Just been talking to a relative whose dd attends a sn college. It's a 5 day placements so she's home all weekend and holidays.
She's none verbal, mentally around the age of 3, she's never going to work. Because of her placement most of her pip has been taken away, fair enough. But the college placement doesn't pay for things that are needed at home. Expensive things such as pads for her bed, replacement helmets ((she has epilepsy)) transport during the weekends etc etc. Her mum also has to provide spending money. At around £50 a week minimum. This needs to come out of her universal credit which is currently £200 a month. Why so low you ask yourself? Because they're in the fucking assesment phase.
Yes, a non verbal adult with the mental age of a toddler who attends a college for profoundly disabled people is being assessed to see if she's disabled. Last month their payment was £5.
Her mum relies on benefits. She wants to work but needs to be at home Friday to Monday and during all holidays. If her daughter is admitted to hospital she needs to be available to sit by her bed. She is essentially trapped. With very little money to provide all her daughters clothes, money towards food and bills (( the bedroom tax)) , day trips and activities that are essential for these young people who literally can't entertain themselves.
So aibu in thinking we can't have our cake and eat in? We either provide decent support to enable carers to work OR we support them properly financially?? I'm honestly horrified that this is happening when in the case of people who have been disabled since birth it should be a seamless route from child tax credits (( when they were a lot better off ironically)) to the next step.