Anonymous

Please share what you would like people to know about your experience accessing or relying on the Disability Assistance Benefit. 

It’s not enough money to survive. Also if you’re working, you can’t make enough money to survive legally. I have to do sex work to pay for my medical marijuana because it’s the only medication that works and it’s not covered. I can’t claim my sex work income for taxes or I will be cut off disability and lose my housing.

I can’t afford to move out of social housing because disability doesn’t give me enough to pay for a decent apartment and take care of my expenses. I have lived in the same SRO for 4 years. I have no hot water. I can’t find housing I can afford unless it’s social housing. I’m sick of being sober and being surrounded by drug users.

What do you dream support for people with disabilities could look like?

I wish people with disabilities would be able to work as much as their disability permits with no income cap. I wish we were given enough money to pay for basics like food and medicine. I wish we were given enough money to last a month, not just a week and a bit. I wish we were given more money for housing, not just $375. I wish all medications including medical marijuana were free.