Urgent what job can I do that will get me off all benefits?

[Scaredofthestate]

I really cannot go on UC when it's rolled out in full in my area. I have difficulties with PTSD and anxiety, and it's not realistic for me to be able to deal with DWP and stay mentally healthy. I feel well if I feel in control of managing my stress, too much stress and everything spirals rapidly and I sink. I get housing benefit and PIP at the minute I need to get away from all benefits. The universal credit system has no rhyme or reason and is deeply anxiety inducing.

What jobs can I possibly get that would make me 100% independent quickly? Like not minimum wage needing top ups?

My background is doing things like communications and writing but I've never worked full time successfully so I know this is a barrier too.

[Tatiannatomasina]

Call centre, civilian job with the police, council job. Can you increase your part time work you already do? House sitter for people with pets in your area so you can still work. Offer cleaning or ironing as an added extra or do that alongside your job. Learn massage, nails, reiki ?

[helpmeseethefunnysideplease]

And agree with previous posters who wondered if you could potentially work FT why haven't you done this yet? Because the benefit money won't be quite as easy to get once UC comes in?

Not the case at all - RTFT camellia

[Jakeyboy1]

Job sites for communications / writing roles...

Have a look on indeed which will
Give you all sorts of things with the words "communications" (may stray into IT/telecomms) so make sure you add in PR or internal communications to narrow it. This site pulls from a multitude of sites but can be targeted very locally.

Also look at guardianjobs.co.uk


Also consider public sector there are still a lot of comma jobs in NHS and councils. If you are in the midlands look at jobswm.co.uk

There are also recruitment consultants such as Michael page but they can be sharks to deal with and given your situation may not be best for you.

[Jakeyboy1]

Sorry by indeed I meant jobsindeed.co.uk

[stubbornstains]

I completely get where you're coming from OP. I'm self employed and could potentially lose hundreds of pounds a month on UC. Even thinking about it leads to a near - paralysing anxiety. Every year that my area doesn't get switched over means that my business is healthier and the DC are older (so that I'll be able to work more), but the best outcome is that I'll be working my arse off to receive the same money I would get for not working at all. The only benefits will be a) personal pride in my work, and b) hopefully avoiding constant bullying and threats of sanction.

[Worriedobsessive]

OP have a look at Matched Betting.

[Battleax]

You need a wage of 26k to cover your expenses? That seems excessive.

For a single earner in private rented accommodation? It sounds positively frugal!

[Therealjudgejudy]

Op please don't take offense but your attitude is really rude. I suffer from extreme anxiety and depression and am also on ad meds and in recovery from my mental health problems. I work even though it's a struggle and I get that. I take care to mind my myself as you do. People have been trying to offer advise and help you but anyone who questions you gets told to fuck off. Not nice.

[Battleax]

People accuse her of scrounging, coasting or otherwise putting it on and she's 'rude' for tellling them to fuck off? Iys pretty damn rude to accuse someone of claiming disability benefits because they can't be arsed to work. Especially when they're posting because they're faving a financial disaster and they're (rightly) concerned. I can't even imagine.

Another weird week on MN.

[NameChangeFamousFolk]

Take your ignorance and deliberate misunderstanding of mental health issues and fuck off

Wow. I came back to this thread to see how you were getting on OP. I think I'll be off again!

Mental health issues are treacherous

Indeed, and the likelihood is that some people trying to help on this thread perhaps know that first-hand.

[Scaredofthestate]

Yeah I'm really rude for objecting to folk hinting that I don't deserve my disability benefits because I'm not disabled enough

[Therealjudgejudy]

Telling people to fuck off when they ask you a question about your situation that you have asked for advise on IS rude though

[Scaredofthestate]

I've just picked through my posts obsessively because I feel like I'm going mad and didn't trust myself even though I was fairly certain I had not been "rude" in the majority of replies I gave to folk.

I can find 1 instance of telling someone to fuck off after they make it clear they think I'm wrongfully claiming benefits.

I find another use of the word fucking to underline a point, when someone is again suggesting I am malingering.

Really struggling now. I don't understand humans properly. Why is it alright for them to dismiss me as undeserving? But if I respond and defend myself, I get told I'm unacceptable?

[Scaredofthestate]

Right then!!! I'm rude!!! So be it!!! I'm a rude fucking cunt and deserve to starve on the street!

There. Is that better? Should I self flagellate some more and give you more of a written rim job of profound thanks for putting me in my place??

[Scaredofthestate]

The real judge Judy I don't know if you are disingenuous on purpose or just really blinkered. You call me rude for telling someone to fuck off for answering a question - except the person did not ask an honest question. They made it quite clear they thought I was wrongfully in receipt of benefit.

[Battleax]

They made it quite clear they thought I was wrongfully in receipt of benefit.

Yes and she finished off with a little face to underline her snide insinuation. I can see it. You're not imagining it. At least two people have said or implied it.

Pay no attention.

