What to do with this lucky break?

[Luckybutstuck]

Name changed for this, IF you recognise me PLEASE don't out me.

I'm currently disabled & on benefits as unable to work outside the home.

I've been very lucky and recently come into a SMALL windfall. Just a few thousand, not enough to go over any benefits thresholds.

However, I've been avoiding banking the cheque because the very last thing I need is dwp messing me about. I get that's probably me being silly and worrying for no reason.

I'm also stuck on what to do with it that would best serve me & my (small) family.

Options I am considering:

Investing in something stocks/shares wise? I have no idea about this stuff and suspect it's no more sensible than going to a casino!

I do need a few DIY bits done in the house, no more than a few £100 in costs but managed this long (almost 2 years) without doing them, although one (the bathroom) could actually be getting to a point of something I need to do as my disability is making it gradually harder to get in and especially out of the bath.

A car - would help with independence. I can use public transport within certain limitations but more often than not I'll use taxis as its just so much easier/less painful

Setting myself up so I can work & more importantly earn - at home. As I said I'm not able to work outside the home but at home everything is set up for me, I'm on one floor, no need to worry about transport etc I'm qualified & experienced in areas that I could do with a decent home computer, printer, software and possibly other equipment. None of which I currently have. It's also been some years since I bought such equipment so I feel out of the loop on that knowledge and would need guidance which frankly I wouldn't trust sales people (with commissions and targets in mind) to give me. I may also need things like stationery and possibly items to ensure I stay on right side of tax man? (Possibly over optimistic on the potential earnings there lol) the tax side makes me a bit nervous too as I've never been self employed before.

Indeed if there's companies I could work for as an employee working at home in this sort of way (with no need to worry about tax man and steady earnings would be great) then I'd possibly be interested in that too if anyone has any info? Although I've looked before and it seems a lot are too good to be true.

I feel overwhelmed with options but I don't want to make the "wrong" decision and waste it.

I work from home for a proper company employed - but they provide all equipment: laptop, dock, monitors etc so don’t need to worry about any of that. You could look at companies in your qualified field to see if any vacancies fit the bill? I will go to a local branch office several times a year to show my face if that is possible?

If you're not planning to move any time soon I'd do the bathroom type things. I would also then look at the working from home setup but as said above there may be other routes to this. Are there any grants / loans to help with that sort of thing if it's to get you back into the workforce?

I would put the car last - they're a big asset but also an income drain. If you were working that might then increase your income to make a car more viable too.

If you are getting PIP or DLA aren't means tested so it doesn't matter how much money you have in the bank or if you're earning. Most other benefits are though.

Not planning on moving any time soon but rented so would need landlords permission/input. Not talking major changes just putting in a shower, door (I hate curtains they just make me worried I'll get tangled up!) and handrails (had a fright the other week when I almost took a slip)

@VanessaLightfoot can I ask doing what? I don't think I'd be able to do branch office visits is only thing

No grants etc locally all gone cos of cuts etc

Makes sense on the car. Something to look forward to

I get DLA low rate both (to be honest I'm probably eligible now for higher rate mobility as my mobility is worse but I hate changing it via they always mess it up!) I'm also on ESA and get housing benefit too.

I Know I can do permitted work but another worry I have is this could be classed as a change of circumstances to trigger me into UC.

I've been told by my people that look after me to avoid UC for as long as possible but I don't want to waste this opportunity and I would actually like to be working earning and not relying on benefits when they're so bloody uncertain anyway but change does make me very very nervous.

In a perfect world I'd get a job with a company who'd provide all I needed I'd feel confident I could do the job and it'd be a regular wage and not have to be loads but enough I didn't need the benefits any more and it'd all run smoothly if only

I'm actually lucky I've several fields I could work in the only thing I've never done and would be a bit unsure of is commission based cold selling as I dont know for sure if I'd be any good at it

I do support/delivery for e-commerce software @Luckybutstuck