Asperger’s man hit with £1,000 support bill

[AGXStarseed]

(Not written by me)



A Borders man feels he is “being punished for being disabled” after receiving a £1,000 invoice for the support that allows him to work.

Steven Oliver, who has Asperger’s syndrome, had been receiving Self-Directed Support (SDS) through an outreach service provided by Autism Initiatives Scotland (AIS) for the last year.

This support had enabled him to work in a part-time job, for five hours a week.

But Steven, who is from Duns, was told in November last year that Scottish Borders Council was to introduce a contribution to the cost, and in May he received an invoice for £1,049. An appeal against the decision was not upheld, on the grounds that Steven could reduce his outgoings to meet the cost.

Steven said: “While I understand that savings have to be made, the council’s attitude – which appears to be one of ‘not our problem’ – is disgraceful.

“Part of having Asperger’s is the intense anxiety of situations like this, so you can imagine how receiving such an invoice made me feel.

“The fortnightly meetings with my social worker are designed to combat that. She’s really helped me, even things like decorating my flat, things I couldn’t do on my own.”

An SBC spokesperson said: “While SBC would not wish to discuss individual cases, we are working with all service users to ensure that no one is deprived of essential services or faces financial hardship due to their contribution to the cost of these services.

“All charges are based upon an ability to pay and there are mechanisms in place to assess this for every individual.”


SOURCE: Asperger’s man hit with £1,000 support bill - The Southern Reporter

 

[King_Oni]

Makes me wonder what the accomodations are for him that cost upwards to 1,000.

Wouldn't surprise me if there's a bit of creative bookkeeping going on, like in many other places.

 

[Harrison]

So the guy works five hours a week, probably on just over minimum wage, around £1820 per year and they bill him for a grand. No wonder people don't want to go back to work. SBC should be ashamed of itself for exploitation like this.

 

[Spiller]

This is a typical situation where one department doesn't/won't communicate with another and there's no-one who will take responsibility, so the system ultimately fails the service user.
What a waste of our taxes this all is!

 

[AsheSkyler]

I don't know minimum wage in the UK, but five hours a week here is $36 before taxes. He'd have to work six months or more to pay that off! What kinda nutjob tries to make money off of special needs people? Do they have a brain at all? If he didn't have a problem making money, he obviously would not have needed their over-priced services in the first place!

 

[wanderer03]

The disabled are always exploited. Welcome to Social Darwinism!

 

[Beverly]

Yet another story that makes me glad I was never officially diagnosed and, learned to support myself. I see cases like this and wonder why they are being singled out when there are, at least in my country, hundreds, if not thousands that are receiving various benefits from this or that governmental agency who are able bodied and, do not have any mental or neurological condition who don't even try to work and, are paid by the government and ignored.

There are people who really do need the assistance but, the leeches that get it when they could work and support themselves are making things like this happen to those that do need the assistance.