It's a catch twenty two when your disabled. No matter how your disability affects you, most of us like to earn money. No one wants to be destitute.
In England there is the benefit system with P.I.P and E.S.A which up to now Wheels had entitlement to. As he was classed as not being able to work in assessments due to the level of support he needs it helped him to live independently on a small amount of money. It helped him to run his car, pay his phone bill etc. Benefits for the disabled allow us to live an average lifestyle, we aren't exactly rolling it but it allowed him to contribute to everyday life that able bodied people may take for granted.
Now, just like that his E.S.A has been stripped away from him based on my salary supporting both of us. The fact I'm on zero hours contract or that he was paying half the bills does not seem to matter. So now our lifestyle will have to change as we can longer afford luxuries based on my measly wage. The black cloud looms.
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He has become upset, angry and depressed as he now feels he has lost independence. Understandably so, this has affected our relationship as the arguments come and go and the moods change. Stress is just the beginning of it, shortly followed by bouts of depression.
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All because he now fully lives me instead of between places. The hip surgery had meant his mother was caring for him at hers whilst I worked until he felt safe to be alone again so he didn't actually live with me until gone summer.
We are now a single income family surviving on a zero hours.
So time to pick up the pieces and reassess life. Wheels would love to work like most regular folk but his condition can leave him in bed with pain some days, making a normal 9-5 out of the question.
Option one try and find a job that would work around this. Option two become self employed, doing what we don't know. Option three I have to earn a lot more.
These things always have perfect timing. At least the kittens are keeping some of the stress at bay until a solution is found.
I may sound like Del Boy out of Only Fools and Horses but this time next year ....