a safety net and lots of support available, but when you come across as high functioning, there's little to no support to fill in the gaps of capability.

Sorry to hear that EL. But thank you for your kind words.

It seems that the system in the UK doesn't count you as 'disabled' if you have HFA. That's my experience, anyway.