My hope is this story anchors positive tangible changes in UK employment.

As a single parent with sole custody of a young child and very limited support system, my available working hours are already restricted. Furthermore, no financial contribution from the father and various health conditions mean maintaining a balanced, stress-free, affluent life is completely impossible.

Imagine 30+ years of normality with no significant health issues and 15+ years of full time employment. Then an accident or illness changes everything. Vision damage, balance dysfunction, migraine, photophobia, hyperacusis, chronic fatigue, neck injury, agoraphobia…

Any one of these issues alone have a considerable negative impact on a persons normal daily life, not to mention the ability to work and perform within conventional employment settings. I live with all of them. Yet based on our nations scoring system of work capability assessments, I am not entitled to financial assistance, and deemed capable of working.

Here is my point. I want to work, be financially independent and to support myself and child. I am articulate, qualified and experienced within a work environment. However, I stipulate that since acquiring my health conditions I am no longer capable of performing, or sustaining set work hours within a regular work environment.

Myself, and thousands of households like me, do not want sympathy – we want suitable employment opportunities! Our society and country needs employment reform. A solution lies in promoting significantly more flexible work positions through job shares, flexible & pro-rata hours and home-based working.

According to the UK’s Office for National Statistics, in 2019, 1.7 million people worked mainly from home, with millions more having the ability to work flexibly. But the need for flexibility only increased with the pandemic. The UK's Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy reports that flexible working arrangements can benefit employers by improving recruitment and retention, reducing absence, reducing overheads and increasing productivity and employee morale.

Thus, I ask the government to enact incentive schemes that encourage UK businesses and employers to ramp up the opportunities for flexible job provisions.

Help facilitate pathways to financial independence & Empower an untapped workforce.

Increase employment, decrease benefit claims, decrease poverty, improve mental health, and boost UK economy!

Please sign this petition, extend your solidarity and help bring about this much needed reform.