I have to bring to attention that the application for benefits support in times of illness be that mental or physical or in times of unemployment does allow for a claimant to have £16,000 in savings and assets. I am further bringing attention the fact that women that have fallen victim to violent controllers will have had assets lost to his controlling nature. Many that have any private property will be facing long expensive legal battles from the perpetrators abuse of laws to further hurt his victim. Some women may have been successful professionals and business women but because of the perpetrators grip on her emotions and psyche will have had her career and business sabotaged by him. She comes to need support from a zero baseline of finances in many instances. I am such a person. I lost everything to my violent perpetrators yes I use plural as lost with husband number 2 who violently made me sign over the property I had 15 yrs of abuse and beatings from him yet some times he could be a remorseful charmer... he now lives with his second wife in that property and is controlling her! and husband third and last left me penniless. I was truly on zero funds and declared bankrupt. Given my age and the time in the London Borough of Hillingdon I qualified for a OAP sheltered studio bungalow with careline should I have my perpetrator come and hassle me. Or in time of depression feel I needed help. I became an activist on many issues as part of diverting my low moods into positive actions. Last year I put in a claim for what bit of NHS pension I had - I had not got a lot so got a £5000 lump sum in 2016 and thereafter £65 a MONTH.... I used the lump sum on some treats for me but to do something that was an expression of me... I spent time in the refugee camps and created the Family Link Up project. In March 2017 one of the family members in Eleonas Camp was due her second baby and I wanted to be with her. I had no funds the £5000 exhausted and my JSA adjusted to £55 a week as I got £65 a month from NHS... out of which I am expected to pay housing benefit cap of £9.50 week Council tax £9.50 a week gas & electric food and clothing. So I set up a gofundme for the project to get out to the refugees... all the funds being a hand to hand link up to them not me! I had a kind donation of a paid flight to Athens. I have tried to get EU funding for this project as it feels my life now for the rest of my life. I informed the job centre and civic centre... but ALL MY BENEFITS WAS STOPPED.... not oh how wonderful we will find a grant or funding for you to continue this with dignity.... no I was presented with a repossession order for the bungalow for said arrears of £400 not my arrears but the system failing arrears... Note I have NOT got £16,000 savings or anything to fall back on...... so I was treated as a criminal by the DWP for helping others and trying to rebuild my life rebuilding others too. I had written to Damien Green personally as the then secretary of state in Dec 2016 pouring my heart out on how could I be helped to rebuild and get funding for this project. I did not receive a reply nor did John as my MP.. instead there was an automated letter response.. that stated that by law the poor should live on £73.10 a week and with this pay benefit caps and because I was receiving £65 a month from the NHS pension the amount had been adjusted to £55 a week! I do not qualify for State Pension as I was born in 1954 and the new law is that I have to wait till 66ys so 2020. I feel this is totally unacceptable and that there should be more support especially when women are seen to be trying their best to rebuild their lives. This is my story but I hear some further cases of no matter how a woman tries she is knocked back by the system not furthered help till financially strong! Readers of this update and supporters of the petition it feels like we can never escape the aftermath of violent controllers on our lives...! This surely should never be the case we need the right to rebuild our lives and get back in touch with the true woman we are... and be able to life again as survivors not victims... Marjorie