AIBU to be miffed about Chester Zoo?

And, again, how lovely that so many if you have enjoyed a treat with your family and you now know there are plenty of lovely treats available for the new year.

I ask that you spare a moment to think of the families who are also really struggling, don’t receive any benefits and aren’t eligible for any special deals. Those children are worthy of sympathy right now. It is eye-opening how many people on here expect compassion for their own situations but are unwilling to accept there are others who are in bad situations, with no chance of help.

Thank you for this @Stillinshock123 I know it wasn’t the point of your AIBU but I didn’t know about this offer and because of your post my 3 year old has just had a lovely day at the Zoo that he wouldn’t normally have had, despite us living close to Chester.

I’m a single mum, on PIP and UC and wouldn’t have been able to justify risking the normal cost as DS (weirdly!) isn’t at all bothered for animals. So I have to save my very limited income for the necessary things or at best, stuff I can be certain he will definitely enjoy. But you have just made a little boys day as we spent the day at the zoo playing on all the different play areas there instead - and he had a whale of time ❤️.

I was on UC, I did London Zoo and London Transport Museum, both for a quid. 2 lovely days out. I wouldn't have gone otherwise. Tons of photos of tigers, baby gorillas, giraffes etc. Other than that, I hated being on UC. I didn't take anybody else's place. Had I had to pay more, I would not have gone.

I don't know, I never get angry at these sorts of things. Why?

Because my dad was once a child in care / benefits whatever you want to call it and I always imagine that he would have deserved something like this so much.

He has since worked a very difficult 'key worker' role from the age of 17, with hardly any days off and pays his taxes. He is often taxed a large amount as he decides to put in a lot of overtime also, a trauma of never having any money as a child. Goes above and beyond for so many people and gives back to those who need it now he is in a position to do so.

Sometimes we ride different waves and circumstances in life, you never know what may happen.. we are speaking from a place of privilege and I would not choose to switch places for a free day at the zoo.

That's brilliant, well done to your nephew. Sorry, I should have added that there are some people who have adhd and similar conditions severe enough for PIP who work full time because they have found a job that is perfect for them and fits around their needs. My ds1 has autism, gets pip and he has managed to find a job that suits him really well. He works for a fast food company clearing tables and cleaning up. It's perfect for him because he has a routine that he sticks to and he can walk there which is great because he struggles with public transport.

I’m all for this scheme from Chester zoo, and think it is especially good that parents of disabled children can take their children there for a discounted price. That must be so helpful if for eg, they aren’t able to attend for long due to the child’s needs because they know then that they haven’t wasted loads of money. I know many parents who would be so grateful for that.

however, I read your post and just wanted to point out that you can definitely get PIP for ADHD and work full time. My nephew does. He has no extra support in work but as it is a very full on, practical and slightly dangerous job, he is able to focus well and is doing brilliantly there. He struggles in other areas of life with his impulsiveness and massively struggled in school which is why he got DLA which has then been converted to PIP.

It is like the lady with anxiety who was on Question Time a little while back. Utter outrage and insistence that she must be faking as someone with anxiety could not possibly be out the house, let alone on TV.

You have absolutely no idea how that anxiety might manifest in somebody’s life. I would rather we didn’t “ “ like anxiety isn’t real too, thank you.

I have a diagnosed, medicated, anxiety disorder. I work full time, raise a disabled child, and have a wide social circle. I also have scars on my hand from the last time I tore the skin off it, mid-episode, and have just finished my most recent therapy program.

I would hate to think I’d sit in front of someone like you , and you’d question if I had anxiety simply because I went to Fuerteventura last year.

You can take the activities that people do at face value, if it helps the “scrounging” narrative, but it doesn’t tell you anything about them beyond surface level.

Or you are only seeing a small snippet of someone's lives and really shouldn't judge? Especially in your line of work.

I'd hate to think that somewhere on the internet, someone from the several charities that have helped or are currently helping me is deciding that my child isn't disabled enough to receive DLA because he lives a full life (how dare he!).

There seems to be wild inconsistency in who gets it and who doesn't .
But I can't tally the paperwork I am seeing which shows these people living very full lives despite their "anxiety" or similar with the idea that they are profoundly disabled. The only conclusion is that some people absolutely are gaming the system. While others who need help can't access it.

Hence why any sensible charity doesn't have "in receipt of benefits" as a blanket gateway criteria /,cut off. Because it simply isn't that straightforward

Quite the contrary, I know how difficult it is to apply for disability benefit because my son receives it.

