Jayla
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Jayla is a middle-aged woman with Lupus, severe arthritis and other chronic health conditions. She wrote to the Royal Commission to bring attention to the additional financial challenges people with disability have faced throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jayla said that for the many families that have been impacted by fires, drought and now a pandemic and repeated lockdowns and restrictions, the lack of government assistance for people with disability throughout the pandemic has made it difficult to survive.
Jayla receives the Disability Support Pension and was working in a part-time casual position. Her pension was reduced according to her income.
‘When the pandemic hit my hours reduced to nothing and because my job was casual it finished.
‘My point is there are a lot of people with a disability that do part-time work. They pay taxes and receive a part pension with their entitlements to a concession card.
‘There was no additional support as people on a DSP were not eligible for the JobSeeker supplement or JobKeeper.’
Jayla said her part-time employment provided much needed additional income for her family.
‘This group has been totally neglected during this pandemic. The two stimulus payments of $750 were appreciated but this does not go anywhere towards meeting the amounts we have lost due to the pandemic.
‘Household bills have increased from being at home with no extra support.
‘The supplement paid to jobseekers is great and I realise that for too long they have been unable to survive on their limited payments but I feel that people with a disability who have lost work should have at least had some small recognition.’
Jayla would have liked to see the government recognise people with disability who have made the effort to work and pay taxes.
‘A smaller supplement would have helped to contribute to households with loss of income. I think people on DSP should be allocated a little extra to meet the expenses of lockdowns and extra power and gas bills over the winter.’
Disclaimer: This is the story of a person who shared their personal experience with the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability through a submission or private session. The names in this story are pseudonyms. The person who shared this experience was not a witness and their account is not evidence. They did not take an oath or affirmation before providing the story. Nothing in this story constitutes a finding of the Royal Commission. Any views expressed are those of the person who shared their experience, not of the Royal Commission.