Being a “workshy scrounger”

Seeking a rewarding career which would enable me to experience living and working in different countries whilst also having good employment prospects and opportunities for progression, I gained some experience working as a care assistant and applied to study for a Diploma in Adult Nursing at the University of Hull in addition to some other institutions. After an interview, I received a conditional offer to study on the course at Hull. One condition of my offer was obtaining Occupational Health clearance (required for some university courses and jobs as proof that you are well enough or ‘fit’ to do the job or course for which you are applying). As I had not yet achieved this for the University of Hull by the time I had to decide which offers to accept, I decided to put it as my firm offer with another institution, for which I had already obtained Occupational Health clearance, as my insurance choice on the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (Ucas) system, thus ensuring I would be able to study the course at my insurance institution if I failed to meet that condition of my offer to study at the University of Hull.

I failed to obtain Occupational Health clearance to begin life as a student nurse at the University of Hull. Despite failing to obtain this and it having been one of the conditions of my offer, the status of my application was changed to unconditional as opposed to unsuccessful on the Ucas system. I therefore did not default to my insurance institution where I had obtained Occupational Health clearance, thus meeting all of the conditions of my offer. As a result, I do not have a place to train as a nurse and I am now claiming Job Seeker’s Allowance. I have also failed to obtain Occupational Health clearance for the few jobs I have been offered. I have applied for numerous low paid and minimum wage jobs and despite having numerous A grades at GCSE and A level, a good degree from the University of Bristol, postgraduate qualifications, the Warwick Gold and Global Advantage awards, and years of professional and voluntary work experience behind me, I have failed to obtain work.

After having been unemployed for some months, the Disability Employment Advisor at the Jobcentre asked my GP for her opinion regarding my suitability for different kinds of work. I understand there is very little work my GP thinks is suitable; furthermore, I have no qualifications or experience in this sort of work and so I think it unlikely I will be able to secure employment within the near future. However, I have been exited from the Work Choice program which I was referred to by the Jobcentre staff. I am aware that I will soon have to take part in working for my benefits. I find it odd that whilst I have failed to obtain Occupational Health clearance for paid employment, this does not seem to be an issue with regards to working for benefits. It is my understanding that if I fail to obtain paid employment within two years of first claiming Job Seeker’s Allowance, I will no longer receive help to pay the interest on my mortgage. I would have to rent and claim housing benefit which would cost the tax payer more.

I am writing about my situation because I would like the taxpayer to understand the barriers that people with mental health disabilities face when trying to find work and that people who are described as ‘workshy scroungers’ are not out of work by choice. It is indeed very frustrating to have your career choices limited because of a disability, even more so to be unable to obtain any kind of paid employment. Is it really acceptable for the Government to cut the benefits of people who can prove they are actively seeking work or for whom the reason they are out of work is due to failing to obtain Occupational Health clearance? Benefits are important for people who get turned down for income protection insurance policies due to their health. People do not choose to have disabilities and disabled people still have bills to pay. Furthermore. we are still human beings with feelings, and who, in my opinion, deserve support and understanding rather than being targeted as benefit scroungers.