ACCESS TO WORK

Oh really Bloggets. So we have a great system in the UK, well, that is the theory. Where for disabled people to get to work or if there is any equipment needed in the work place, you apply to an organisation called access to work.

Well, because it is impossible for my Husband to get to work driving, as he can’t because he would be slightly dangerous on the roads, haha. He has to use public transport. Well, the bus is possible, if for example, he leaves the house at half past five in the morning and it will take two buses to get to his place of work and about one hour and fifty minutes.

So if he could drive it would take him about forty minutes and about£15 in petrol.

If he was to take the bus, getting up at about five in the morning, he would get to work one and a half hours early.  When he arrived after his two busses, he would still have to get to his office, either by walking or taxi. Taxi, more money.

His next choice is to go by taxi this he would have to leave at eight in the morning getting up about half seven. Great, normal, right?

He would be at work twenty minutes early that is perfect.

One thing wrong, there and back, it would be over £500 per week. More than he would earn.

So he has applied to access to work for help financially. That was over two weeks ago. Now he is due to start work in eighteen days.

We were told that he would wait for a call back from them. It would be within eight days. After eight days, holding his phone going nowhere where we are out of reach of a connection, not being able to turn off our phone, as they only ring three times after the third call, that can all come within an hour, they don’t bother calling again until you re apply.

We were told when we called again; it was not within eight days, but ten. Today is fourteen days, but ten working days. No call. My Husband been onto them and they say that they should have called within eight days, the original time we were told, and now, he would have to go on a list where his call is escalated and there was no note of his call a few days ago. Now he has to wait two more working days, so if he hasn’t heard by Tuesday, he has to call again. Now, will his call today be logged? Or on Tuesday when he calls back, will he be told again he didn’t phone today and has to wait another two days?

This is a nightmare. It really is so stressful as if they say they won’t help, he can’t take his job. So then what? Apart from a brain the size of the planet going on benefits, and a great company losing out on expertise, our benefits will be paid costing the Government more than it would to allow him to work.

Also we will in time have to sell our house.

Now he has paid tax for 22 years so has never been out of work, so doesn’t feel too bad about asking for help after all people have never worked have no intention of working claim benefits and are happy and guilt free.

I just wish the people from ATW, would tell the truth? I mean we have had three different stories now.

This is the third weekend we don’t know our future. It’s bloody awful.  

Grump over. Stressed dot com. X