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59-year-old CeaJay Clem has petitioned with the government to be on a disability benefit because she suffers from a severe skin condition that forces her to spend all her time cloistered indoors.
Clem was put on Employment and Support Alliance (ESA) after she reported that her doctor had diagnosed her with Discoid Lupus Erythematosus (DLE) back in 2002.
DLE is a chronic skin condition that is aggravated by the sun. The condition causes sores, scarring, and inflammation to form along the face, ears, and scalp at any time. Atrophy in severe cases of CLE can occur, causing further health problems.
For Clem, her DLE doesn’t allow her to go outside, into the sun, for more than 15 minutes at a time. Her skin burns, even if she’s wearing protective clothing and sun cream with SPF 50.
Over the past 15 years, Clem has been able to work from home as an artist.
Her house, however, has been installed with curtains and other home fixtures that keep any and all sunlight out. This is the only way Clem has been able to survive.
Now, however, the government is giving Clem a new set of orders. She has to sign on for Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) and find actual employment.
Upon receiving this news, Clem begged to have this changed. She cannot possibly leave her home in Bristol, UK to travel 45 minutes on public transportation to the Job Centre in Kingswood.
She’s hoping that she will be able to say on ESA because without it, she’ll be forced to leave her home because she won’t have any means to pay her rent.
“I had an ESA assessment on January 19,” she explained. “It’s all to do with the Government reforming the benefits system. I went along, did some tests and that was it.
“They asked me questions like if I could walk or fill a kettle which I can, and they decided I was fit for work.”
She’s infuriated by this quick decision because, in her regard, “The assessors didn’t refer to my Lupus at all, even though I live at home with sun-block curtains and don’t go outside. I can’t go out during daylight hours without putting total sunblock on.”
According to her, the guidelines for someone to be suitable to hold a job are solely based on their physical activity. “If you can make a cup of tea, then you must be motivated and therefore you can work,” she joked.
Clem wants to appeal the decision, but this process could take weeks, during which she would be kicked out of her home for failing to pay the rent. Her ESA stopped on February 1, which means she’s already living without any source of income.
At this point, she’s desperate for any news that could help her situation and her health.
