Please help Tara to live
Donation protected
Hi, this is a fundraiser for Tara.
TL;DR
Tara are a DID system currently struggling to get by in Manchester. They have been battling to pay off debts and to meet basic living expenses for a long-ass time, this is a fundraiser to help get them back on their feet while they fight the DWP to get the money they deserve. Below are more details of the health and trauma obstacles they are facing, but essentially, this is a fundraiser to help them get what they need to live and thrive.
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Tara are living in Manchester with multiple disabilities and are financially struggling to live on the very limited income they get from DWP. Tara lives with a number of physical and mental conditions that make life difficult. These include Ehler Danlos Syndrome, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Disorder, Post-Nasal Drip, Complex PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder), Dissociative Identity Disorder, ADHD (Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder). What this results in is: severe mobility issues; chronic pain and fatigue; amnesia/memory problems; difficulty eating, drinking, talking and breathing; weak joints that dislocate easily; processing issues dealing with stressful or triggering situations; and severe social anxiety.
They were homeless for about six months after having to flee a chain of abusive living situations, which only ended towards the end of 2017. During this time they were forced to stay in unhealthy, unsuitable and unaffordable living conditions by the homeless system in order to be housed where they had to climb a staircase to get to their room, were not allowed visitors, food in their room, to use the hotel restaurant/bar, were subjected to invasive room checks and didn’t have any cooling options or open a window during a heatwave. Despite struggling with isolation, starvation, lack of ability to access GP or necessary dental care, overheating, and acute cardiac symptoms and making that clear, homeless services recorded their living situation as suitable and routinely recorded that Tara had no complaints against their will. During this time Tara’s only option to eat was to buy takeaway, which along with the accommodation being unaffordable resulted in them burning through their savings and amassing large credit card debts.
While they are finally now in housing and have a limited amount of Personal Assistant support that they have found independently, without financial assistance or government funding for carers / Personal Assistants this has meant that they have had to pay for their care and pay the extra living costs that come with being multiply disabled with the resources available, which has meant they haven’t been able to save anything towards addressing their credit card debts. Also, their possessions that were left in storage wasn’t stored correctly, and despite them having to pay the full storage fee to reclaim their belongings, approximately half of their belongings were completely missing and another half of what was regained were lost due to mould and mouse-holes/droppings. Tara isn’t able to manage their benefits claims on their own, and PAs are currently trying to sort out their benefits so that they can live without amassing more debt. However, despite Tara having multiple severe diagnosed conditions that should entitle them to PIP, the DWP have assessed their situation and rejected applications with zero points six times, and Tara and their PAs are currently working towards a second appeal to contest the DWP’s rejections.
Tara can’t mobilise on their own without severe pain and risk of joint dislocations, and can’t use a manual wheelchair at all without an assistant to push. Tara has been unable to get NHS funded wheelchairs at any point due to extremely long waiting times - an opportunity to get a second hand electric powered wheelchair at a very low price recently came along before they could fundraise for it, and Tara also paid for this on the credit card which has added to the debt.
Money donated to this fundraiser will go towards:
- Paying off Tara’s credit card debts
- Paying for PAs and medication
- Getting some new clothes that fit Tara
- Replacing some of Tara’s possessions that they lost to poor storage
- Tara being able to celebrate Christmas
TL;DR
Tara are a DID system currently struggling to get by in Manchester. They have been battling to pay off debts and to meet basic living expenses for a long-ass time, this is a fundraiser to help get them back on their feet while they fight the DWP to get the money they deserve. Below are more details of the health and trauma obstacles they are facing, but essentially, this is a fundraiser to help them get what they need to live and thrive.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tara are living in Manchester with multiple disabilities and are financially struggling to live on the very limited income they get from DWP. Tara lives with a number of physical and mental conditions that make life difficult. These include Ehler Danlos Syndrome, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Disorder, Post-Nasal Drip, Complex PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder), Dissociative Identity Disorder, ADHD (Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder). What this results in is: severe mobility issues; chronic pain and fatigue; amnesia/memory problems; difficulty eating, drinking, talking and breathing; weak joints that dislocate easily; processing issues dealing with stressful or triggering situations; and severe social anxiety.
They were homeless for about six months after having to flee a chain of abusive living situations, which only ended towards the end of 2017. During this time they were forced to stay in unhealthy, unsuitable and unaffordable living conditions by the homeless system in order to be housed where they had to climb a staircase to get to their room, were not allowed visitors, food in their room, to use the hotel restaurant/bar, were subjected to invasive room checks and didn’t have any cooling options or open a window during a heatwave. Despite struggling with isolation, starvation, lack of ability to access GP or necessary dental care, overheating, and acute cardiac symptoms and making that clear, homeless services recorded their living situation as suitable and routinely recorded that Tara had no complaints against their will. During this time Tara’s only option to eat was to buy takeaway, which along with the accommodation being unaffordable resulted in them burning through their savings and amassing large credit card debts.
While they are finally now in housing and have a limited amount of Personal Assistant support that they have found independently, without financial assistance or government funding for carers / Personal Assistants this has meant that they have had to pay for their care and pay the extra living costs that come with being multiply disabled with the resources available, which has meant they haven’t been able to save anything towards addressing their credit card debts. Also, their possessions that were left in storage wasn’t stored correctly, and despite them having to pay the full storage fee to reclaim their belongings, approximately half of their belongings were completely missing and another half of what was regained were lost due to mould and mouse-holes/droppings. Tara isn’t able to manage their benefits claims on their own, and PAs are currently trying to sort out their benefits so that they can live without amassing more debt. However, despite Tara having multiple severe diagnosed conditions that should entitle them to PIP, the DWP have assessed their situation and rejected applications with zero points six times, and Tara and their PAs are currently working towards a second appeal to contest the DWP’s rejections.
Tara can’t mobilise on their own without severe pain and risk of joint dislocations, and can’t use a manual wheelchair at all without an assistant to push. Tara has been unable to get NHS funded wheelchairs at any point due to extremely long waiting times - an opportunity to get a second hand electric powered wheelchair at a very low price recently came along before they could fundraise for it, and Tara also paid for this on the credit card which has added to the debt.
Money donated to this fundraiser will go towards:
- Paying off Tara’s credit card debts
- Paying for PAs and medication
- Getting some new clothes that fit Tara
- Replacing some of Tara’s possessions that they lost to poor storage
- Tara being able to celebrate Christmas
Organizer
Tara Morrigan
Organizer
England
