Published on 12, July, 2020
I'm so confused about housing RN.
I'm a 26yr old woman with a diagnosis of asd. I get ESA benefits but have no idea how to get a home and cope on my own. I don't know how I would pay rent, buy food, cope...
I'm signed off from work and have been for over 10 years. I want to work but each time I try I fall to pieces.
My mental health issues have landed me in hospital numerous times. I've got my family but I want to be able to cope on my own and have my own place, preferably before anything happens to my parents.
Can my GP help me with housing and coping on my own?
I read that it's the council that do housing but I've no idea what I'm doing.
There's so much pressure on me doing this and it has to be done before anything happens to mum and dad or I'll not cope.
I've tried explaining to my parents but they say I'm worrying too much. They don't understand how important it is I do this.
Hi Precious, I'm sorry to hear you're having a really difficult time with this. I don't have any information myself regarding housing that would be useful but Citizens Advice might be able to provide you with some detailed information and support. I had a quick look and I think you can do online chat with them during work hours on weekdays https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/contact-us/contact-us/contact-us/
In terms of finding work, I think there's always a lot of pressure to jump straight into a full time 9-5 role in the office but it might be better for you to start with a part-time role, or casual contract role which gives you more flexibility while you adjust. I think some job websites also let you look for online working roles. Maybe you could also try some volunteer work in a quiet charity shop as preparation, or something, to help you adjust in a relaxed environment where you can leave at any point without any major ramifications. There will be volunteer roles in other sectors too that will help you adjust, charity shops is just what I did before going to University.