Wednesday was a bad day for me. I’d been carrying around a broken tooth, and leapt out of bed to make an emergency dental appointment. I then fixed breakfast and was just starting to gingerly chew my toast when I got a call from the benefits agency who told me that I wouldn’t be getting any money from them.
It took them a while to explain this to me, and when they were done my toast was cold. I hate cold toast.
The problem is that I made the mistake of getting ill when I was studying at university. I’m still ill, in fact – still in recovery from something that took me within a few hours of dying, six months ago.
I’ve put off making this post because I’m angry about it, and I don’t think I’m going to stop being angry about it. Because I was a student I don’t deserve help? I expect that attitude from bigoted chavs, not the government of the country I live in.
I don’t understand this. Can you appeal? You must be entitled to Income Support surely? And/or Incapacity Benefit?
I’ve been through two appeal processes now, and because I refuse to abandon my course, they won’t pay me any money. There’s a pretty heartbreaking story here about a similar case – which means that terminally ill patients who are also students will receive money.
There is a tortuous, circular argument that I’ve had a few times with various benefits agency individuals. I’m not at university, as I have got an interruption of studies, but because my place is held open for me to return when I’m better, I can’t receive funding because I’m – technically – at university. According to the benefits agency.
According to everybody else, I’m sick and at home.
Grrrrrrr. But _of course_ you’re not at Uni.
What’s your MP like? Ah yes we don’t bloody know.
It’s quite likely that it’ll be the same Conservative guy who was in before…
I’m thinking I should just give up. It’s been a massive fight to even get this far, and I’m sick of dealing with the institutions involved.
that makes me really angry on your behalf. The benefit systems really needs to change. How ridiculous, it’s like your being punished for doing something to develop your career (ie take a course) yet because you don’t work, can’t take advantage of state benefits when something really traumatic (ie nearly dying) happens. I also have several friends who have been stung by the system too because they’re self employed and they can’t seem to understand that working and paying your own tax is a real job.
Thanks Yvette! It’s nice to hear some sympathetic voices on the subject.
I hope it’s some consolidation at least. How is your recovery going? Will we see you back up north soon?
I’m still a little bit ill, but the biggest problem is that I’ve got some pretty severe fatigue issues. I’m hoping to come up soonish though!
It’s Eton ugh to make you vote Tory