Published on 12, July, 2020
In the BBC News online, there is a story saying that the government are thinking of getting rid of PIP and replacing it by getting things that disabled people need like a wheelchair or adapting their home.
This is would be not good for us autistics. Firstly UC and ESA together dont even make a minimum wage, we should not be left under the breadline because we cannot work due to being autistic (I know some people who are autistic can work ).
Nowadays with the cost of living, the PIP ontop of those benefits come under minimum wage, therefore lots of disabled people are paying for heating and eating etc using their PIP to help them do that as the other benefits barely cover bills.
But for us autistics, autism varies each day, for example we may take the bus to a shop, but on the way back we find that all the buses are too busy or we are unable to get a bus due to panic attack so we might have to get a taxi, but we would have no time to say to the goverment we need a taxi today please pay for it! There might be a day when we need to go to a cafe for a tea to calm down, and with just UC and ESA we could not afford that.
Also with us autistics we need to have our special interests covered for example a music lesson or a Doctor Who book.
we are not talking about expensive holidays here, but some of us need a day trip to the sea side or a short break somewhere due to stress or sensory overload.
This will be especially difficult for those of us who are single and living alone. Off course couples or those living with relatives may face similar/other difficulties too.
Sorry to hear what happened, sadly a lot of work places are neurotypically catered for and us autistics end up suffering. You are kind hearted and do help when you can in the community.
I hope that you enjoy your holidays, and that you plan for places you would like and have things you like.
Newspaper headline is PIP maybe replaced by a 6 tier system. What loads of nonsense.