Jan/Feb 2024

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50 South Woodford Village Gazette ABANDONED South Woodford resident Simone Roach explains her frustration and desperation following the rejection of her disability benefit application, which has left her feeling abandoned My name is Simone Roach. I’m 21 years old and was born with a disability called severe progressive axonal polyneuropathy. My condition caused me to lose the ability to walk, so I’m now a permanent wheelchair user. It also removed all of the movement from my fingers and wrists, so I can’t grab or hold objects with my hands either (I’m typing this article with a pen in my mouth). Despite all this, my claim to receive PIP, a disability benefit, was dismissed. This has put me in an impossible situation. I currently have no funds despite having bills to pay. I have nothing I can use to pay the extra costs my disability causes me, and I don’t have a wheelchair taxi card (because I can’t claim PIP), so I’m stuck indoors. I’ve been applying to jobs nonstop and going through countless job interviews only to be rejected time and time again. There aren’t that many jobs I can apply for based on my skills and qualifications. I can’t just do a standard cleaning, waitressing or retail job because of my disability. I tried going to Citizens Advice Redbridge because things are getting quite desperate, but they don’t do in-person appointments. I phoned them but was on hold for over two hours. I emailed them, but they said they’re so busy working on cases that they might not be able to help anyone new at the moment. I desperately need help and I don’t know where else to turn. My PIP claim is supposedly being dismissed because I recently lived in the Netherlands. I was born in London and I used to live here when I was younger (my parents and sisters are British citizens too). However, when I was a child, my family moved to the Netherlands. I moved back to the UK in April 2023. I contacted both Citizens Advice and a PIP adviser and they both assured me that if I moved here, I’d be able to claim PIP. I knew I wouldn’t be able to move to London without that extra financial support. Upon my return, I filled out the PIP application form. To my surprise, after months of waiting, my PIP claim was dismissed. Apparently, because I haven’t lived in England for two of the last three years, I can’t claim PIP, even though on PIP’s official website it says: “If you’ve recently returned from living in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, you might be able to get PIP sooner.” In fact, it says that you are even able to claim PIP while living abroad if you’re a British citizen. I tried to appeal the decision but the answer was the same – I have to wait two years before I can claim. This is deeply disturbing to me. It means if you have a disability and you leave the UK for two years, you can never return because how is one supposed to function here for two years until eligible to claim benefits again? I feel as if I’m being abandoned by the government. For more information and to contact Simone, visit thewheelchairteen.com To advertise, call 020 8819 0595 or visit swvg.co.uk
January/February 2024 51 PUBLISHED SINCE MARCH 1992 Î Local news Î Local events Î Local features Î Local businesses Proud to be part of the community Be part of our next issue: swvg.co.uk/adverts Please mention the South Woodford Village Gazette when responding to adverts
Page 1 and 2: ISSN 2632-8224 Est. 1992 January/Fe
Page 3 and 4: Contents Features Floral tribute 16
Page 5 and 6: January/February 2024 5 FREE EVENT
Page 7 and 8: January/February 2024 7 Lidstone Bu
Page 9 and 10: January/February 2024 9 Your Mode,
Page 11 and 12: January/February 2024 11 South Wood
Page 13 and 14: January/February 2024 13 Choose sur
Page 15 and 16: January/February 2024 15 Our design
Page 17 and 18: January/February 2024 17 Infants Sc
Page 19 and 20: WVD _GD_family_120x174_12Dec2023.qx
Page 21 and 22: January/February 2024 21 HouseReviv
Page 23 and 24: January/February 2024 23 Please men
Page 25 and 26: January/February 2024 25 Edwards Du
Page 27 and 28: January/February 2024 27 ESTABLISHE
Page 29 and 30: January/February 2024 29 A second M
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Page 35 and 36: 020 8530 3333 southwoodford@churchi
Page 37 and 38: January/February 2024 37 McCarty &
Page 39 and 40: January/February 2024 39 WOODBRIDGE
Page 43 and 44: January/February 2024 43 Smilein Lo
Page 45 and 46: January/February 2024 45 Phleboto
Page 47 and 48: January/February 2024 47 Park Life
Page 49: January/February 2024 49 SMALL SCHO
Page 53 and 54: January/February 2024 53 ALUMNI REG
Page 55 and 56: January/February 2024 55 Community
Page 57 and 58: January/February 2024 57 Valentines
Page 59 and 60: January/February 2024 59 Advance bo
Page 61 and 62: ge Lane E18 January/February 2024 6
Page 63 and 64: January/February 2024 63 havenhouse
Page 65 and 66: January/February 2024 65 Celebratin

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