gggrrrr hepl/advice needed please

chelleybelley

i have sent off my renewal forms for dla on 22.09.08 and recieved a reply within 2 wks to say they had recieved it.2 wks ago i recieved a phone call on the monday to say that my forms had gone "adrift" and that i needed to fill them out again after having my 2 mins of ranting because as we all know it can take hours to fill out the forms i agreed to fill them out again and got told the forms would be in the post first class and that i would recieve them the next day...tues no forms so i rang them and they said that as i had refused to fill in the forms again they would arrange a gp visit..to which point i stated that i had never refused to fill out the forms and that the man the day b4 must have misunderstood me(yet he agreed to send the forms out again which was on my notes)so the team leader said that she would send out the forms first class that day..wed no forms so again i rang them :mad: they AGAIN said they would send the forms out...so i left it until last mon..still no forms so i rang them and at last on the tues recieved them.i promptly filled out the 47 pages and sent them off recorded delivery this time.. today i recieve a phone call from a gp stating that as i ahve refused to fill out the forms a home visit is arranged foor next wed.(i did inform her that the forms had been sent off again)i have had a look on the web and am slightly worried as i have read that some gps will snoop around your house(i do not know what they are looking for) and that having a home visit can be damaging to renewals of dla...i do not know what to expect my husband will be with me on the day has anyone had a home visit and what are they going to ask or are they going to examine me and what are they snooping for???

ShockingPink

:mad: What a shambles! When I first applied for DLA I had a home visit from a GP - have to say it was not a positive experience (though I may have been unlucky!).

I was phoned the day before he was due to come and asked if I'd see him in 2 hours - I was basically coerced in to seeing him without a chaperone as I couldn't get anyone at such short notice.

When he came he seemed pleasant enough - didn't examine me apart from having a quick look at my hands and legs; I didn't know how far I could walk without discomfort so he suggested a figure; didn't check whether or not I could cook meal etc etc.

When the report came it had comments about centrally heated house with large garden (what's that got to do with anything?); said I could dress and undress myself without help - he didn't ask me to undress; said I lay down and got up for examination - untrue; said I needed no help with cooking or toileting or bathing...

I got turned down, but luckily his report was so full of anomalies (as well as the downright lies!) that when I represented myself at appeal and pointed everything out the decision was overturned and I got lower care and higher mobility.

I do think I was unlucky, but I would make sure you have your husband with you at all times, and prepare for questions about distances, levels of discomfort, etc. I didn't know what to expect and was at a disadvantage immediately.

Do make sure you ask the Benefits Agency for a copy of the report and dispute any errors in it.

POLO_BINT

Hi Chelley!

Sorry to hear of the nightmares you have had with your forms etc.

I have been receiving DLA (both Care & Mobility) now for 13 years (I am 27yrs old).

In that time I have had 3 home visits by a GP (always the same gentleman too)!

Each time I have requested a home visit as I found the forms too lengthy, tiring to fill out and too be honest.... fed up with filling them out every time my claim runs out lol.

I was initially awarded DLA "For Life", but since circumstances changing they looked at my claim again and awarded me a higher rate, for which I need to reclaim every 3 years. (I was told that they do not like to award DLA "For Life" very often anymore).

I would say - you have nothing to worry about!

They take in to account your good days and bad days!

They sit you down and write the forms out in front of your eyes, and will get you to read it over once they have finished before you sign on the dotted line lol. They will also be writing away on a seperate piece of paper for their own report, which I beleieve they put in with your claim also.

I live in a Bungalow so the GP who visited me didn't have to "snoop" far! lol

I don't think it is "snooping" as such, it is more just taking a look about and seeing whats aids you may use, either in the bedroom, getting in and out of the shower/bath etc. This is obviously the normal thing to do, as they want to try and get a true to life report for your claim award as possible.

They may also ask to examine you (to see what you are capable of). Make sure you tell them how you feel on your worse days too!!!! I played it all down when I had my first visit as I was still embarressed of my disabilities back then. Naturally, you should not do this!!!! They really do need to know as much as possible so that they can paint a clear and concise picture of your needs!

It really is nothing to worry about! I was just greatful I did not have to fill out all those lengthy forms lmao!

I hope this helps and clears up some of your concerns somewhat.
Best of luck with your claim
Emma

chelleybelley

thanks for replies hopefully will be ok will have to stop reading scare stories on net cant believe the incompetance of them at losing forms gggrrrrr...but like i said have still sent it back and doc today still saying that ive refused will make sure i read her notes well!!!

meemee75

Hi

This is my first post on a forum so alittle nervous. I applied for dla last year for the first time and after many letters from them saying they were waiting for replies from my doctor and consultant, both said they had sent them!!!!! They sent a doctor of their own out to my home, I have never been so nervous.........but the experience wasn't that bad she made me feel relaxed and we talked about various problems I have and have been aving due to pain and medication, she only did a couple of test and did not examine me or look around my home. Maybe I was lucky but hope your experience will be fine, fingers crossed, and every goes ok for you

MrsKelly_2

POLO_BINT wrote: »

Hi Chelley!

