bluedaisy
28-05-08, 17:49
First, a bit of a rant...
I've just been offered some consultancy work from an organisation I used to work for, and I'm in the process of sorting it out within the terms and conditions of claiming Incapacity Benefit. Unfortunately, as well as the panic, dizziness and associated problems of my agoraphobia that limit how much work I can take on, I've now been diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome. I've been really struggling to use my computer (yep, I shouldn't be typing this now) and wanted to see if I could get help from anyone to buy voice recognition software and an ergonomic mouse/keyboard etc. I've just spoken to someone re: the Acess to Work fund, but I've been told that I don't qualify as my work will not result in me coming off benefit (it's a short term piece of work - maybe six months maximum).
While looking through the DWP website I found contact details for an organisation supporting people with disabilities to get/keep jobs. I phoned them, asked if they supported housebound people to obtain work, and was told they don't because they require people to attend their centre in order to access support. They didn't know of any other agencies that might be able to hep me.
I feel really angry about this. It seems that as an agoraphobic person I don't qualify for any help because the 'intention' to return to work isn't there (words of Access to Work advisor). I know that if given a chance I can work well from home (although not full time). Being agoraphobic hasn't wiped out my capacity for rational thought, or destroyed my ability to conduct research, produce reports or write training materials - all activities that I used to get paid to do.
So, this has started me wondering if anyone else with agoraphobia, actually housebound with it, manages to work?
I phoned an advisor at the local job centre to ask if they ever have 'work from home' vacancies and was told they don't. And yet I have read in several newspaper articles that the proportion of the workforce working from home is increasing. Today I feel as though I've been consigned to the job market scrap heap forever..
I've just been offered some consultancy work from an organisation I used to work for, and I'm in the process of sorting it out within the terms and conditions of claiming Incapacity Benefit. Unfortunately, as well as the panic, dizziness and associated problems of my agoraphobia that limit how much work I can take on, I've now been diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome. I've been really struggling to use my computer (yep, I shouldn't be typing this now) and wanted to see if I could get help from anyone to buy voice recognition software and an ergonomic mouse/keyboard etc. I've just spoken to someone re: the Acess to Work fund, but I've been told that I don't qualify as my work will not result in me coming off benefit (it's a short term piece of work - maybe six months maximum).
While looking through the DWP website I found contact details for an organisation supporting people with disabilities to get/keep jobs. I phoned them, asked if they supported housebound people to obtain work, and was told they don't because they require people to attend their centre in order to access support. They didn't know of any other agencies that might be able to hep me.
I feel really angry about this. It seems that as an agoraphobic person I don't qualify for any help because the 'intention' to return to work isn't there (words of Access to Work advisor). I know that if given a chance I can work well from home (although not full time). Being agoraphobic hasn't wiped out my capacity for rational thought, or destroyed my ability to conduct research, produce reports or write training materials - all activities that I used to get paid to do.
So, this has started me wondering if anyone else with agoraphobia, actually housebound with it, manages to work?
I phoned an advisor at the local job centre to ask if they ever have 'work from home' vacancies and was told they don't. And yet I have read in several newspaper articles that the proportion of the workforce working from home is increasing. Today I feel as though I've been consigned to the job market scrap heap forever..