Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi. I have only been looking at what is available in England but really, if you are able to function in the home and have worked in the past, I think that the financial support ie benefits + any other type of support = 0
I've read again and again on these forums about the lack of any support for people who are 'functional'.
I gave up work because of stress but I am lucky because my circumstances changed to allow me to.
However, many autistic adults still have to try to function in a working environment no matter how stressful.
It really is the 'hidden disability'.
Does anyone know anything different?
Thanks
PIP is based on the impact of your disability on your daily life not the diagnosis, AA is easier to get but you have to be over pension age. I'm not sure I see your point. Yes if you are able to, you have to work, same as any other adult with a disability.
However, physical disabilities are much better catered for in the workplace than those with hidden disabilities. In my past place of work - a research institute - there were laboratory benches that could be adjusted in height, each floor had two toilets for the disabled and everywhere was accessible for wheelchair users. As it was a modern building, there were open plan offices and even the closed offices had a glass wall. Everywhere was glass or open, even the laboratories. As a result, I constantly felt 'too in public', had no respite from other people and was vulnerable and anxious a lot of the time. From time to time I would go either to a toilet, or to the top of a flight of stairs that led to the roof, just to be on my own and unobserved. The place I worked in was affecting my wellbeing through its design.
Martin said:From time to time I would go either to a toilet
I used to sit in the toilet for respite from my busy workplaces too.
I did most of my revision for my uni finals in the toilets in the basement of the maths department. Hardly anyone used them. It was a much better environment for study than the library, which was busy and noisy.
The system is set up for everyone to fail the first application, at one point success at appeal was over 75%. They hope people won't take it that far.
I got zero points, although I have suffered severe panic attacks in social situations leading to unconsciousness.
The assessor concluded in his report that since I had a degree I had no social relationship problems.
It is not widely understood that PIP can be claimed by someone who is in full or part time work. The benefit is designed to cover the additional costs of living with a disability and it is not necessary to prove that a person cannot work.
Although it is mainly physical there are points available for relating to being unable to socialise, speaking, understanding and being unable to plan and follow a journey. There is a helpful guide on the turn2us website, detailing how many points are available for each part of the assessment.
https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Personal-Independence-Payment-Test/What-is-the-PIP-test#guide-content
From that website the socialise guide content states:
You can socialise with other people, on their own or in small groups, without any help.
Examples of socialising:
You can only socialise with other people if someone else reminds you or encourages you.
You need a specially trained person or a person who knows you well to help you to socialise with other people.
Examples of a specially trained person:
You can’t socialise with other people because it makes you hurt yourself or other people.
You can’t socialise with other people because it makes you so distressed that you can’t do anything.
Examples of so distressed that you can’t do anything:
I really don't know how they can score any autistic person 0 points on this section alone. The person wouldn't have been diagnosed if they did not have difficulties with social communication, as that is one of the diagnostic criteria.
Oh yes ! I have the bladder of a horse, but many people must think that I have a 'problem.' Just a few minutes away (even in a tiny smelly cubicle) can be enormously restorative.
Autonomistic said:Open plan offices are an autistic persons worst nightmare. I eventually suffered a major breakdown as a result of them and haven't been able to work since.
I'm sorry to hear this.
This is the point I'm making really in this thread - if you wanted to receive any benefits ie PIP (I don't think there's another available) you would need to have
difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around because of your condition'
That's mainly a physical based assessment but also, it's not in the home that we mainly suffer (if it's a quiet place) it's at work. I hope I haven't generalised too much re this home/work difference. Apologies if I have (and please correct me).
I've walked out of several jobs, usually very upset, whilst being single and with no financial back-up.
I've also been made redundant several times presumably because I didn't fit in and/or wasn't able to perform the task adequately in the environment I had to be in.
In more than one office I was trying to listen to audio tapes to type up medical letters whilst radios were playing. Ugh! Why do people want radios on whilst trying to work and concentrate?
Ugh.
Me too!
Open plan offices are an autistic persons worst nightmare. I eventually suffered a major breakdown as a result of them and haven't been able to work since.
Some of the people used to talk non stop the whole time they were in the office. I really don't know how they ever got any work done. As a result I couldn't get any work done either, since the noise was an overwhelming sensory distraction for me.
Then there was the constant noise from phones ringing, photocopiers, printers, buzz from the fluorescent lighting, etc.
I used to plead with my manager to let me work in an empty meeting room to get some respite, but all my requests were denied. Had I known I was autistic it would have been a reasonable adjustment which might have been granted.