ALT A big thank you: to the organisations who have helped me with access budgets recently everyone who donated to my gofundme everyone who helped, and continues to help me, mentally through this. it’s tough.

ALT the gofundme: we raised approx £2,500 thanks to your kind donations. this so far has been spent on support worker top-up costs and will continue to be spent on support worker costs. This will greatly help with 2025 projects where we predict we may still be short on support.

ALT At the final reconsideration we received 67% of my minimum support need The support workers pay was returned back to the original rate

ALT Access to work *drama* an update: by kate stanforth

ALT I have been given no reasoning as to why: my grant was cut My support workers pay was cut The timescale for both change in circumstance and renewals was so long

ALT my online media was used to ‘understand my business’ and therefore make a decision on my grant. This is not a form of evidence which is stated as being allowed in their own staff guide on gov.uk

ALT comments were made about my disability including saying I had been seen ‘standing up out of my wheelchair’ and that i couldn’t be a disabled dancer who needed support. my disability and job were also compared to others in a distressing process

ALT Alt: Kate, a white model sits in a white modern powerchair which balances on 2 large wheels. She wears a white shirt, with white tights, white shorts and a thick fishnet-type body suit in brown and white with a crossed neck. Her hair is slicked back and her expression is moody. The whole look overall looks very futuristic corporate.

ALT A yellow background with faded stars. In the corner reads ‘inclusive dance workshops’ on a sign of mixed colours. On the right reads December 5th & 12th 4-5pm. Pay as you Feel. Online 14+. On the right hand bottom corner is Kate, director of the arts academy, in her wheelchair. Her wheelchair is orange and she wears a teal leotard with great joggers. Her hair is red and she has a neutral expression. To the left are two pictures. One of New Adventures Dance Artist, Jamie, dressed in a pink fluffy tutu with a pink fluffy wig and pom-poms laughing - looking like a marshmallow. To the right is a woman standing with a shirts, smart skirt and a back combed wig smiling at the audience. Text reads from left to right ‘New adventures dance artist jamie McDonald Matthew Bournes Nutcracker!’ And ‘Tracy Turnblad Katie Bruce Hairspray U.K. Tour’. You can book online at www.katestanforthacademyofdance.com

ALT 3: A beige background with a math table. The question says You’re hired by a brand to produce a grid post on social media. This is classed as 2 hours work. How long does it take you? Answer: 2 hours resting either side of filming + 1 hour to get ready with carer assistance + 2 hour filming with team (videographer/carer/etc) + 2 hours editing with team (videographer/carer/etc) + 48h recovery (no work can be produced - sleeping) = total 57 hours

ALT 2: A beige background with a math table. The question says "You have full time care needs. How many hours do social services give you per day?" Answer: '15 mins to eat and have medication x 3' + '15 mins to wash (if you're lucky)' - 1h minus all the hours because there's a carer shortage + 0 for cleaning unless it's a medical need + 0 toileting - got to go when it's combined with other care hours = total 0 hours

ALT Alt: 1: A beige background with a math table. The question says 'Your train journey from A to B takes 10 mins. How long does it take you?'. Answers are '10 mins to book assistance' + '30mins to arrive early' + '10mins for assistance to forget you' + '10mins for a ramp' + '10 mins to get through lifts' = total: 70mins + 10min journey + (24hour pre-booking period for assistance)

ALT NHS: You can get some wheelchairs through the NHS. To be eligible for a standard powerchair, you must need to use it 100% of the time and have a house which is already adapted ready for it. You may be able to get a manual wheelchair after an assessment, but it very much depends on your condition and council as to the type they will provide. They are often large, heavy and not for active use

ALT Access to work: Access To Work is a grant that funds practical support to help you start work or stay in work as a disabled person. No-one really seems to know how it works or what things you can claim through it, but, there have been many cases where wheelchairs have been approved. When this system works, it works great, just get some support in writing your application if you can!

ALT Motability: The Motability scheme provide a selection of power-chairs and scooters on a loan scheme. The catch is you need to be receiving certain benefits (the one many of you will know about is higher rate mobility component for PIP) to be able to use this service.

ALT Travel expenses: If you're referred to hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostic tests by a doctor, dentist or another primary care health professional, you may be able to claim a refund of reasonable travel costs under the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS). As always, you need to meet criteria but if you do, this is incredible support for those struggling financially with regular hospital trips. A photo of a man in the car driving

ALT VAT exemption: If you're disabled or have a long-term illness, you will not be charged VAT on products designed or adapted for your own personal or domestic use. Also, you will not be charged VAT on: the installation and any extra work needed as part of this. And yes, you can even claim your VAT back from places like Amazon. A photo of a omwan with pink hair in a wheelchair typing on her laptop smiling

ALT Medical Exemptions: It is worth checking if you are entitled to a medical exemption certificate, which would entitle you to free prescriptions. Guidelines state ‘a continuing physical disability which means you cannot go out without the help of another person’ applies. However, this must be signed off by your GP ,which many people with chronic illnesses have difficult relationships with. A photo of a woman in a wheelchair looking at her phone with a view out of window

ALT 5 dancers posing together. From the left, a dancer in a wheelchair wearing a purple leotard with a black catsuit over. She poses with her legs crossed over the foot plate and her arms diagonally towards the camera. Next, a man wearing white and black hold up a woman wearing a black dress in a diagonal line away from the camera. Behind them is another woman wearing a blue leotard in 5th position on pointe. To the front is a dancer wearing bright pink with one hand in the air and crossed legs.

ALT Kate in an arabesuqe position in a green leotard with grey joggers. She has red curly hair and is looking towards the camera. Text says introducing our ambassador kate stanforth.

ALT Kate is from the Uk and is a dancer, model, activist and runs and award winning inclusive dance academy. kate specialises teaching pbt to those with limited movement and hyper mobility.

ALT kate was training to be a professional dancer before she became unwell and since becoming a wheelchair user has adapted her dancing to fit her condition and mobility aids. One of her conditions is Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a genetic condition with extremem hyper mobility so she's adapted many of the pbt exercises to suit people with similar conditions.