I have a friend with a visual impairment. Because of her support needs she gets Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Disabled Persons Railcard and a Blue Badge. She uses a cane in public. All these things help make her difficult public life a bit easier...

My friend is an intelligent, lovely woman. She is a counselor, is married, has children. Her husband is working and they are probably around the middle income bracket. Her disability is physical and therefore without question....

Like my friend, I am an intelligent, sometimes lovely () woman
But my disability is mostly hidden. My support needs are different to my friend's, but still just as vital to my physical and mental health.

I do not qualify for any benefits...

Trying to apply for something like PIP is almost impossible. The process by which you are interviewed to determine your eligibility is something that my very disability makes almost impossible, so I am disqualified before I begin...

Without PIP I am unable to apply for other supports, like the Disabled Persons Railcard, and support from station staff, which would make travelling so much more accessible. There is no white cane for people with hidden disabilities...

...because communication differences is part of my disability, being in public spaces, accessing public transport and shopping us fraught with stress, misunderstanding and even verbal abuse.
It's about time that applying for support is made easier for neurodivergent people...

...recognise that a disabled person can look, "normal," and be intelligent and still need real supports to thrive. No one expects my visually impaired friend to live a lesser life because of her disability and benefit support is our society saying she deserves....

...to live her best life.
Why am I, as a neurodivergent person excluded from that? PIP application needs to change. With the right support ALL disabled people can live their best life.
@DASH_ARTS @ShapeArts @DisabilityNow @jeremycorbyn @dwppressoffice @SoniaBoue @Autism