Julie* has been with her partner Simon* for nearly four years.

She loves that he is well-read and smart, and that they share an appreciation for art and science. She loves that he brags about her to his friends, and randomly tells her that he loves her.

“We love each other, we’re good for each other, and we want to share our lives together,” she said.

But, Julie says she can’t marry Simon. Nor can she move in with him.

Julie relies on the Disability Support Pension (DSP). She says if she takes the next step in her relationship with Simon, she will lose the pension, and therefore her independence.