Looking for paid work, but worried about loosing DLA benefit. Advice please?

Aura · Post by **Aura** » Wed Jan 26, 2011 8:51 am

I live in the UK and I have curvature of the spine. I have been having meetings with a job searching company who want me to find paid work and get off the benefits. I am on income support and DLA (lower rate). I don't mind loosing the income support if I find the right job, but I don't want to lose my DLA.

I tried discussing this with my mum, but we ended up arguing, because she says all the job searching company want is to get me off the benefits and into work to save the government money. She also says that after I have paid my bills I will be stumped and worse off then before.

I'm confused, I want to get off the Income support because my life is going nowhere, and I want to move on and progress. I feel pulled in two different directions. Can anyone advise me please?

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Wed Jan 26, 2011 8:59 am

I live in the US and was disabled for 10 years over here it works like this. If you find work all your benefits stop 7 month after your employed with the exception of your health coverage which stay for 5 years after your employed in case your new place of employment won't cover you in the UK you have socialized medicine so not an issue. This insures you protection in case the job doesn't work and you have to stop all your disability benefits are already in place. Not sure how it work in the UK but ask questions.

Aura · Post by **Aura** » Wed Jan 26, 2011 9:04 am

Some job agencies are very sneaky in the UK, and don't tell you all the facts before finding you the job. Saying that, so are some employee's. It's very restrictive on the income support and even effects college study.

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Wed Jan 26, 2011 9:22 am

Aura;1352075 wrote: I live in the UK and I have curvature of the spine. I have been having meetings with a job searching company who want me to find paid work and get off the benefits. I am on income support and DLA (lower rate). I don't mind loosing the income support if I find the right job, but I don't want to lose my DLA.

I tried discussing this with my mum, but we ended up arguing, because she says all the job searching company want is to get me off the benefits and into work to save the government money. She also says that after I have paid my bills I will be stumped and worse off then before.

I'm confused, I want to get off the Income support because my life is going nowhere, and I want to move on and progress. I feel pulled in two different directions. Can anyone advise me please?

The job searching company only get paid by the employer if you are suitable and stay in the job. The good ones will give you a lot of help and suggest what qualifications might heklp you. Speak to more than one recruiting company. You can't get a better job until you've got a job so I would ignore your mother and keep looking, she might also be worried about you leaving home because you might not cope. Parents aren't always rational when it comes to their kids. I've got a teenaged nephew whose mother is convinced he is unhappy and wants to move back home. Teenage nephew is quite happy but is fed up being asked if he is happy by his mum so is always bad tempered and miserable when on the phone to her.

Aura · Post by **Aura** » Wed Jan 26, 2011 9:27 am

gmc;1352079 wrote: The job searching company only get paid by the employer if you are suitable and stay in the job. The good ones will give you a lot of help and suggest what qualifications might heklp you. Speak to more than one recruiting company. You can't get a better job until you've got a job so I would ignore your mother and keep looking, she might also be worried about you leaving home because you might not cope. Parents aren't always rational when it comes to their kids. I've got a teenaged nephew whose mother is convinced he is unhappy and wants to move back home. Teenage nephew is quite happy but is fed up being asked if he is happy by his mum so is always bad tempered and miserable when on the phone to her.

Hi. I only have one job recruiting company and I won't be aloud to sign to another. I also have boarder line learning difficulties. I doubt if I will find anything for a long while yet. What is the normal going rate for a job please?

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Wed Jan 26, 2011 11:58 am

Aura;1352080 wrote: Hi. I only have one job recruiting company and I won't be aloud to sign to another. I also have boarder line learning difficulties. I doubt if I will find anything for a long while yet. What is the normal going rate for a job please?

There's a minimum wage

The National Minimum Wage rates : Directgov - Employment

Why can't you sign up to more than one?

Aura · Post by **Aura** » Thu Jan 27, 2011 2:18 am

Hi. I am with one that works for people with learning difficulties, and not all agencies help people like this or protect them properly from employee's who take advantage of vulnerable people.

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Thu Jan 27, 2011 10:22 am

That you desire to shed yourself of government assistance is admirable. We all want the right job, personally I believe Im suited to be dictatator of a small insignificant country populated by insignificant people. Hoarding wealth and barking commands is right up my alley. The reality is, that is unlikely to happen so I keep a turtle and make its little insignificant life a living hell.

My point is since you have been out of the job market its reasonable to assume you will have to start at the bottom and work your way up out of the doldrums of pittance. Jump in and do the right thing. Good luck on your new found independence.

Aura · Post by **Aura** » Fri Jan 28, 2011 2:04 am

I once told a woman at the job centre I had a bad back (I have Scholiocis). She said if she was given a pound every time she heard that, she would be a rich woman. Well I thought, you are a very stupid and ignorant woman who has no idea about disabilities.

A typical example of people's attitude towards the disabled.

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Fri Jan 28, 2011 4:30 am

Aura;1352228 wrote: I once told a woman at the job centre I had a bad back (I have Scholiocis). She said if she was given a pound every time she heard that, she would be a rich woman. Well I thought, you are a very stupid and ignorant woman who has no idea about disabilities.

A typical example of people's attitude towards the disabled.

Now now that's not nice. However, I still remember from my time as an unemployed person wanting to hit the patronising clown behind the screen. The irony is if she gets a bad back and early retirement through ill health she gets a disability pension from the superannuation scheme paid for by you and me (bad back and stress are the two most common reasons) and will be upset if anyone calls her a faker.

Aura · Post by **Aura** » Fri Jan 28, 2011 9:53 am

I didn't mean to get arshy with her, but I felt it was unfair, and the sort of attitude which some disabled people receive.