DLA advice please

moosetastic

Hi there, hope someone possibly has experience in the following, and could pass on some advice?

My husband receives middle rate care and lower rate mobility DLA and has done for 3 years, He has bipolar, anxiety and recently he has started developing agoraphobia. He is seeing a consultant psychiatrist, and is waiting for a referral to cognitive therapy and EMDR therapy.

Last week, his payment didn't go into the bank as usual, so he phoned the benefits line. They informed him that his payments had stopped but wouldn't tell him the reason why, saying they do not discuss claims over the phone. They said that they had sent him a letter at the beginning of August, which we never received, and so they would resend it.

We've waited over a week for the letter, at our wits end wondering how we are going to pay the bills next month. It finally came today, and the reason why the payments stopped was the letter was inviting him to a medical, but obviously as we didn't receive the letter, we didn't know about it at all and obviously he didn't go. He has phoned them back to try and arrange another appointment and to have the benefit re-instated, but they won't, and will only take a formal appeal that will take between 6 - 8 weeks!! I am at my wits end wondering how we will get through the next week, let only 8 weeks. Luckily they haven't stopped his incapacity payments, but surely thats just a matter of time as well?

If anyone could help, I would be extremely grateful. Thanks

SuziQ

I have had similar problems with ctc because of letters and forms not recieved. From reading on here,I think there is little chance of sorting this without carrying on with the formal appeal.
Was the award for 3 years,and were you not waiting for the reassesment which normally comes a couple of months before the award ends? It does state that in the information you recieve when the award is granted.

I totally sympathise,my son gets DLA and I am terrified I might get dependent on it as I know they can review it anytime.

If anyone has any advice I am sure they will post-sometimes they advise an appeal through your MP or disability rights people so hopefully someone more knowledgeable will advise you.

healy

As far as your Husbands Incapacity Benefit goes this should not suddenly stop, they would have to send him an IB50 form to complete first and then he would possibly have a medical, but due to his condition he maybe exempt. If you have a look at the letter relating to his IB it should say if he has a review date, if there is no date he will be exempt from that medical.

moosetastic

Hi SusiQ and healy, thanks for your responses

SusiQ - his award was renewed last year, so that wont be happening till next July. This is what we had thought had happened, as no other scenario came to mind, and thought they had just made a mistake. My hubby visited the gp last week and he confirmed that no-one had come for permission for his medical records, so we have been none the wiser.

Healy - thank you for that. I dont think his IB has a review date on it at all...... I'll go and check.

Its amazing how fast they can take this off of you, but it will take an eternity getting it back, all for something that wasn't our fault. The appeal has gone back today return of post, so fingers crossed they will deal with it quickly

moosetastic

Right, after much digging in my files, I have finally found his dla award letter and IB letter

His dla award is from 18/02/2007 to 17/07/2012, which has surprised me as I only thought it was for 2 years (I really must start paying attention!)

His IB letter does not have a review date, it just says that his illness meets the criteria without a medical, but he may need to fill in a IB50 or attend a medical if his condition changes in the future.