Being true myself, Holiday while on benefits.
 

Right I'm on benefits and live in supported living mainly for people with learning disabilities, I apparently have a LD myself on paper anyway and am currently open to the equivalent of CMHT but for learning disabilities. I've got this burning desire to travel to Asia and experience something spiritual, you know only for a 28 days or so.

Its £650 a week to pay a member of staff here to come with me plus all the usual expanses so thats out of the question, I'm going to go alone.

My question is would this affect my benefits? I'm going to make some of the support staff here jealous so they might report me to benefits people so everything need to be above board.

Am I doing anything wrong for wanting this, because I'm on benefits am I undeserving.

My illness is Schizoaffective disorder with mild learning disability, could this get in the way. I ask my social worker and he's really enthusiastic about me going..... What are you thoughts?

I don't think being on benefits makes you undeserving.

Which benefits do you receive? I'm guessing ESA and DLA/PIP?

If you're on ESA I had a quick look, and it seems like you can go abroad for a maximum of 4 weeks on holiday without it affecting your benefit but you'll need to tell the jobcentre.

I personally would question if it's the right time for you to. If you live in supported housing then it would suggest you need daily help with living due to your illnesses. Travelling abroad, especially somewhere so far away, is quite demanding and if you were alone how might you cope if there was an emergency like having your passport stolen, or getting lost somewhere remote?

Could you do a test run first somewhere in the UK to see if you can manage by yourself for a week or so?

I spent 8 and half months travelling around India back in 2006 so I'm somewhat accustomed to travel and go away abroad 2/3 times yearly but with support staff. I really need this.

I receive DLA, enhanced ESA.... so you can imagine I've got quite a surplus of money left over from benefits... 117 aftercare and all that means I don't have to pay for care costs here out my DLA.

as long as you dont go for more the 4 weeks your benefits will be fine.

you receive the benefits because you are currently unable to work. It is meant to be spent on making your life as normal as possible and going on holiday is quite normal so that means your actually using you benefits well.

I disagree that being in supported housing means you need daily support. I live in supported housing and when Im well I hardly see my support worker. Also some people get stuck in supported housing because of other housing/moving on issues. So saying that being in supported housing could mean your not independent enough to go travelling is not exactly correct, there are many reasons why people are in supported housing.

the only thing you might have trouble with is getting a visa as they often ask about your medical and mental health history but this is usually easy to get past with a letter from your doctor.

I say go for it. It sounds good for the soul x

I went to austrailia for 4 weeks when I was in supported accommodation I coped really well the most difficult thing was getting the gp to agree to give me four weeks of MEDS

I'm okay for meds, I have a monthly depot in my arse, that takes care of things.