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.

[LEMtheoriginal]

Fuck me there are some vile cunts on this thread. A benefits thread brings them out of the woodwork.

When will people get it through their thick skulls that mental health issues cause debilitating illness.

[Therealjudgejudy]

I wasn't attacking anyone. I said telling other people to fuck off was rude. I also said I suffer with mental health issues and like the op I do everything possible to help myself. Absolutely nothing wrong with that. Op have you considered the OU? I'm pretty sure that they offer free courses if you are on benefits. A friend of mine is studying with them part time in the evenings. That might give you something extra to put on your CV and employers may well be impressed with independent study. Especially when you are suffering with mental health issues.

[caughtintherain]

Good luck trying to get any job with an attitude like that, OP, let alone one that pays 26K a year. Suggest you wind your neck in a bit.

[BarbarianMum]

I think the OP has been quite measured in the face of some really twattish posts tbh

[SophieLMumsnet]

Hi all,

Just a call for some peace and love, here.

OP, we're really sorry to hear you're facing a tough time - we hope the support from your fellow MNers will give you some ideas, and that things look up for you soon.

[DownHereInTheHorridHouse]

Would transcribing be any good? I do a lot of interviews for my job and it would be easy to send files - it would make no difference to me what time of the day/night they did them, or whether they had to stop and start, I would just want 60 hours of material transcribed accurately by someone I could trust.

[blueshoes]

Jerseysilk has good advice about making clear to your employer what your reasonable adjustments are.

The world of work is not kind and I fear you might swap one set of perceived persecutors for another, if you are not inherently ready for ft work.

I don't think it will be that easy to find the right sort of job and employer for you in time, seeing that you are not even off the starting blocks yet. I think you need to think about a Plan B before you can execute Plan A.

[Scaredofthestate]

Thanks for all the useful and supportive posts. There are some great ideas here which have all gone on the list to investigate.

I'm fine and generally doing very well now. Overall I - and my doctors - consider my mental health recovery a success. Like I say it's obvious why I'm anxious to protect that, and is frustrating when it feels like my best is not good enough ie part time work is not acceptable anymore if you don't want to be hounded.

It's as if because I'm not genuinely able to work 40 hours every week steadily to the best of my ability, I'm less of a person, and seen as being a bit broken - despite feeling good mentally when doing hours I can manage. That's the bit I find hardest to swallow.

I think I would feel truly capable of 5 full days a week sometimes, if there's room to rest and recover from blips in anxiety and other significant symptoms on other weeks. Thing is no conventional job allows this. Obviously, an employee like this doesn't meet business needs.

I possibly need to focus on finding a way for freelancing to pay me more but it seems like a dead end.

[ILookedintheWater]

I know you didn't want to do top-up jobs because you do need your rest...but I'm hoping these are sufficiently different from whatever you are doing part time that it's less draining:
Kumon tutor (initial layout), online/Skype primary/KS3 tutor, ebay trader: you'll need to be on top of this to make any money, facebook seller/advertiser.
My SD is 2nd year of a degree and makes £15 an hour tutoring primary kids for SATS/11+, entrance exams etc. She does a 3/4 hour Skype lesson for £15 (an agency takes some off the top so the client pays more) then 15 mins marking/prep, then the next lesson. With 3 lessons in an evening that's 225pw=8K a year in term time only. There was a lot of reading before she started to get up to date on the syllabuses and get hold of past papers/marking schemes etc, but now she's paying most of her living expenses.

[blueshoes]

Ilooked has good suggestions.

Before you go ft with another employer, it is lower risk to top up with self-employment. That way you can get up to speed at your own pace and have more control over the work so it does not get overwhelming.

Being performance managed at work is very stressful and the work atmosphere a low level toxicity, if your employer is not sympathetic.

[Scaredofthestate]

Yes I know it's incredibly stressful to be chased for targets by your employer and to be found wanting.

I've registered with a temp agency who have work for me straightaway. The money is terrible but I need to do something. To be honest, I'm worrying already.

Filling out the forms for the agency is hard. How fucking pathetic is that?! I'm having to step away from the screen because I keep getting flustered. I'm on a borrowed computer where the keys are sticky and it feels like every click is taking three times as long as it should. My heartbeat goes up and up and I can't focus and I know it's sodding fucking anxiety. Then I'm so anxious I can't do simple things - like I need to check a box with a tick, and my usual method of going to insert symbol isn't working, and the keys jam again, and fucking half an hour has passed and I feel like a disgrace.

My work history doesn't fit properly into their boxes either and I feel stressed about having to explain all my shit failed jobs, they want reasons for leaving and how many sick days you took and all sorts of details.

It's starting to feel impossible again. I can't change my terribly patchy work history

Why would anyone pick me for any job when they can just choose a better bet with someone who has a successful work history?

[Mrscog]

OP - have you considered something self employment based but very simple like ironing? It would give you quite a lot of control but also provide a fairly decent additional income (my ironing lady charges £12 per hour) on top of something else part time.