I'm in Australia and the Disability Pension here basically keeps you so poor you cannot move up in financial status unless you get a p/t or casual job with less than 12 hours. As others have said holding down any job is incredibly difficult for those on disability as that is the reason we are on it. I had/have a casual job that enabled me to save a little. Due to the severity of my illness I haven't worked since July last year, and before that had a lot of time of due to many hospitalisations. I am amazed they didn't fire me. Right now I don't even know if they have fired me. I guess they would tell me. I am too scared to call as I always call to say I still cannot work.

The pension here is barely enough to survive on and if my car needs repairs I would be unable to fix it unless I didn't have my small amount of savings I accumulated while working. My savings are bleeding dry due to expenses like emergency Physio appointments, dental splint that treats my extremely painful TMJ, a much overdue car service, phone crashing, and well overdue dental check-up. Without my dwindling savings I could do none of these things as it is almost impossible to save more than $10 a week on disability and that is by cutting back on essentials. I am also in subsidised housing ( not fully subsidised though as I don't qualify) and have the cheapest rent I know of in my city outside the areas that are far away from my support and a bit dangerous.

Sorry for the long post. I guess I am saying that I get where you are coming from Moose. Our governments should look after the disabled better. These situations leave us basically unable to move forwards. That leaves us trapped and only exacerbates our illness.