Rant time

Dear Coalition Government,

I want to explain something to you. My child is disabled. Very disabled. And she gets sick. A lot. The result of this is that despite everyone telling me I should be working, I can't. We are a single income family. I didn't ask for this, or want this. I didn't work for 4 years to complete an honours degree, and work in research for 10 years afterwards, thinking 'Oh well, when I've had enough, I'll give up working and make my husband support all of us'. My husband and I had a partnership that was 2-way financially until the birth of our little girl.

I now find that the financial situation is changing. We may find out benefits cut, our allowances decreased. Can I point a few things out to you please? We live within easy walking distance of a local school, but it isn't suitable for our daughter to attend. The LEA agree it's not suitable. We looked around, and found one that was, and she is progressing wonderfully there. But it's 7 miles from home, meaning I have to complete a 14 mile round trip twice a day to ensure she gets a good education. You are taking massive amounts of money from me in tax on fuel just so my child can get the education she deserves. This is of course without counting the numerous hospital appointments that we are required to attend, all over 22 miles from our home.

My child has needed supplementary oxygen provided via an electrically powered machine for the last 5 years. The power that this machine uses carries a VAT charge. More taxes paid to you as a direct result of her disability.

Don't get me wrong, we are not on the breadline, we are getting by. We have a reasonable standard of living, although it is precariously teetering at the moment, and dependant on the interest rate staying low so that our mortgage doesn't shoot up. If it does, we may have to leave the house we have, which is currently suitable for our family, and meets all our daughter's needs, to move to a cheaper house, which may need adaptations to enable her to live there.

We have financial concerns, not the least of which is the future. We have been able to make no provision for the future since our daughter was born, due to the financial pressure we are under day to day. Our child will probably never become independant from us and will always require a high level of care, how will we provide that when we have no ability to prepare in advance?

Mr Cameron, you were the father of a severely disabled child. You know the emotional and practical struggles that come with parenting a disabled child, and yet your current policies are set to add further financial strain to families such as ours. Is there any wonder so many parents of disabled children divorce?

Instead of punishing the vulnerable, remember that they need support. Also remember that a society is judged by how it cares for it's weakest members.

Lisa