Sorry to hear of the nightmares you have had with your forms etc.

I have been receiving DLA (both Care & Mobility) now for 13 years (I am 27yrs old).

In that time I have had 3 home visits by a GP (always the same gentleman too)!

Each time I have requested a home visit as I found the forms too lengthy, tiring to fill out and too be honest.... fed up with filling them out every time my claim runs out lol.

I was initially awarded DLA "For Life", but since circumstances changing they looked at my claim again and awarded me a higher rate, for which I need to reclaim every 3 years. (I was told that they do not like to award DLA "For Life" very often anymore).

I would say - you have nothing to worry about!

They take in to account your good days and bad days!

They sit you down and write the forms out in front of your eyes, and will get you to read it over once they have finished before you sign on the dotted line lol. They will also be writing away on a seperate piece of paper for their own report, which I beleieve they put in with your claim also.

I live in a Bungalow so the GP who visited me didn't have to "snoop" far! lol

I don't think it is "snooping" as such, it is more just taking a look about and seeing whats aids you may use, either in the bedroom, getting in and out of the shower/bath etc. This is obviously the normal thing to do, as they want to try and get a true to life report for your claim award as possible.

They may also ask to examine you (to see what you are capable of). Make sure you tell them how you feel on your worse days too!!!! I played it all down when I had my first visit as I was still embarressed of my disabilities back then. Naturally, you should not do this!!!! They really do need to know as much as possible so that they can paint a clear and concise picture of your needs!

It really is nothing to worry about! I was just greatful I did not have to fill out all those lengthy forms lmao!

I hope this helps and clears up some of your concerns somewhat.
Best of luck with your claim
Emma

In my experience the GP did not ask my DH to sign the forms nor gave him any chance to read them, he rang us two days before the visit and asked if he could come a day early, we said no to this, he came on the day in question (turned up early) and had a timer set beeping every minute, obviously he had somewhere better to be.

He too lied in his forms, there is no other way of describing the things he put in the form, he contradicted himself so much in his own report the CAB saw through it when they read it and could see for themselves that in one part he would put something like 'doesn't need any help with this' and then a few pages ahead he would put 'yes applicant does need helping doing this this and this'. But basically because of his terrible report DLA was again refused to my DH. Don't want to worry the OP but all is not always plain sailing, some people advise not tidying up etc on the day they come because the Doctor will report things such as clean ironed clothes, clean hair etc tidy house. The Doctor we had tried to make out because we have a toddler my DH can't possibly not run around and play on the floor with her, well actually when you have hip disease and arthritis plus meniere's disease i don't think he would be running anywhere either.

Just please make sure you ask to read it at the time and if you do not agree with what is put please make a note of it or refuse to sign it!

chelleybelley

o god am worrying more now maybe i shouldnt shower from now until then lol.....am in bed probably 95% of the time because of pain etc so should i stay in bed get up get dressed??

MrsKelly_2

chelleybelley wrote: »

o god am worrying more now maybe i shouldnt shower from now until then lol.....am in bed probably 95% of the time because of pain etc so should i stay in bed get up get dressed??

I'd just do what you normally do, if you would normally be in bed in pj's then do that when they come too.

chelleybelley

thanks for ur advice am new to this forum so am glad to get help/support will have to post what was said etc and what happens

somebody_else

Chelleybelley

It's a bit late for you now (or maybe not), but for future reference, and for other new claimants always, always take photocopies of the forms before you send them back and always send them recorded delivery.

Since I've started doing this, surprise, surprise none of my DLA or IB forms have gone astray. Even if they did, I'd be able to lay my hands on exact copies of what I've already written (it comes in handy for subsequent claims as well).

If they still insist on sending a Doctor to examine you (it won't be a or even your GP, by the way, they employ their own doctors), you have the right to refuse to be examined/assessed without a chaperone.

Always check what they have written on the form - on my first claim I made the mistake of agreeing to what she'd written, even though she'd 'paraphrased' a lot of what I said. Of course, she's actually made light of a lot of my problems. I appealed after beign turned down the first time, and quell surprise, she'd not only 'made light' of a lot of what I'd told her, she's also written several things in her own report that were untrue - like the distance she had estimated that I could walk. As she only saw me walk around 25 yards in total, done in 3 or 4 seperate distances, she couldn't possibly say that I could walk well in excess of 100 yrds with no difficulty.

I don't mean to frighten you, but it's as well to be aware of the sort of things that can happen at these assessments.

Good luck.

chelleybelley

hi yes i know this now after speaking to them the other wk regarding copies of dla forms so when i sent off my renewal forms last wk got hubby to copy it "twice" and sent it recorded just in case....
will the doc ask me to do certain things like try and tie shoelaces or go to bathroom or get dressed etc....
im also going to lodge a complaint on monday with me ringing etc them stating that ive refused to fill out the second renewal form after several telephone calls to them to say that i would...and me filling out the form again and still having to see the doc (if i'd have known this was the case i would NOT have filled out the form again)
im just hoping the doc isnt one of the scary ones lol;)