<body><script type="text/javascript"> function setAttributeOnload(object, attribute, val) { if(window.addEventListener) { window.addEventListener('load', function(){ object[attribute] = val; }, false); } else { window.attachEvent('onload', function(){ object[attribute] = val; }); } } </script> <div id="navbar-iframe-container"></div> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://apis.google.com/js/platform.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> gapi.load("gapi.iframes:gapi.iframes.style.bubble", function() { if (gapi.iframes && gapi.iframes.getContext) { gapi.iframes.getContext().openChild({ url: 'https://www.blogger.com/navbar.g?targetBlogID\x3d3200994\x26blogName\x3dDreadful+Nonsense\x26publishMode\x3dPUBLISH_MODE_BLOGSPOT\x26navbarType\x3dBLACK\x26layoutType\x3dCLASSIC\x26searchRoot\x3dhttps://shazzle.blogspot.com/search\x26blogLocale\x3den_GB\x26v\x3d2\x26homepageUrl\x3dhttp://shazzle.blogspot.com/\x26vt\x3d7615377689624956874', where: document.getElementById("navbar-iframe-container"), id: "navbar-iframe" }); } }); </script>

Dreadful Nonsense

"I've read your blog. it's really funny. you should write a column." - Jon Ronson

I got back from the conference to find a letter, wrapped in a brown envelope and stamped with a harp symbol slapped at the top. I knew it was a government letter, and decided it was probably the result of the official medical exam that I was sent on a few weeks ago. On that occasion, the nice government doctor just talked to me for about a minute, wrote something on a piece of paper, and (I assume) officially declared me as a 'disabled', so that I could continue receiving disability benefit.

The disability benefit, we'll all remember from the many and varied different rants I've had in the past about it, isn't worth very much at all. It doesn't cover my mobile bill and my visa bill, let alone rent if I had rent to pay, or any kind of extravagance like food or heating or clothing. Because of this, I've spent the last age and a half trying to apply for an exemption, which would mean that I could continue to receive the paltry disability benefit, and also legally work up to 20 hours a week, which would obviously be great. To get the exemption, you've to jump through hoops - something I can't do, due to being a disabled. But I've tried. I've filled in numerous forms, went to see my crazy GP (who charged me €50, as is his right), posted off a variety of things and failed to hear back about it all. I'm being patient.

So, the official brown envelope with the harp emblazoned across the front. I assumed this would be, if not good news, then at least progress - If I've been officially decreed a disabled, then I can move on with the exemption application. If it's about the exemption application, then I can actually start work and stop waking up in a blind panic with numbers and euro signs flashing before my eyes, as each and every one of my debts march up in front of me and smack me across the face.

I saw this brown envelope as a friend.

The brown envelope took it's turn in the queue, and smacked me across the face.

They've cut off my benefit.

The official reason for this is because I've not worked long enough in the Republic of Ireland, and not earned enough points to be able to get the disability benefit for a prolonged amount of time. If I want to reapply for the disability benefit, I can do so after a lapse of six months. BUT. I have to have worked for at least three of those six months.

I can't get the disability benefit because I haven't worked.

I can't work, because I'm disabled.

If I don't work, I won't qualify for the disability benefit.

I can't work, because I'm disabled.

There's just no way around this.

This entry was posted on 03 December 2004 at 5:47 pm. 0 comments

0 Comments:

Post a Comment