DLA / AA Decision Maker - CLOSED - REFERENCE ONLY

somebody_else

Welcome back Thanatos. I hope you had a good holiday. [It wasn't very long - I thought all public sector workers got 12 weeks holiday as a minimum and spent the rest of their time off of courses. ]

You didn't waste any time diving back into the deep end. You're probably in need of a drink by now.

:beer:

Thanatos

gravitytolls wrote: »

Thank you OP for your patience and kindness in answering queries on here, it really does seem to be a minefield.

Yeah, you're not kidding!

Thanatos

gravitytolls wrote: »

DH can't cook a meal for one as lifting pots to the sink is dangerous (he suffers fron spinal damage too), and once opened the oven door to remove a pizza, the heat hit him, he stood up too quickly, his back went and he ended up on the floor with the oven door off it's hinges in his hand.

When we talked about cookinh difficulties/food prep, the CAB advisor told us DLA decision makers would expect him to sit ona stool and use a holey spoon instead of carrying pots to a strainer in the sink, and it couldn't be included as needing help.

The stool thing is true - if he can use a perching stool because he can only stand for short periods, then yes. With regard to the carrying pots and pans....

We only look at the cooking for one person, so the pan shouldnt be that heavey anyway, but if its a condition where they cant carry a pan for one person, then yes, it "should" be a given that they will qualify (providing it is accepted - medical evidence is good here). Ask the CAB advisor who is going to empty the pan for the next time they cook?

Thanatos

M.E. wrote: »

A friend has a twelve year old son who will have his hips and legs in plaster for six weeks. Grandparents are around but not able to cope as he has now grown too big. They helped six years for the same operation but the boy has grown and they cannot cope.
His mum works and is willing to take unpaid leave.(No dad). However her work would rather she was in work than get a temp in, but will give her unpaid leave.
Is there anyway that the son can have a short term carer and what allowances etc are there?

I can only advise on DLA/AA and dont know about other benefits, but as far as DLA is concerned, he needs to have the needs for 3 months before qualifying and be expected to have the needs for 6 months. I assume once out of plaster he will still need some help, but check with your doctor how long that is expected to last - it more than 6 months, bung in a claim

Thanatos

SandraScarlett wrote: »

If a case goes to appeal, does anyone know how long it takes from receipt of the paperwork for a decision to be reached, and for the applicant to be advised please?

Thanks.

Another impossible to answer - as we dont control the appeal tribunal schedules (they are independent from us).

Once you have recieved the paperwork, our part (is pretty much) finished and we have submitted to both you and the tribunal.

Thanatos

sorted wrote: »

Hi Thanatos, this is really very good of you to do this.
I have had HRM for a few yrs now,
Because things have deteriorated badly and I really am strugglling i
applied for care component and was given LRC indefinately,
Because I felt that this should have been higher I asked to go for appeal.
although they say on the reasons that I need all this help, I can't understand how they came to this decision, they have not gone to doctors or consultants for reports. I had a welfare rights officer help with the forms and he can't understand it either.
I would just like your imput please because now i feel that I am begging, but all I need is help to live my life as best I can now.
thanks

Hi,
Without knowing what help you put down on the form you needed, I can really comment... feel free to make a post or send me a pm with what you said you needed and I can try give you an opinion. (sorry!)

Thanatos

missk249 wrote: »

Hi, can you please tell me why a decision maker would disagree with a GP report and an EMP report and refuse DLA at any rate?
My care needs, supervision needs and symptoms, although described in great detail by GP and EMP have been totally disregarded, and I am apparently not at risk of becoming aggressive ( have been in trouble with police for verbal and physical assualts because of my illness) and also cannot go out side because I am petrified of going anywhere on my own, so need supervision, I do not take care of myself and wont get up as I feel life is not worthwhile and need encouragement all the time, I need someone to gove me my medication, because if I have it myself, I would take an overdose, and I have to be supervised taking it, or I would store it up and overdose, and without the medication, my life would be at even more risk, yet I have still been refused? Please help. Thanks.

Off the top of my head, I cant think of a reason why this would happen, but without being able to see all the details, I cant really offer an explination - If its really is as clear cut as the DM refuses to accept a GP or EMP opinion, I would suggest appealing.

Thanatos

TheWhiteButterfly wrote: »

Hi thanatos, really great your here to answer peoples question i think thats fantastic of you to offer your help.

