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Kyla Harris, who co-created and stars in the BBC comedy-drama series *We Might Regret This*, has been in a relationship with her partner for eight years. Despite their long-term partnership, the couple have chosen not to live together due to concerns that doing so could jeopardize some of Harris’s means-tested financial support. Harris expresses the frustration of having to weigh love against financial stability, stating, “No-one should have to decide whether to choose love or to pay their bills.”
The show, developed alongside co-creator Lee Getty, centers on Freya, an artist dealing with tetraplegia—a condition involving partial or complete loss of function in all four limbs—and explores her relationship dynamics with her boyfriend Abe and close friend Jo. The Guardian has described the series as “trailblazing,” with Harris emphasizing that it aims to address subjects rarely seen on screen before. One key theme is the challenges faced by disabled people in the context of social and means-tested benefits.
In the UK, receiving means-tested benefits, such as universal credit, often entails that moving in with a partner can lead to a reduction in financial support. This is because the system evaluates household income and savings collectively, which affects eligibility and the amount of funding one receives. Additionally, means-tested social care funding from local authorities can also be impacted by cohabitation, though rules vary by region. The financial strain is often intensified for disabled individuals, who generally face higher daily living costs. A 2024-25 report by charity Scope highlights that disabled households require an average of £1,095 more per month than non-disabled households to maintain an equivalent standard of living—considering access to goods, services, and overall management of household needs.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has noted the availability of several non-means-tested benefits aimed at supporting disabled people, such as the personal independence payment (PIP) and attendance allowance, which help millions annually. A DWP spokesperson added, “Eligibility for means-tested benefits doesn’t always become immediately restricted following a change of circumstances, but we encourage all claimants to report changes.” Harris voices that these funding rules create dilemmas around milestones like moving in with a partner or getting married—a subject not often discussed because of societal misconceptions that disabled people are not entitled to relationships, intimacy, or love. She hopes the series will raise awareness and spark conversations about these little-known but impactful issues.
Disability Rights UK condemned the situation where individuals feel compelled to live apart from loved ones due to potential benefit loss as “nothing short of cruel.” While Harris acknowledges the serious nature of these struggles, she also believes it is important to infuse humor and hope into the narrative. “There have been so many awful situations that I’ve been in that you can’t help but laugh,” she reflects. The show also tackles the exploitation of disabled identity for profit, exemplified by a subplot where Freya’s wedding planning is marketed as a social media campaign by her enthusiastic but misguided agents, the Olivias. Their awkward attempts to use trendy, but awkwardly appropriated, phrases add a comedic layer while addressing deeper issues around representation.
Ultimately, Harris wants audiences to take away a message of self-worth and love regardless of disability. She shares, “I see disability as my biggest teacher and being disabled has taught me that irrespective of what people think and what I encounter, I am worthy of getting married. I am worthy of loving. I am worthy to be loved. And I want people to feel that about themselves.
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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