Published on 12, July, 2020
Like many people who have been shielding during the pandemic, eating too much and not getting enough exercise I have been thinking about joining a local gym as they've started to re-open. There is one that has concessionary fees which includes a discounted rate for having a disability, but to be eligible you must have one of the following:
PIP (Personal Independence Payment)
Disability Working Allowance for over 60s
Employment & Support Allowance
Disability Living Allowance
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
Disabled Person’s Tax Credit
Blue Badge (parking)
I don't have any of these at this stage and they don't count your diagnosis letter as evidence, has anyone else been in this or a similar situation where official bodies don't recognise Autistic people has having a disability? Also, have any organisations that represent Autistic people done anything about it?
Thanks.
Is it not more that, you need to be on a certain benenfit to qualify rather than having a disability? (Many places give concessions for those who are claiming benefits and so are on reduced income - this could be for those with disabilities or those without).
That would appear to be correct however they also have concessions for being on Universal Credit, income support, housing benefit, being a student, being a senior, being junior etc etc and each one includes a different set of membership benefits, e.g. some you can only use their services at off-peak times whilst others are fully inclusive and you can use all the facilities all of the time. My main point here is that an Autism diagnosis does not seem to count when it comes to these bodies and organisations deciding whether you have a disability or not and I believe that it should, it's the same for many autistic people not being able to access a Freedom travel pass on buses and trains. It's not always about the money, life would sometimes be easier if we were recognised as someone with a disability as you say Midlands Monkey each diagnosis is different but sometimes you might really need some assistance somewhere, like with the police, transport - having a meltdown on a train etc there are so many variables....
But if you agree that not all diagnoses are the same, then why should they be recognised? A one size fits all approach cannot work here. I don't require any assistance but others might. The diagnosis should be a gateway to further help, and it's at that point that somebody in the medical profession may decide that one should be afforded additional assistance. I'm not saying the system as it currently stands is perfect, but the diagnosis is not enough. And we can't ask every organisation to read one's individual report and determine what concession one can or cannot be given!
I see. Supports my point that the diagnosis is only the first step, and that subsequent support using the diagnosis should only be done by medical professionals.