Hello forum members,
I'm 21 and on incapacity benefit and have been since I turned 16. I have schizophrenia and bipolar.
Anybody on IB knows how much of a struggle it is, but recently things have taken a turned for the worse and I need to know if I am entitled to anything else besides IB.
when I was 19 I managed to find a paid part time job - however I omitted telling my employers about my condition and when I had several episodes at work I was sacked. Rather than come clean I knew it would be easier to leave. I enjoyed having the extra money though and could buy things other than necessity for the first time (namely a laptop).
Last year I became homeless and stayed in some shelters, but my conditions has an isolating effect and I'm wary of how people see me. Typing this now using the free wifi in a coffee house I am looking over my shoulder because I don't want people to see what I am typing.
All the money I get in the world is £220 fortnightly. I moved into a tiny bedsit flat which is £85 p/w and that leaves me with £25 p/w spare for electric, council tax and most importantly food.
Most weeks I am lucky to have £10 to spend on food and during winter when the electric was more expensive I used to eat only every 36 hours to save money.
I thought about trying to find another job but have applied for over 100 without being asked for an interview. Although I know it will only be so long before they discover about my condition and/or my condition affects my job role. so i thought I would ask here to see if there is anything else someone like me is entitled to. i have no idea about these type of things and have no friends that can help me.
Thanks.
I'm 21 and on incapacity benefit and have been since I turned 16. I have schizophrenia and bipolar.
Anybody on IB knows how much of a struggle it is, but recently things have taken a turned for the worse and I need to know if I am entitled to anything else besides IB.
when I was 19 I managed to find a paid part time job - however I omitted telling my employers about my condition and when I had several episodes at work I was sacked. Rather than come clean I knew it would be easier to leave. I enjoyed having the extra money though and could buy things other than necessity for the first time (namely a laptop).
Last year I became homeless and stayed in some shelters, but my conditions has an isolating effect and I'm wary of how people see me. Typing this now using the free wifi in a coffee house I am looking over my shoulder because I don't want people to see what I am typing.
All the money I get in the world is £220 fortnightly. I moved into a tiny bedsit flat which is £85 p/w and that leaves me with £25 p/w spare for electric, council tax and most importantly food.
Most weeks I am lucky to have £10 to spend on food and during winter when the electric was more expensive I used to eat only every 36 hours to save money.
I thought about trying to find another job but have applied for over 100 without being asked for an interview. Although I know it will only be so long before they discover about my condition and/or my condition affects my job role. so i thought I would ask here to see if there is anything else someone like me is entitled to. i have no idea about these type of things and have no friends that can help me.
Thanks.