Had the most God awful day today

Thanks for your kind words socks.

The thing is, I don't understand the benefits system at all and that leaves me and my family vulnerable. When the advisors don't understand it either, you know you are in trouble. The bad advice came from HMRC themselves. The trouble is the debt I now face because of their misinformation.

One advocate seems to think we should be entitiled to more support than we are getting and probably should have been for some time. This makes me feel quite stupid, as it means we've probably been slowly drowning un-necessarily, add to it, the time it's taken for me to get the authorities to address this issue and the debt mounts considerably. How do you recover from that?

It does much to reinforce your feeling of inadequacy when you can support others with practical advise, words of comfort and tips on a forum, but struggle yourelf in everyday understanding of your entitlement and the way things impact one another.

What upsets me, is that lives have been lost over less and it's the vulnerable that suffer when an individual working for a statutory body, 'drops the ball' as you put it. Despite my best efforts to understand and get it right, I struggle and this is not made any easier by miss-advice from those supposidly in the know.

My son has been let down and as his appointee I feel responsible for that. I'm not sure that the advice from the CAB for my son is right either though. (Give up work and claim ESA) That's dispicable! What ever happened to equality?

Is this really the right message to send our disabled youth?

In thinking outside the box and by working as a part-time, supported, self-employed individual, my sons managed to achieve purpose in his life and find something he can do rather than be faced with all the barriers of what he can't do.

Yet the sustainability of that, is now in jeopardy because of the systems lack of consideration for Autistic individuals with learning disabilities who want to work, but don’t have the right support and whose parents find themselves in financial strife because of the slow or delayed progress of a statutory body that leaves them in debt. And all because the parents try and enable a young adult, who dares to dream of a life beyond benefits.

If ever there was a clearer indication that those with disabilities are being let down, this is it!

I have no issue with the reduction of the benefits bill in Britain if it's fair and just. If I did, then I wouldn't be trying so hard to ensure my children have work prospects now and in the future. The trouble is, those with the level of disabilities my children have, face huge barriers to work, even from the very bodies suposidly set up to help them.(ATW)

Can you tell me then, when & how are the rights, dreams or voices of those with disabilities actually going to be honoured, realized or heard when faced with such barriers and lack of understanding?  

ATW is just not geared up to undestand Autism. Add that to the equation that not only are parents supposed to support their childs considerable care needs, but support them in their work also; because of the lack of support from those bodies who are supposed to enable, and you have parents pushed to breaking point with support and care hours that would rival a newly qualified doctor on the wards!

As full-time carers, your options to change your families financial situation are often extremely limited and you have little choice, but to resort to some form of support. Seems like those who are victims of circumstance or vulnerable will be hit hardest by any cuts then.

I know we can only act on the advice we are given, but when that advice is consistently wrong or advisors and government bodies stop caring about the impact of such miss-advice, lives are lost, dreams are crushed and the victims are left with their lives in tatters, facing homelessness, branded as scroungers, accused of fraud or simply viewed as lazy. Life for those on the spectrum is difficult enough, without the added stress of negligence from those who are supposed to advise them.

As the Aspie perfectionist that I am, I've always tried to do my best and follow what's right, however it's the constant reinforcement that you are getting it wrong that causes you to question your purpose and if your life is truely of any value.

Sorry socks, but I've hit rock bottom today and I'm all out of inspirational phrazes or grey tinted thinking. Feel the lowest I've been in a long while and I guess Black and white is sometimes all their is!

So disolusioned. SO very low.

Thanks for your kind words socks.

The thing is, I don't understand the benefits system at all and that leaves me and my family vulnerable. When the advisors don't understand it either, you know you are in trouble. The bad advice came from HMRC themselves. The trouble is the debt I now face because of their misinformation.

One advocate seems to think we should be entitiled to more support than we are getting and probably should have been for some time. This makes me feel quite stupid, as it means we've probably been slowly drowning un-necessarily, add to it, the time it's taken for me to get the authorities to address this issue and the debt mounts considerably. How do you recover from that?

It does much to reinforce your feeling of inadequacy when you can support others with practical advise, words of comfort and tips on a forum, but struggle yourelf in everyday understanding of your entitlement and the way things impact one another.

What upsets me, is that lives have been lost over less and it's the vulnerable that suffer when an individual working for a statutory body, 'drops the ball' as you put it. Despite my best efforts to understand and get it right, I struggle and this is not made any easier by miss-advice from those supposidly in the know.

My son has been let down and as his appointee I feel responsible for that. I'm not sure that the advice from the CAB for my son is right either though. (Give up work and claim ESA) That's dispicable! What ever happened to equality?

Is this really the right message to send our disabled youth?

In thinking outside the box and by working as a part-time, supported, self-employed individual, my sons managed to achieve purpose in his life and find something he can do rather than be faced with all the barriers of what he can't do.

Yet the sustainability of that, is now in jeopardy because of the systems lack of consideration for Autistic individuals with learning disabilities who want to work, but don’t have the right support and whose parents find themselves in financial strife because of the slow or delayed progress of a statutory body that leaves them in debt. And all because the parents try and enable a young adult, who dares to dream of a life beyond benefits.

If ever there was a clearer indication that those with disabilities are being let down, this is it!

I have no issue with the reduction of the benefits bill in Britain if it's fair and just. If I did, then I wouldn't be trying so hard to ensure my children have work prospects now and in the future. The trouble is, those with the level of disabilities my children have, face huge barriers to work, even from the very bodies suposidly set up to help them.(ATW)

Can you tell me then, when & how are the rights, dreams or voices of those with disabilities actually going to be honoured, realized or heard when faced with such barriers and lack of understanding?  

ATW is just not geared up to undestand Autism. Add that to the equation that not only are parents supposed to support their childs considerable care needs, but support them in their work also; because of the lack of support from those bodies who are supposed to enable, and you have parents pushed to breaking point with support and care hours that would rival a newly qualified doctor on the wards!

As full-time carers, your options to change your families financial situation are often extremely limited and you have little choice, but to resort to some form of support. Seems like those who are victims of circumstance or vulnerable will be hit hardest by any cuts then.

I know we can only act on the advice we are given, but when that advice is consistently wrong or advisors and government bodies stop caring about the impact of such miss-advice, lives are lost, dreams are crushed and the victims are left with their lives in tatters, facing homelessness, branded as scroungers, accused of fraud or simply viewed as lazy. Life for those on the spectrum is difficult enough, without the added stress of negligence from those who are supposed to advise them.

As the Aspie perfectionist that I am, I've always tried to do my best and follow what's right, however it's the constant reinforcement that you are getting it wrong that causes you to question your purpose and if your life is truely of any value.

Sorry socks, but I've hit rock bottom today and I'm all out of inspirational phrazes or grey tinted thinking. Feel the lowest I've been in a long while and I guess Black and white is sometimes all their is!

So disolusioned. SO very low.