Help IB medical?

Trevor_Wassell

Can anyone tell me why long term IB does not allow access to such things as free Prescriptions, eye tests, council tax, grants for Central Heating etc, when short term does.

I have been on IB for a long time and find it stupid that short term IB suggests that you will soon return to work and will not need the above, whereas long term means you will.

jehane

Hi TaBunny

Permitted work is work that you can do while claiming incapacity benefit. The are different types. You can earn up to £20 a week (at minimum wage) and it does not affect your incapacity benefit.

Or you can do supported permitted work which is where you have to be supported by a specialist disability adviser and I think you can work less than 16 hours a week and earn up to £92 a week and it doesn't affect your incapacity benefit. You can do this for an unlimited period.

Or higher permitted work for less than 16 hours a week up to the earnings threshold £92 a week. for 52 weeks or unlimited period dependant on the severity of the disability.

You should let the DWP know if you are planning on doing permitted work and make sure the work your doing doesn't stop you from meeting the criteria for being incapable of work. So for instance getting a job walking round delivering papers is not good if the reason that you've been found incapable of work is that you can't walk more than 50 metres.

Jehane

zzzLazyDaisy

jehane wrote: »

You should let the DWP know if you are planning on doing permitted work and make sure the work your doing doesn't stop you from meeting the criteria for being incapable of work. So for instance getting a job walking round delivering papers is not good if the reason that you've been found incapable of work is that you can't walk more than 50 metres.

Jehane

If you are in receipt of DLA, you should also let them know. Although DLA can be paid to people who are working, the work must be consistent with the level of disability - so as Jehane says, if you get high rate mobility component but your job requires you to do a lot of walking, then you are likely to lose your HRM.

nelly2605

I had my first medical for 5 yrs after filling in IB50.Five years is the longest you can go without having one unless you are exempt.This site maybe a big help.

http://www.youreable.com/forums/forum.jspa?forumID=1

zzzLazyDaisy

Actually, that isn't strictly true - if the DWP are satisfied from the information available to them, that the claimant meets the necessary criteria, that person may not be called for a medical, even though they have had to complete a PCA form.

For example - someone with a permanent colostomy or ileostomy has enough points to get IB. Once the DWP have satisfied themselves this is indeed the case, the person will not be called for more medicals, although they may still have to submit a form from time to time to confirm there have been no changes. It is worth sending in a letter from a GP with the form to confirm this.

ScoobyCanDo

Just had a Medical ........... after a 5 year gap. After filling in the IB50 Form (with some help) .............. it took them a couple of months to send me notice that I was to have a medical.


In the past the doctors I've seen have been OK .......... this time I was seen by a right little Hitler of doctor (female as well!) who was extremely unpleasant!:mad:


Within a minute of entering the exam room, she had put both mine and my partners backs up and each time she barked something at me, I simply responded in the same manner ............. so do not be afraid to Stand Your Ground?:rolleyes:


One thing she wanted me to do was stand up, against a wall and do certain exercise ........... I have trouble standing/getting up and as I was trying to do this she was withering on ...... 'do this, do that ....... blah, blah blah!'' and as I get dizzy straight after standing I had to simply tell her to ''SHUT UP'' ............ until I had regained my composure and could take in what she was saying.:rolleyes: :rolleyes:


From speaking to several people that have also had medicals ............ I can only surmise it is part of their tactics to gauge how you react to certain 'stress's' ............ under the Mental Health part of their examination.

So from filling in my form ................... they took just over two months to hear back .............. may vary from area to area due to their work load (?) ................. The appointment then took a further 4 weeks and I was informed the decision would take about a month to come through on whether or not I would still qualify for IB ....................... I received it a week later (very speedy?).

DO NOT be afraid to talk back to them :eek: ............... especially if they are 'short' with you .................... do not take it personally ........... after all they have to deal with all sorts and I can understand how some of them could become bitter towards their ''customers'' ............ after all they must deal with some REAL blaggers on a daily basis ...................... but then also look out for the ''friendly'' doctors who, by making you feel relaxed .............. hope you will open up and possibly say something you may later regret?


Also remember when filling in any DLA forms ............. put details of when you are at your WORST ............ it may be that on certain days you can walk up a flight of stairs on your own ............... but this may be ONE day out of SIXTY (say) and is NOT the norm, so when asked CAN YOU WALK UP AND DOWN A FLIGHT OF STAIRS ................. tell the truth and just say NO. I was asked if I could peel a potato ................. with effort I possibly could ................... It would just take me a long time to peel one spud and if I did, most of the potato would still be attached to the skin! and what was once a decent sized potato would then resemble a Salad Potato!!!


Also to answer the last post (#16) ................. I have a condition (one of several now) that effects my spin .............. on my last Medical I could barley walk, let alone sit and after my last medical they had to call an ambulance to take me home. Since this medical I've had two operations on my spine ........... a third (at least) is needed, but my surgeon is very reluctant to carry it out and as such I am classed as Severely Disabled (makes no difference though to the DWP regarding these medicals) ................ plus I've had operations on one foot and need the same op on the other, so I can barley walk, let alone wear shoes ....................... and on the form (last page B4 you sign it) it asks for any other relevant info ................ I stated all this, as well as including copies of several medical letters from my Neuro Surgeon, my 3 Orthopaedic Surgeons, my GP and several other health professionals?

If they wish to see you .................. they will send you an appointment :mad: ................ on the Appointments Letter it gives you a number to call if you have any difficulties in attending an appointment at their medical centre ............... as I was not 'bedridden' and unable to travel, I had to attend their centre.


Hope this helps the original OP?:beer:

nanokitten

I would start keeping a personal diary from now for two reasons:
1. it will help jog your memory of how bad things can be to put you in the right frame of mind for your medical and help you remember stuff.
2. If you need to appeal this can form the basis of that appeal and will help eg gain support of other health professionals in your life.

The way I did it was to devise a scale (in my case 1 was ok and 10 was go to hospital). or you could have scales for pain, how much you managed to do, sympoms.

Also make notes of what you have managed and more importantly what you didn't manage (plus how this made you feel afterwards eg walked 50 yards, felt like c**p afterwards went to bed for rest of day.)
Inclued any and all embarrassing details especially of 'bodily functions' seeing, hearing, talking, washing, toileting, walking, bending etc. this may also help with a future claim eg DLA (which is based on bodily functons).

Try to be as analytical as possible, cos its a depressing thing to do but (this will help get you in the right frame of mind for your medical.

write things in a bound book, number the pages continuously and date each entry, date and initial the bottom of each page. Sounds a bit extreme but is better to be safe than sorry.

seven-day-weekend

What I can't understand is why people minimise their condition. I'm not suggesting for a minute that anyone should exaggerate or tell lies about their condition, but when asked for example 'can you climb stairs' and you can only do it once in every twenty times. the answer is 'only one in twenty times' not 'yes'.

I read of a guy who when asked how his condition was said 'oh not too bad' when actually it was worse than last time he had a medical;. he then wondered why he was not granted enough points. Or someone who said they could walk 50 yards whereas in reality they could hardly walk at all -huh? Why?

The DWP are not mind-readers; if you don't tell them about your condition, warts and all, how on earth are they going to know how it affects you?

So just be upfront, truthful and tell it as it is. Take someone with you if tyou think you will get tongue tied.