Do people who live in England who are disabled receive Disability income?

Am I a 'Scrounger'? Should I feel bad for what I receive?

• Hi there, I receive around £1,100.00 (P/Month) in Incapacity Benefit, Income Support Top-Up with Premiums and Disability Living Allowance at High Rate CARE and Low Rate MOBILITY. I am single, live alone and have no children. Some people on here post answers of how skint they are and scraping by and I feel absolutely awful because I get about £300.00 more than someone doing a 40 hour shift at Minimum Wage would get. I have been watching Saints & Scroungers with Dom Littlewood and he always says "People who don't know or who are too proud to ask" and I thought, well because I do know about Benefits as I used to do Voluntary work for C.A.B does this mean I am a 'Scrounger'? I know which Benefit is which and am obviously not to proud to ask. I am not one of these people who comes from a family of Dole fodder who goes deathly pale at the mention of "Work". In fact, I am eager to get back to work A.S.A.P and especially before the Universal Credit comes in which I want little part of. The fact is, I am diagnosed with Paranoid Schizophrenia with Bi-Polar Tendencies and Psychosis, Uni-Polar Depression, Social and General Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, O.C.D, Self-Harm, Insomnia/Hypersomnia, Asthma and Mobility Problems. I get extreme angst, stress and mental fatigue when out in public. I always believe people are going to attack me or hurt me. I often believe that when groups of people are talking together that they are talking about me and plotting a conspiracy against me. I tend to go into a world of my own and wander off if someone isn't with me. I become terror-stricken in unfamiliar places and have Panic Attacks. I hear 'The Voices' and they distract me from daily tasks. I have terrible memory problems and forget to ignite gas when it turned on or leave things unattended which is why I have Meals On Wheels now. It was uncertain if my Mental Disorders started from ChildHood when I was molested (Age 4) by a Friend of the Family or if it's hereditary as my Dad exhibits some signs of Psychosis and both my Granny (deceased) and Great Granny (deceased) did also (Dad's side). It is out of the question to work at the moment because I am just not in the right place at the moment. I have too much going on in my head. I truly do want to go back to work within the next 2 years though. As a matter of fact I welcome it with open arms. I am not work-shy. I never have been. The Benefits I claim have all been allocated to me genuinely and I am claiming honestly. I can't help feeling awful that I get a fair bit and others get far less than me. I do use my D.L.A for what it's designed for........ (((For the extra cost of having a Disability))) as a few examples, I pay for a Carer £25.00 to come and make my breakfast in the morning and make me a sandwich for the evening. This is only half an hour she spends with me in the morning for this. Then at the end of the week she will spend an hour cleaning and doing my laundry. Then I have a different Carer come and take me to the Cinema every 2 weeks who charges £8.00 for up to 3 hours. I dunno if they declare it or not. Probably not but that's up to them. Anyway, even though I have a Mobility Bus Pass ad can get myself and a Carer on for free, I don't always feel like being with lot's of people on a Bus so I might use part of my D.L.A for a Taxi. Some of my D.L.A goes on Meals On Wheels too as I don't cook for myself due to poor coordination, mental blockage, forgetfulness and panic/angst. I also donate to Charity too. Before I was giving the majority of my money to my Mum but she has now found a job. Do you think I receive too much in Benefits? The £1,000.00 I mentioned is just in Cash Benefits alone. I also get a further £55.00 (P/Week) paid for me in rent for my Down Stairs, 1 Bedroom Flat. Also, I don't get Council Tax Benefit, but I have a Council Tax Exemption for being 'Mentally Impaired'. Please don't think I am showing off in any way, shape or form when mentioning what I receive because this isn't the case. I felt it was needed to get accurate advice. Do you think I am a 'Scrounger'? I don't stand outside the Job Centre with a can of Lager in my hand and I don't sit on my sofa all day on my X-Box and smoking Pot. The only thing I do is buy a few scratch cards and Lottery every week. Am I right to feel bad about what I receive when others are getting by, by the skin of their teeth? At least I feel, have emotion about what I get. Some just take, take, take and if there was another Benefit that entitled them to an extra Penny a week then I think they'd try to claim it! Thanks. Lin. x

• Answer:

  I personally don't think you are, however I would question why you feel the need to tell everyone in every post exactly HOW much you get and WHAT benefit you get and what you personally spend it all on, it COULD be seen as bragging and people don't like that. There IS help for people working full time but on low income and they can choose not to take that IF they wish to. This government and the media HAVE made out that all benefit claimants are sroungers, but even those of us claiming benefit, feel the need for change. It is obvious in your case and my partner's case, that you are not scroungers, but many people are angry at budget cuts and angry at lack of support for working people who are ABLE to work and lack of support for those ill or disabled who COULD do SOME work. A genuine claimant doesn't need to brag to everyone who will listen about what they get, when they get it, how much they get! Many of us living on benefits do not get the income you do, and often DLA does not cover all the needs! If you are feeling bad about claiming, then just know this, you have a problem, a real problem, you however WANT to work and that's great, but if your asking do you come across as a scrounger, then yes you do (no offence intended, as my partner is also off work ill with mental health problems) If you feel that bad about what you get, don't tell the whole world. Pride can be a good thing! Just try your best to get well, stable and do not try and take on too much. Start volunteering ONE day a week for 2 hours. That will relieve some guilt because at least you are putting something back in. May not be financially just yet, but it's something. Focus on getting stable and well rather than what other people are thinking. There are those out there who would call anyone claiming anything a *scrounger* So let them get on with their lives, and you get on with yours :0) Good Luck!