That’s why I find these constant assertions about a million clubbing anxiety victims equal parts hilarious and boring.

There are people who manage to cheat the system, for sure, but the idea it’s a widespread problem is ridiculous. The forms themselves are enough to put most people off.

Like I said, if someone is in ill health and would qualify for PIP as a result of that, their best bet is filling in the arduous forms and claiming it.

Its not as simple.as that and you know it. There are lots of types of ill health that are hard to get PIP with. And some people are just much more comfortable exaggerating than others

I looked at a grant application a couple of months ago where there applicant got PIP for anxiety. It didn't seem to stop him travelling abroad regularly or going out clubbing though

If those people with real ill health qualify for PIP, they really ought to apply for it.

If I’m being obtuse here then I apologise, however that makes no sense to me.

If I was working full time, on NMW, and single mother to my existing 9 year old - I would get a top up. I’d still get a top up if I was earning £29k - I didn’t check any higher than that. I intentionally left out that he qualifies for disability benefit when I was doing the calculation.

I wouldn’t, if I didn’t have him.

It is obvious that someone with a child needs more than someone who doesn’t have one.

It is obvious that if I wasn’t doing the calculation on single parenthood - the other adult in my house should be working.

It is obvious that if you have a part time job and need more money, work more - unless you have reason not to, like a disabled child/disability yourself.

It’s also obvious that if you’re not on NMW, you’re not the worst paid, and therefore not the “worst off.”

I think the real issue is perhaps that people don’t like that those top ups bring low earners in line with that they earn in their better paid salary. That’s just aimless envy in my view.

Exactly this.
In the charity I work for it is rarely the people getting benefits that I assess as actually being in need. Most people with benefits who apply to us have a very decent disposable income and if they are in difficulty it is usually because they aren't bothering to budget. (Vast expenditure on takeaways days out and frittering on Costa trips etc )

The real struggle and need is those who maybe aren't as good at gaming the PIP system so are struggling with real ill health /disability but no support. Or who are just above the threshold for benefits but squeezed for the bone by price rises and high taxation and the absolute lack of support for people in their financial bracket.

Which is always going to be the case because with a financial limit which most benefits have, people are always going to miss out. Unless UC is given to everyone or we introduce a universal income benefit, that will never change.

Of course and I wish they weren’t struggling. But it is also awful to get no help and there are many who are struggling who are getting nothing.

Because you could have pitiful wages and no top up. The combination of your wage plus the top up equates to what is probably more than many other workers are receiving. You are supported; many people are not.

But people on UC are different with different circumstances. Some are absolutely still struggling despite receiving UC.

But they really don’t have the least when all things are considered. They may have had the least initially, then benefits are added, so they get more - at this point probably more than many workers who don’t get top ups. And then they get extras thrown in on top - like tickets to attractions or discounted travel.

It really isn’t the group of people who are claiming UC who are struggling the most right now. There is a support system set up for them already and it is working quite nicely.

Scotland has £7 tickets to Edinburgh zoo and £7 tickets to Highland Wildlife Park amongst a few other things.

Universal Credit Days Out from £1 (2025 + UK map)

I recieve UC and work FT, I struggle every single month.
I wonder if there is a similar scheme in Scotland as my 4 year old hasn't been to a zoo as I have no way of affording it

I can't find the post but someone a few pages ago was saying that someone could get PIP for ADHD, work full time and qualify for these discounted trips to Chester zoo.

To qualify for PIP you have to be severely disabled. To qualify for PIP when you have ADHD you have to be either very severely affected by it or have other conditions as well like autism. People who have adhd severely enough to get PIP are very unlikely to work full time. Some do, but they will need a lot of support.

Actually this isn't about me.

But based on the applications I see there is very little correlation between need and receipt of benefits. Many on benefits have greater disposable income that those working who don't get benefits.
And there are wild inconsistencies in who gets disability benefits.

I award grants based on actual need and more often than not those receiving benefits don't qualify because they clearly have the means to afford not just "needs" but plenty of "wants".

I appreciate that, but we have a measurable way of establishing who in society has the highest need and people in receipt of benefits fall into that.

We can’t just start taking it case by case, based on how much disposable income someone has when you take their outgoings etc into account, because that’s not universally measurable.

The way of measuring it is who gets paid the least, and therefore requires a top up, who receives other means tested benefits, who claims disability related benefit.

The lowest paid and most vulnerable are the most in need, if you’re not in that category, you may not be well enough but you’re not the worst off, and there’s a difference.