Am I a benefits scrounger?

There seems to have been a huge uproar in the press about benefits, a lot of my friends are constantly making posts on facebook about it and I'm getting quite scared about it.

When I was born my left arm was left completely paralyzed, I can still work, which I do and do most of the things a "normal" person would do.

But I find some things hard such as preparing food with one arm, I want to live healthily so I have to buy vegetables that are ready prepared etc and I have to keep myself fit and exercise my arm, so I don't get arthritis so I have a gym membership.

Also, I don't have good balance because of this and can't stand on a bus which makes transport limited, so I am taking driving lessons to become more independent.

The £200 DLA I receive a month covers these costs, would you assume me as a scrounger as I am able to work? I'm just scared of what people think of me as some people I know, know I receive this money. I always think people aim their comments at me, do you think I deserve this money?

I just want the true opinion of educated people, Thank you.

No you're not.

Original post by Anonymous

There seems to have been a huge uproar in the press about benefits, a lot of my friends are constantly making posts on facebook about it and I'm getting quite scared about it.

When I was born my left arm was left completely paralyzed, I can still work, which I do and do most of the things a "normal" person would do.

But I find some things hard such as preparing food with one arm, I want to live healthily so I have to buy vegetables that are ready prepared etc and I have to keep myself fit and exercise my arm, so I don't get arthritis so I have a gym membership.

Also, I don't have good balance because of this and can't stand on a bus which makes transport limited, so I am taking driving lessons to become more independent.

The £200 DLA I receive a month covers these costs, would you assume me as a scrounger as I am able to work? I'm just scared of what people think of me as some people I know, know I receive this money. I always think people aim their comments at me, do you think I deserve this money?

I just want the true opinion of educated people, Thank you.

it's people who claim they are completely paralysed and then go on a skiing holiday that gives genuine benefactors a bad rap

Reply 3

christopher23

15

Youre using the benefits system in the right way, its those that abuse it that are the problem.

Reply 4

Anonymous #1

OP

That's really reassuring that you feel this way, thank you.

It's just I thought because I can work jobs, i'm working as an admin assistant at the moment, that some people may think i'm scrounging, but I am 100% using the money to make myself equal to everyone else and keeping myself healthy so I hopefully won't have any health implications with my other arm and need more help. It just upsets me when I see all these posts, it makes me feel like a horrible person.

Reply 5

christopher23

15

Original post by Anonymous

That's really reassuring that you feel this way, thank you.

It's just I thought because I can work jobs, i'm working as an admin assistant at the moment, that some people may think i'm scrounging, but I am 100% using the money to make myself equal to everyone else and keeping myself healthy so I hopefully won't have any health implications with my other arm and need more help. It just upsets me when I see all these posts, it makes me feel like a horrible person.

It doesnt matter what anyone else thinks.. most of the people making these accusations probably havent lifted a finger their whole life and most of them do not even bother looking for work and instead live off their parents.
As long as you know that what you are doing is right then pay no notice.

Reply 6

berry94

Original post by Anonymous

That's really reassuring that you feel this way, thank you.

It's just I thought because I can work jobs, i'm working as an admin assistant at the moment, that some people may think i'm scrounging, but I am 100% using the money to make myself equal to everyone else and keeping myself healthy so I hopefully won't have any health implications with my other arm and need more help. It just upsets me when I see all these posts, it makes me feel like a horrible person.

Definitely not scrounging. As you said, you have a job, and you clearly want to work.

It would be dumb to think everyone claiming any kind of benefit is a cheat. If you look at the horrible economy right now and see all the people who are loosing their jobs they are people who want to work but unfortunately can't right now. But you and all the other genuine people is what the welfare system is there for, you shouldn't feel any shame in using it.

Scrounging is when people abuse the system. Claiming to have some kind of problem, but then working cash in hand on a building site all day.

I wouldn't worry, anybody with any kind of logic can see the difference between you and a benefit cheat

Reply 7

Mel1215

10

I don't think you are a benefit scrounger.

Reply 8

Tiger Rag

22

DLA has nothing to do with work. It's not as if you've claimed you can't walk and are running a marathon.

Reply 9

thegaffer91

15

Original post by Anonymous

There seems to have been a huge uproar in the press about benefits, a lot of my friends are constantly making posts on facebook about it and I'm getting quite scared about it.

When I was born my left arm was left completely paralyzed, I can still work, which I do and do most of the things a "normal" person would do.

But I find some things hard such as preparing food with one arm, I want to live healthily so I have to buy vegetables that are ready prepared etc and I have to keep myself fit and exercise my arm, so I don't get arthritis so I have a gym membership.

Also, I don't have good balance because of this and can't stand on a bus which makes transport limited, so I am taking driving lessons to become more independent.

The £200 DLA I receive a month covers these costs, would you assume me as a scrounger as I am able to work? I'm just scared of what people think of me as some people I know, know I receive this money. I always think people aim their comments at me, do you think I deserve this money?

I just want the true opinion of educated people, Thank you.

I'm a little bit torn about this. You aren't a scrounger, that's for sure, but I'm a bit dubious that you really need the £200 a month for the things you have mentioned in your post. The ready prepared vegetables and other food is understandable, if you are only getting money for the additional cost of buying them over unprepared food. With the gym membership and the driving lessons, well, chances are you would have these costs at a later point in life even if you didn't have your disability. Some people need driving lessons because their job requires it. Some people need gym membership because they need additional help and guidance to lose weight. But in neither case the government funds this, and there is little reason for them to do so. What I guess I'm saying is that although you are using the money for things related to your disability, they aren't special things that you need in order for you to live your life, which I think DLA should be saved for.

I'm being a little hypocritical saying this. I spent my EMA on my gym membership, football fees and my economist subscription - not really what it was supposed to be for, but I wouldn't say that I was abusing it. You are in a similar position, you aren't abusing the system, but I wouldn't see it as a massive injustice if you lost your DLA causing you to have to pay for gym membership/driving lessons yourself.