10 replies to this topic

[Lucky]

Hi all, to cut a long story short. Most of you know I broke my neck 5 1/2 yrs ago in a diving accident in Mexico.
Since then I have been awarded high-rate DLA Care & Mobility. But a few months back I noticed the care component had been stopped, thus affecting everything else.
All in all I was over 500 quid per month down and starting to get into debt.
I got a nice wellfare lady on the case, a letter from my GP, my specialist bowel doctor and 2 from my consultant at the spinal unit ready for my tribunal appeal on monday just gone.
I couldn't believe it when I got an early phone call that morning from my wellfare lady to say I'd been awarded both Care & Mobility again and I'd be back-dated.
I felt like I'd won the lottery for a moment.

Has this happened to anyone else?

[Lucydog]

Yep, when I first applied I was awarded care but No Mobility component, what were these people thinking !!!??? I was furious at the time, went to Tribunal, and got the whole lot back dated 6 months. I think everyone at the tribunal was very embarrassed, one said to me, ' Come in Mrs H.... I usually ask people to sit down but I see you already are......' Ha ha ha. Quite. Makes you wonder if the forms actually ever get read though!

[Nickleblue]

Lucydog, on Dec 10 2008, 03:14 PM, said:

one said to me, ' Come in Mrs H.... I usually ask people to sit down but I see you already are......' Ha ha ha. Quite. Makes you wonder if the forms actually ever get read though!

Im guessing your both in England-only "we" could screw up like that. - Had to go to the medical board more then once with issues re my ex partner. nothing SCI related tho. But they "caused" her considerable health problems-saying that she was extremely lazy and caused herself alot of problems too!
Keep smiling Guys/Gals.
Gary

[wriggley]

yeah lucy i got turned down for the same reasons i mean is the GP blind! but ive been told to appeal/reapply for the care component. at present i get high mobility but no care i'll not go into too much detail but

-t10 incomplete and the fun that goes with that
-ulnar nerve damage that have mad my fingers curl and weakened the muscles in my forearm
-SEVERE clinical depression (its cyclic and appeared long before i played with traffic)
-head injury that essentially means a distinct lack of short term memory
-epilepsy

so i think i might at least be in with a shout

With the number of times ive been turned down or had it taken away im used to the whole reapplying thing. Just gets boring!

Edited by wriggley, 20 December 2008 - 06:45 AM.

[Lucky]

wriggley, on 20 December 2008 - 06:43 AM, said:

yeah lucy i got turned down for the same reasons i mean is the GP blind! but ive been told to appeal/reapply for the care component. at present i get high mobility but no care i'll not go into too much detail but

-t10 incomplete and the fun that goes with that
-ulnar nerve damage that have mad my fingers curl and weakened the muscles in my forearm
-SEVERE clinical depression (its cyclic and appeared long before i played with traffic)
-head injury that essentially means a distinct lack of short term memory
-epilepsy

so i think i might at least be in with a shout

With the number of times ive been turned down or had it taken away im used to the whole reapplying thing. Just gets boring!

I hate relying on them. I wonder how bad the Conservtives are gonna make life for us?
Don't they realise, there's no cure (yet) and we (well I'm) only going 1 way..... down hill. Been told by the consultants.
Do they think we're gonna get better over night? They should put the spinal injuries (complete definitly) in one pile and say "Don't f'#k with they're cash.

[Tetracyclone]

This sounds a bit like the USA, where standard procedure is to deny benefits without reading the application, then they will actually think about you when you appeal. This works to discourage half the people from appealing: very cost effective. What is most ugly is when this proceedure affects people who are mentally slow, or who have brain injuries. Their Doctors, who have no time, are left to try and push their paperwork as the patient's family is probably already totally overwhelmed trying to care for this person.

Once one gets over the illusion that government services are there to help people one can begin to enjoy "the game".

Edited by Tetracyclone, 01 September 2010 - 01:04 PM.

[scatty14]

Hi what rate care do u get? I'm on middle care and higher mobility. I have been told I should apply for higher care but I WORRY re reapplying etc as my award are indefinite and i hear so many scare stories so I have just left it.

[StuartW]

while my accident was 6 years ago I only stated claiming DLA last year April, Until then I earned enough not to desire any benefits. My claim was processed in about 8 weeks which included extra investigation time and info requests from the consultants dealing with my care. I was awarded high rate for care and mobility. The processes seemed smooth and concise. My experience left me believing SCI suffers should not have any concerns with fair treatment provided consultants respond in timely fashion to information requests.

I support the idea that a duty of care in the spending public money requires reassessment of past DLA and IB awards. removing cheats from the system will protect the funds needed to support us who truly need it.

[edlee]

Very apt counterpoint, Stu.
ed

[Scotsgal]

I'm sorry, Stuart, but I think that you're badly misinformed.
The changes, especially to DLA, are not merely to eliminate cheats but to tighten criteria so that a target of between three and four hundred thousand disabled people will have no entitlement to the new PIP [replacement for DLA] and many others will see payments significantly reduced.
A high level quadriplegic may see little difference [ unless they live in a care home, meaning, unforgivably, they no longer qualify for their mobility payment.] but a person like myself who is non SCI but has a long term neuromuscular condition which is extremely limiting but less easy to quantify may no longer qualify for the financial assistance which is the only way I can pay to live independently. And to be blunt, as a low level incomplete SCI with, I'm assuming , full use of hands and arms, unless you're extremely lucky, you'll be in for a big reduction in care component, if you get any at all , after the changes.
Look up the government's report online - sorry I don't have a link - it's sobering reading, cost cutting, yes, but at the expense of far more deserving people than cheats !
Best wishes,
Scotsgal

[Edinburgh Colin]

They are proposing changes to the system and I got my paperwork through from Spinal Injuries Scotland to write back to the Government in protest.

I'll post some links and more details later, I think Simon already posted something on it but I'm in a hurry now, Kids just in from school!



The proposal is to change the DLA to Personal Independence Payment PIP The middle rate DLA will be abolished and rounded down to the lower rate, there will be assessments which will be periodically repeated. You will not be eligible for anything until 6 months post SCI. All in all is does not sound good. Please have a look at the links below -

www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/dla-reform-consultation.pdf shortcut

Find your MP at http://findyourmp.parliament.uk shortcut all you do is enter your postcode and it gives you the name of your MP

You can get mor information at the SIS blog http://sisonline.org/blog/ shortcut

Edited by Edinburgh Colin, 25 January 2011 - 05:05 PM.