Support helps us to rebuild our lives

Most of the positive stories you sent us about good support are about Disability Living Allowance, not ESA. For Michele's daughter, like for many, DLA and Access to Work prevent her having to claim ESA at all. Yet both schemes are facing cuts.

My daughter has Multiple Sclerosis and when she became disabled she was made redundant from the social charity she worked for at the time. That and the fact that she had become disabled were a terrible shock to her, but the change to her health status enabled her to claim the highest allowance of DLA. This made it possible for her to get a Motability car which enabled her to start rebuilding her life. She started by volunteering for disability information organisations and on the board of other charities in the area where she lives. Without a reliable and adapted vehicle she could not have done that. 

The thought that Motability cars may no longer be available to her is worrying, she now has paid employment as a volunteer development officer which she could not carry out without the car. Additionally she now has a personal assistant paid for by Access to Work, again she could not carry out her work without that help. Although PIP does have a higher rate mobility level, the criteria for qualification for that level are unclear and subject to interpretation. Additionally there is talk about cutting back of Access to Work. Losing either or both supports would effectively reduce her to a benefit recipient rather than a contributor to society.