Save the disabled from May

After having to go through the PIP process, losing my motability car making me unemployed and having to claim ESA, housing and council tax benefit, having to fight to get the car back through the appeals process and new scars appearing in my brain whilst going through it all, 2016 was the worst year for me that I can think of since being diagnosed with MS in 2004! And it’s all because of the tories! They are systematically attacking the disabled in the UK and are taking away our personal independence causing us to be unable to get through life. You just need to look at the number of suicides related to people getting their benefits cut, leaving them out on their own but unable to better the situation due to poor health.My greatest fear is that all the cuts the Tories have made in the last 7 years were watered down versions of what they wanted due to the coalition and having a small majority and so they wouldn’t get their true cuts passed. But what if they get a much bigger majority after tomorrow?? Who will stop them then?

Scotland is uniquely placed to avoid being trapped in their chains of brutality. We cannot keep allowing them to take away our dignity and personal independence. The Scottish parliament, whilst taking longer to sort it than I’m happy about, will control the welfare powers in Scotland from 2020 and can make a fairer system for us. 
With the demise of Scottish labour we’ve seen a rise in the Tory vote here. But if your only reason for voting Tory is to avoid another independence referendum you can simply vote no when that vote takes place. It’s not worth ruining so many lives just to tell the SNP you’re not happy with them and their crusade for an independent Scotland. If anything you should do that at Holyrood in 2020 when it matters, not when sending MPs to Westminster who have no control over Holyrood. 

Ruth Davidson, Kezia Dugdale and Willie Rennie all say they can stop the SNP holding another referendum but last time I checked it was Holyrood who voted that a new indyref should be held. So they are not talking about stopping the SNP, they are talking about stonewalling Parliament! Are they trying to make Holyrood obsolete and get it shut down? What other issues do they think their MPs in Westminster can stop Holyrood from passing? I find that a very frightening thought!

If things continue down this line then I need the option of an out to make sure I get the best care and help I need. To make sure I can continue to work so I can contribute to society. That is why I must vote SNP for the first time in my life tomorrow. I need the option of independence if we get a bad deal or no deal as Theresa May has said (a lot) as we will need more control over how our country manages the fallout from Brexit. Greater control over our finances. Making sure our welfare state looks after those that need help most. 

Scotland has one of the highest rates of MS sufferers in the world if not the highest rate, so we need a system in place to ensure we can live our lives to the fullest, something the Tories tried to take away from me. We need to get May out and protect ourselves.

Why Saturday?!

So the basic facts are PIP took my car, ergo they took my job, ergo they made me apply for more benefits than I have ever had to in my life! Yeah I beat them and got my car back but the damage was done over the year and so now I have to get my legs working again so I can get working again.

So how in the hell have my circumstances changed yet for the BETTER which means I now owe £300 in benefit overpayments????!!! Not only that but apparently they changed in July???! I can assure you I was stuck indoors sat on my ass watching judge Judy 24/7 while I took the fight to them and didn’t get the car back till October!

As annoying as that is, why do they send you letters that you will receive on a Saturday when you can then do nothing about it until Monday??! Is this in the hope that Monday eventually comes and you’ll forget all about it??

What frustrates me most is all these things are automatic and so someone’s put in the wrong info which has then sent out the letters, but you will not get to speak to that person. As much as I would just love to scream in the persons face that I speak to, but I will then feel bad about it later because I know it’s not their fault. It’s the systems fault.

I knew I would find something else to complain about once my PIP claim was fixed. I just didn’t realise it would still be about benefits. And so soon!! Even once things start going in your favour and you can attempt to get your life back on track, there is still someone out there just waiting to screw you over!

More work than if I could get to work!

I’ll start by putting it bluntly, I hate benefits!

The work you need to put in to apply, send proof, fill in questionnaires, call to check everything’s been received cos you haven’t been told it has, send more info, correct what they’ve mucked up and do all this with no money is insane as you do your best to budget the little money you have! And people prefer this over working for your money??!

I can honestly say I would never choose this! It’s out of my hands for now though, I have no choice! It’s just another way of making me feel lost. It just gets you down and even trying to manage your mood gets tiring. Spending my life walking round in circles at the moment, September just can’t come quick enough.

So to those who screw the system, you cannot seriously tell me this is easier than working for a living. Hopefully next months appeal will sort me out again. Allow me to take control of my money, my life and my freedom!

In case this post has gotten you down, just remember, when it comes to MS, it’s all in your head! 😀 (Hope you get this otherwise some people are gonna be mad!)