I wish they had more empathy. I remember before I received the limited capacity to work on UC, I felt immense pressure by the job centre to attempt to get a job, even though I was eight months pregnant at the time. Barely anybody would have hired somebody for a few months. It was only once I had my child, the pressure was taken off. It was unnecessary stress on my pregnancy. I also think that there is this stigma that people on benefits are lazy when many people are on it for physical or mental health problems and they need to realise that no person is the same even if they have the same diagnoses.

I feel like the DWP and like government agencies are more focused on saving money and stopping money than helping people. The anxiety it gives me when dealing with the DWP is unreal. I am an Autistic adult with severe ADHD also. Historically I have struggled with my mental health and have In my almost 40 years attempted suicide 4 or 5 times due to absolute burn out and my inability to ask for help.

This time I have asked for help after a life time of struggling I finally applied for PIP. That was in February 2024. So far the DWP have told me I'm not eligible because I'm a parent to my children and I also care for my young nephew. How can I possibly require any help if I can take care of kids. What they don't see is behind the happy healthy kids is an adult who struggles daily to simply survive.

I know the system as it isn't great and costs the government a fortune but when a person has a medical history of years of difficulties and finally asks for help to be told they don't qualify because they're a parent is disgusting. Its absolutely the hardest thing in the world to live with a hidden disability and then to have the courage to admit you're not doing great and need help to be told you don't struggle enough is just ridiculous.

I have my tribunal in maybe July/August with the help of citizens advice but even then making someone with a hidden disability and major anxiety (which often stops them from leaving the house) with through a official tribunal where their abilities and difficulties are questioned is just not person centered and a great way of working at all.

There really has to be a better way.

I’ve had difficulties in the past with the DWP job coaches, who often seemed overwhelmed and over worked. Many didn’t see us as individuals with unique needs and could be quite dismissive, sometimes even rude. On several occasions, I was told they couldn’t or wouldn’t help. In such situations, a little compassion would have gone a long way.

It’s that time of year again the warmer weather approaches, sun's out longer days, and letters arriving almost daily of this is increasing, water bill doubled, rent up, everything, it’s always the same will we ever see it come down?

Reeves's planned poverty tax spits in the eye of the United Nations - just like the Tories did when they were in power

With great hardship we meet our children's needs as a low income family. As a parent couldn't fulfill all of their basic demands. For example, children may ask for an ice cream in summer but had to say no to them as couldn't afford. Doing a hourly job it was very difficult to fulfill children's demands besides rent, council tax, energy bills and food. Barely managed to take them to seaside yearly but taking food from home to stay within budget.

"Meeting children’s needs isn’t just about love and care—it’s about constantly juggling resources, time, and energy. The rising cost of living makes it harder to provide stability, from healthy meals to school essentials. Every decision feels like a trade-off, and the pressure to ensure they don’t miss out can be overwhelming. A fairer system would mean parents don’t have to choose between meeting today’s needs and securing their children’s future."

As a low income family, I really struggled to raise my three girls. We need to do shift work as either one of us have to look after children at home. If me and my partner can both work then even can't bear the childcare cost. Either one of us also gave tuition to our children at home as can't provide private tuition. With limited income have to limit our desires as not always abled to fulfill children's demand. if children asked something to buy, its simple thing we have to think we can afford or not.

Finally the sun is out and blue sky and no Chemtrails in sight!!

The weather keeps fluctuating very cold here most nights and morning and then when the sun comes out by noon it all feels good.

It was so cold last night that cold got into my back, now I have serious back pain, hoping it will go away but can't do much at present.

I have 3 kids and one of them has Autism. He is very particular with what he eats so we always prepare his food separately. He is very sensitive to noise so I can’t take him to any other recreational spaces where other kids normally go. I have to pay for sensory spaces. I can’t walk down the street with him like any other family does because of his sensitivity to passing cars. I had to buy a car and all the other expenses that comes with owning a car. It’s difficult to hold a full time Job because I am constantly called back to pick him up because he is having a meltdown. I am constantly torn between being a provider and being a mom.

I am a full time wheelchair user. I am responsible for all the repairs of my chair which can cost upwards of £500 annually. We also have to pay for 2 prepayment prescription certificates, two sets of glasses, and as we have 4 Autistic people in the house with different sensory needs, we spend a huge amount on sensory equipment. Not to mention the cost for fuel for hospital appointments which I can no longer reclaim since switching to UC and my allergen-free food. I am the only one currently in receipt of PIP (we are awaiting a decision for DLA for my youngest). I have also been trapped in my house for a year unless I have had someone to assist me lifting the wheelchair in or out of the car due to the cost of adaptations for wheelchair accessible vehicles.

My youngest child has also been out of education as a result of not having her needs met for a number of months, and we were forced to have to pay privately for all of her assessments because of the poor quality of the LA's assessments (which didn't meet SEND code guidelines) and we were refused a plan - meaning we are now awaiting a tribunal date currently set for next year and no real likelihood of my child returning to mainstream education, with only 12 weeks of alternate provision guaranteed. We have had to take out loans to get these and so far have had to spend £6000 that the NHS and the LA should have funded. This doesn't even cover the fact that whilst we are entitled to legal aid, there's not a single legal aid solicitor in the country that had capacity to take on our case who would also support us at tribunal. Being Autistic I am seriously confused by the system and concerned about the prospect of having to represent myself in court but my daughter needs an education. I feel like I have no choice but to be pushed into debt to give my daughter a chance of a future rather than letting the school decimate her mental health by refusing to acknowledge her extensive needs that even our GP saw within 5 minutes and asked why she had ever been placed in mainstream to start with!