To be thinking about starting adult webcam work?

[StaringAtMyWalls]

I'm in a really bad financial situation.

Due to physical and mental health I cannot work full time, I struggle to even work a part time schedule (good and bad days), but part time isn't nearly enough to pay my basic bills.

I've honestly tried all avenues already - applied for LCWRA and PIP numerous times and keep getting declined even though my issues are genuine, I already live in a cheap area rent wise, cut down all bills.

I'm considering doing webcam work as I could completely choose my own hours around medical appointments, insomnia, and bad days I could take time off. It would reduce my social anxiety as it's behind a screen and if I freaked out I could just shut down the screen.

I am a shy person though and I have a LOT of stretch marks. I'm not sure I have the balls for it tbh.

I don't care if anyone finds out or records me etc, so long as it doesn't massively impact my chances of a 'regular' job - I'm happy to accept that if found out I won't be able to be a politician (!!) or work with children or say as a lawyer (!!), but would it stop me doing care home, retail or cleaning work?

Does anyone have any experience of webcam work?

I do feel for you OP but I think appealing will stand you in better stead than trying to find work at the moment. How many employers will hire someone who isn't sure they can work every day (I'm not saying this is right - they should be making allowances, but realistically)? And if you are self-employed, income will be very variable, especially web-cam work.

If you can bring in everything you can, then you could start looking at the sites that offer genuine remote work (like transcription services) and build it up slowly. None of them offer 18k off the bat, though.

@suzi888 it's SHOCKING The crap dwp and their associates have got away with over the years, the stories I could tell! Including the apparently miraculous cures which the assessors bestowed on friends of mine who are

Blind
Deaf
Have permanent disabilities from birth that have them wheelchair bound for life.

Apparently in their assessments they were suddenly able to see/hear/walk with no medical intervention. Better success rates than Jesus!

You're right to keep yourself right legally op, not worth the risk of a potential fraud accusation that would be too stressful. I'm the same but tbh it's what's put me off working when I've been doing a bit better, although I tend to be over optimistic anyway!

It's incredibly hard for ANYONE to find work at the moment. I have a number of friends who've been made redundant as a result of covid and they are highly qualified, tons of experience, great references etc and they're really struggling to find even a day or two a week!

Wishing you SO much luck to get this all sorted.

I know debt is crippling but you say you live frugally in other ways.

The trick is to properly deal with the debt so it is NOT crippling, so that it's pinned down and contained and manageable.

Otherwise it doesn't matter how frugally you live, your debts will continue to grow and you will continue to spiral round the plughole, trying to live on less than you really need or considering desperate, harmful ideas to make a few ££, just in order to service your ever growing debt.

Fuck that shit. Take control. If you didn't get on with StepChange then try someone else:

www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/tools/debt-advice-locator

OP, I do think webcam work would be extremely harmful for you. I think it's harmful for anyone to participate in sexual activity when they're not into it but you have written this:

I can do the very basics of living most of the time, but with great difficulty and not every day (showering, preparing a meal, short journeys to familiar places, coping with a change to appt times, basic housework etc) ... Some days I can't get out of bed, I have panic attacks almost daily, insomnia cause of physical and mental pain, flashbacks from very serious trauma, brain fog.

You could be severely harmed by this type of 'work'. Perhaps it will mess you up enough that even the DWP accept that you should get PIP and LCWRA. I can't imagine a more hollow victory.

And as PPs have pointed out, you would have no idea whether you were being recorded. Once that footage is out there you have no control over where it ends up or how widely it's spread or for how long.