can i claim disability allowance?

Your doctor could have filled in the form for the disabled badge for you and seeing as he said you should apply for Disability Benefits he should be happy to help you with a badge. Dont just settle fr a badge as if you aer able to get DLA it is worth quite a bit of money and once you have it you may qualify for other helpful things - it is a horrendous form and van seem very daunting but it is worth the effort in the end.

wazza wrote:

Hi, about three years ago I was involved in a car accident. A van hit my car from behind leaving me with whiplash.

The circumstances causing a disability are irrelevant to the claim and can in some cases cause extra difficulties. I've heard one of Blair's right wing think tank spokepeople suggest that in countries where there are no disability benefits no one is diagnosed with Whiplash injuries and the DWP's chief medical advisers are in print as suggesting that Back Pain is largely a "hysterical" problem of the mind rather than a result of real physical injury. It is not that I am doubting you, just making you aware that your claims will be subject to scrutiny.

I still have problems with my back. Cannot sleep lying flat. Have to sleep in a sitting position. Also unable to lift heavy things. Also suffer from cartilage problems in my knees.

First it sounds like you may need care getting into and out of bed at night and with turning while in bed. It is very easy for people to disqualify themselves from the Care Rates of DLA by adapting their lifestyle to their disability because they haven't the Care provision which would enable them to live normally. An experienced welfare rights adviser will enable you to detail your care needs in a way which maximises your chances of success. DLA depends on your CARE NEEDS not on whether these needs are being met at present.
In another thread I've posted BMJ LETTER which shows that Glucosamine-chondroitin should be prescribed by doctors. It may be worth asking your GP if it would be better for you than NSAID's.

Cannot stand up unless i massage my knee. While walking you can hearing clicking noise sometimes and it is painful. Have to walk slowly.

Benefitsnow DLA self-assessment test
BenefitsandWork DLA self-assessment test
Should help you understand the Virtually Unable to Walk Criteria. Remember it is the distance you can manage OUTDOORS without assistance and BEFORE the onset of SEVERE DISCOMFORT which matters, any distance you can walk with severe discomfort be it pain or breathlessness is irrelevent.

Due to unforseen circumstances last June i am now a lone parent on income support. Still suffering from back and knee problems. Have been putting on weight recently. I cannot excerise because of back pains and cycling is out. It has got to a point where sometimes i am out of breath after walking short distances. Have to rely on the car to drop off kids at school.

Exercise is beneficial not only for you but for your children. Their minds will work better if they excercise before arriving at school and their behaviour will also improve through getting sufficient exercise. If you can't manage a bike how about a secondhand disability scooter. It may not have much street cred but getting the fresh air and exercise would be better for all of you and also the enviroment.

Have visited the doctors for painkillers. He did mention that i should claim disability allowance. If so how do i go about it. The doc mentioned going to DWP for advice.

Having the support of your GP is fundamental for a successful claim. The DLA guide from BenefitsandWork has a Checklist at the back which summarises the claims you put on the DLA claim form and if you ask for this to be included in your medical notes will help ensure, (providing your GP accepts the truth of your claims) that the medical report from your surgery is consistent with your DLA claim form.

To be honest i will be happy with a disabled badge.

If your doctor is willing to sign a letter saying you are virtually unable to walk a Blue Badge may be issued independently of the DLA High Rate Mobility Award. Ask your local authority blue badge issuing department if they will accept this as sometimes the DLA claim procedures can be somewhat extended if you have to go to Appeal.
[font=Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif]download our guide to getting help with your benefits [/font]getting help with your DLA claim will make a difference to your chances of success. Having a DLA award not only will make a significant difference to your finances it also has a beneficial effect on your income support claim so it really is important for you to take this matter seriously.
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gwynedd social services will not fill in the forms because the dss have asked them not to and they have taken legal advice.People in gwynedd are directed to welfare rights workers who cannot comment on their conditions just help with wording.
i was informed of this last week by a social worker.

Fran wrote:

However, the support of doctors is important as Ted has pointed out. Also other consultants etc. and there is a space on the form to be signed by "someone who knows you well".

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Welfare Advice in General Practice - The Better Advice, Better Health Project in Wales shows there are some doctors in Wales who support benefit claimants.
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Kay wrote:

Phone your DLA office and ask for a claim form.

0800 88 22 00 Benefit Enquiry Line.
Monday to Friday 8.30am - 6.30pm
Saturday 9.00am - 1.00pm
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children under age 16
Disability Living Allowance for a person aged 16 or over (541KB) downloadable form useful if you forget to ask for 2 copies of the form from the above phone number. Always worth keeping a copy to help at appeals /renewals.

A friend of mine used to work for the DLA in Blackpool, and they would automatically reject a certain number of claims, with or without the doctor's recommendation - and her advice was that if you're rejected, appeal and appeal again if need be, as they then look closer at the appeals.There are so many cases where the claim is rejected despite what appears to be good evidence that this claim doesn't surprise me. Asking for the claim to be "looked at again" though is a waste of time as less than 10% of claims are changed at reconsideration. While 60% of appeals attended by the claimant alone are awarded. It rises to 70% if you can find a welfare rights adviser to support you at appeal.