[CactusJelly00]

Does anyone here actually realise that by and large disability benefits (including DLA if applicable, PIP, and one type of ESA) you can claim while in work??
It's not intended to compensate you for being unable to work, its to go towards the extra financial, mental or physical costs of being disabled.

Eg, someone with autism who is barely verbal, low functioning and can't drive, but can read/write, perhaps communicate under lots of stress. Has a meltdown on public transport and needs to be taxi'd to all appointments. They go shopping with a helper once a fortnight and have 1 health appointment each month. Perhaps they also go to a socialisation group or hobby too. That could easily be £100 a month in taxis right there. That's before we go onto any specialist clothing required due to textures, the daft cost of weighted blankets and many other things autistic people may or may not need (it varies a lot which is why it's a spectrum) But perhaps they can also cope with a quiet job in which they aren't in a team, or they do freelance admin at home to bring in some £££. Won't stop them being entitled (and rightly or wrongly wouldn't stop them if they were on 900k a year either).

People in wheelchairs can still work too (most of the time, ime) does that mean they shouldn't be entitled to PIP? Despite the fact that they likely have higher costs? Wheelchairs and disability aids such as scooters can also range from hundreds to thousands of pounds. But they're often not provided by the NHS. PIP makes it so much easier for somebody to finance one.

Someone who's incontinent could easily be paying out £150 a month for adult nappies. But still hold down a job.

In fact, David Cameron himself claimed several types of benefits including DLA for his son. Do we agree that he needed those to help his son survive? Did he or his wife have to give up work to care for him? Nope, they had nannies and specialists for that.
But he was entitled nonetheless because it isn't what it's for.

Can we all fuck off with the deserving poor bollocks?
I find it really upsetting that op thinks that pushing herself to near or total breakdown is much better than the process in which she'll be forced to enter under Universal credit.
That tells you it's not exactly cake and fucking rainbows is it.

[sashh]

Degree is in English literature, so it's not very helpful much as I enjoyed it at.

English teachers are in demand and always will be. Have you looked in to SCITT ie completing a teaching qualification whilst working in a school?

[LeggyLinda]

Have. read through this thread I can't really offer additional advice than has already been given.
I'm only commenting really to show support and wish you well. Hope it works out for you. You seem to be looking ahead proactively which is good. Years ago I had a (comparatively very mild) MH issue. What helped me was the confidence gained from taking more control of my own life. I don't know if you are near ready for this, but it sounds like necessity has put you on this path a bit. (Sorry, if I've got all this wrong MH is so diverse I can only speak from my limited personal experience).

I know literally nothing about the benefit system so I can't help there. But it seems odd to me that they can force someone to work when it may be damaging to health.

I don't know cactusjelly but their post seems interesting. I think it is definitely worth exploring benefits in much more detail. You can't be the only person in this sort of situation - I can't believe the country is about to have a number of jobseekers looking for work when they may not be fully fit to do so. It's a tragedy (possibly a compensation claim) waiting to happen.

This just my unqualified opinion. Sorry for waffling on - didn't mean to. Just wanted to pass on good wishes.

Ignore any comments that you think are nasty or unkind. The majority of which I notice have little to do with your actual request for advice.

[helpmeseethefunnysideplease]

OP - ignore all posters who are attacking you and concentrate on the majority who have not.

The culprits here are the conservatives - how dare they remove the disability element of tax credits. They are heartless bastards and the sooner they are out of government, the better.

OP I wish you well in your quest to find full time work .

[helpmeseethefunnysideplease]

And please keep posting for advice and support .

[Jerseysilkvelour]

I used to work for DWP and LAs processing Housing benefit claims. On more than one occasion I calculated how much a particular single parent would need to earn to be totally free of the benefits system, and it was a pretty high wage - we were getting into the £40k range before they actually didn't qualify for anything (I know he thresholds have changed in he last few years but you get he picture) Your PIP will entitle you to more aswell.

Add to that your MH concerns, which come across as pretty significant, especially as you get a PIP and i wonder if it is healthy/feasible for you to jump into a full time job just like that?

It might be a better idea to try and insulate yourself and make it so benefits aren't your only income so if they mess about you still have money coming in. For instance, until last year I worked 16 hours a week, still got tax credits and HB but my working wage was enough to cover my outgoings if HB/tax credits went wrong (which of course they did!) so I was never left without.

Also consider that dealing with the DWP is like having a part time job at times, if you can't cope with that can you cope with work? It would be awful to further jeopardise your health if not necessary.

[Jerseysilkvelour]

Oooh another thing. This is from my current experience of MH issues affecting my work, I'm having to be quite firm about what reasonable adjustments I want, basically I've had to come up with the ideas and be a bit pushy about getting them agreed in writing. Might be an idea to make up a wish list ahead of time, and also work out what is essential and what is negotiable. If an employer won't at least discuss them with you, I'd suggest you don't want to work for them!

Our local MH services has an employment service type thing, maybe yours does? Employers who sign up to those sorts of things are much more likely to be accommodating.