Dear Labour, DWP and PIP, How about "talking" to your clients and customers!

[NotAHappyBunnyAtAll]

Dear Labour, DWP and PIP,

How about "TALKING" to your clients and customers!

Why not find out how you can actually HELP!

I was made redundant.

I used what little savings I had and once they were depleted and only then did I apply for UC as I had no choice.

It has nearly broken me.

No, correction ... it has broken me!

I am writing this and I am in tears.

My background is in the arts and has been for 30 years.

I would be happy to retrain in a field that I know I would do well in but UC do not want to offer any courses in anything creative at all.

I am ND and I know what I can and cannot do and where I would thrive.

The only positions EVER sent to me are the 3 C's :

CARE
CLEANING
CONSTRUCTION

There is absolutely NO career development at all.

It breaks my heart.

I want to WORK!

I am 50+
I have a disability
I am ND
I am over-qualified
I am over-experienced
I am too old ... or am I!
I am a woman

I do know that I cannot go on like this!

I have two business ideas, well I have a few actually, I could pursue but no grants are being offered.

I am at breaking point and I really cannot see how I am going to get out of this vicious circle and no one wants to help.

I feel for anyone who is on UC, LCW, LCWRA and PIP and Labour should be ashamed at these new proposals.

I really did not expect this from Labour and I have been a Labour supporter and voter since I was 18.

Please. Just. Stop.

Yours with much sadness,

NotAHappyBunnyAtAll

You're not a client or a customer. You're a claimant. You're claiming tax payers money to live off. You don't get to be picky. Take any job and then work on your business ideas in your free time.
I'm also in my 50's, ND and found my profession impossible to continue in. So I created a new role for myself in the industry and now do that working from home which suits me much better. Then I set up a p/t business as I prefer variety so now do both. I used a credit card to buy the equipment I needed, never thought about asking anyone else to fund me. You have to help yourself in life.

It seems a little unrealistic. Many individuals with disabilities could manage in remote roles...but they're trying to eradicate them and now there aren't many. So they are cutting financial help for those with disabilities first before even making the employment landscape a possible reality for many. All I can see happening is many with disabilities trying to keep up, worsening their condition to force themselves into roles that aren't realistic. To then create a larger influx on the NHS trying to minimise the damage of increased worsening health conditions. They should really be putting in the groundwork of support and feasibility of adaptions in the work place before forcing people out the frying pan into the fire. I dont think they've even approached the employers about who they expect them to employ and adapt to..

I am tierd of the negative opinions of care work though. It's always seen as lowly and everyone being above it. Care can be a career, it is rewarding. I started back to work after recovering from long term disability. Care for me was accessible. It had flexible hours outside of the conventional times so I could manage my medical appointments without it impacting financially and Care companies paid for my education and qualifications and I did work up.
I loved the people I cared for, it built my confidence and I'm sorry to vent but I get beyond irritated whenever I said my role the frowning and eww face pulled at me. I LOVED that job and I'm proud it got me where I am today. There are lots of different aspects to work in the care sector.

I trained as a travel agent. Travel was all I cared about. I had a job at Lunn Poly that I loved and I was very good at. But the pay was horrific, I wanted to actually be able to afford to travel not just sell holidays to people who could afford it. So I left. I have worked for many years now, in jobs that are easy, that are not in my field of interest because, well, I have to work and it pays me to do the things I want to do. I think probably the vast majority of us are doing jobs like that! If you're on the bones of your arse then I'm sorry but if the opportunity for paid employment comes your way then you need to consider taking it, whether it's creative or not, or whether you will thrive in that industry or not.

Thank you for all the comments ... the good, the bad and sadly the ugly too ... a lot to think on here and take to account.

And just to confirm the Work Coaches at UC call their 'claimants' customers and/or clients.

I am actually in the middle of doing a big application form and need to focus on this ...

Here is to staying positive and thinking twice about posting on MN!