just wondering if you could advise me about my dla i have filled in and sent, at the time i didnt have a diagnosis, at first it was thought i had MS and things came to head and was admitted to hospital i was there for 4 weeks having had numerous tests from lumbar puncture to mri scans but left with no diagnosis, i now have a diagnosis which my doctor phoned me and told me, its a conversion disorder, i have physio which are brilliant but things are not too well with my mobility, i still cant feel my legs and all i can feel are my toes leaving me not able to walk at all, i have had a couple of falls in the last 12 weeks due to my mobility and is now affecting my hips, the pain was so severe today physio are referring me for a x ray on my hips, my doctor knows about the pain and falls and is keeping an eye on me, im on different medication also now which my Psychiatrist sorted out as my depression was getting to the stage where it was out of control, she says i also have ocd.
at physio today they are sorting aids for the house as i cannot go to the toilet alone, get into a bath on my own or cook meals so i have someone help me do that but they are going to try make my life a bit easier, they have also said i should apply for a blue badge which im doing, anyway i wont go on as i could be here forever trying to explain lol but what im asking is, i applied in july i think, it was could of been august and so far i have had 4 letters saying sorry we have not reached a decision yet the last two saying they are awaiting reports from gp and the last letter saying consultant, i have a concern about the doctors letter cos my doctor who was fantastic and knew everything about me left the practise and i went to another female dr and she basically said belt up and walk i left feeling so sad, my dr now who i see is fantastic he is very into helping me and is just great but im concerned the letter was from the middle dr, i know drs can be a bit funny but she was awful even giving me a medical certificate the once which i get every month saying suffering from headaches lol, so if it was from her could dla take that, the consultant one i havent a worry about cos my Psychiatrist i would guess talks with him.
oh and also is this amount of time normal to await a decision from dla

blimey sorry that went on.

thankyou for reading

Ok, I split this one in two

If you have had four letters saying we are approaching various people, it can only mean one thing - no one is responding to us or they are sending us wishy washey "I dont know" responces. I would suggest asking DLA for copies of all medical reports they have recieved back and ask which ones they havent. Then phone up whichever doctors hasnt responded and give them hell. (I wish we were allowed!!!)

TheWhiteButterfly wrote: »

also forgot to ask, what is supersession cos when i have got them letters saying about no decision yet it mentions supersession, am a bit confused on what they mean by that, im on dla right now and am on it till 2010 on lrc for depression, thats without the ocd.

will try not to edit again i just keep thinking things and have to type them before i forget again, not sure how or why but since getting this conversion disorder my memory has gone from excellent like remembering say 10 mobile numbers without help, to not remembering things i have done 2 seconds previous its very strange.

anyway what i was going to ask is it worth me phoning dla and giving them new contacts to ask about me, like new physios now which are out of hospital, my psychiatrist who is helping me so much, and making sure the letter off the gp they asked for was not off the middle doctor, i just thought also my third doctor was heavily involved with my first doctor about me and she discussed it all with the third dr, so hes known about it from the start so u could call him also the first dr, i hope i havent confused you cos i just confused myself this last bit but i do know what i mean lol

A supersession is a decision that superseeds the previous decision (eg a new one that replaces the old one). Renewals that show the condition has got better or worse may be converted to supersession decisions rather than staying as renewals.

and yes, send in all the extra information!

Thanatos

angelheart-xx wrote: »

was wondering as they havent actually contacted my daughters consultant the first time will they do it this time or do i have to request it ,as she is willing to support my claim she isnt my gp but consultant that diagnosed my daugher with adhd, the represntation unit which is helping me said i shouldnt need to call and ask though unsure what to do??
xxx

If the DM looking at your case thinks they have enough evidence already then they may not go to all medical people named on your form. If you specifically want one of them, its normally better to ask for a letter yourself and then send it in, or ask them to specifically contact one person in your form - but that doesant always work if the DM feels another person is more appropriate. (e.g if you ask for chiropidist to be contacted when customer has in growing toenail and MS)

Thanatos

fizzel wrote: »

Dear Thanatos

I am 44 i suffer with OA in my toes ( 3 surgerys ) now fused!! but very painful I have OA in my Cervical Neck and Meneires ( spinning vertigo that causes vomiting and just debilitates.

i applied in June and was disallowed so after speaking to my Gp i asked for the Decision to be looked at again- I have had another home visit ( 2 since june) by a dwp doctor and am waiting his decision, if it is a ko then i guess my only option to to appeal,

I get frustrated by the whole system as i understand the government are cracking down especially on those who shouldnt be on this benefit ( but seem to sail through the process whilst those genuine get taken through the mill & back to try and succeed, seems very unfair.

i know it goes on how your illness effects you!! and i am clear that this is like playing russian roulette each day- as my main worry is "dizziness" and i have already lost my job due to absentism and spinning episodes i suffer-which are not just a bit of lightheadedness this is full blown fairground spinning and i cannot open my eyes at all its that fast and am just left to wait till this subsides which can be up to a few hours-then i am left with a headache and feeling very poorly the rest of the day. The Osteo Arthitis creates its own set of problems which i suppose i cope with as its something that will get progressivly worse the older i get but the meneires is ruining my quality of life i have 4 children and my poor husband has alot to deal with. i have read up alot on this and find that it is very hard to get a successful claim for menieres, why is this

thanks:eek:

Ok, this is difficult without access to the medical database at work, but I seem to remember Menieres is not constant, or most of the time.

Whilst it can be really bad (as you described), it wont affect you most of the time throughout the day, or even every single day. As DLA is based on your needs most of the time, thats why its hard to award for meniers on its own.



If what I said is wrong, please forgive me, I am going off memory and its pretty hard to remember all the different conditions accuratly Shout up if i am wrong and i will look further into it for you.