Dispare about DLA

magicstrawberry

Hi/ everyone,
I’m so sorry that my first post is such an unhappy one, although I haven’t posted before I’ve been looking at the forums as I have found them very useful and in lightening.
Anyway I am at the moment claiming income support based on incapacity and housing benefit. I recently went for a medical regarding this and this came back fine. Due to the situation getting worse I’ve re applied for DLA and today I got a reply back saying they believe I’m not entitled to either. Obviously this upset me hugely but my dad (former CAB adviser) and my friend believe I should appeal this and due to the amount of problems I have no choice as I need to.
There are many reasons why I’m applying for DLA but the main ones include psoriatic arthritis which is causing me so much pain and discomfort plus mobility issues. I’m on medication plus strong painkillers. Also I suffer with PSTD due to my past which causes a lot of problems and recently I suffered with amnesia due to stress and my mother dying and I’m now repeating my university year.
The thing is as well I received DLA three years ago and things have got a lot worse and yet I’m in this situation. I’ve got financial problems also so i need help.

I was wondering if anyone could give me any advice or roughly how long this whole process could take ?. Or anything please .

wilf55

i just won my appeal last week began appeal 6 september last year

magicstrawberry

OMG

I hope its not that long, did you get it backdated?

mouseymousey99

Hello MStawberry - Have you appealed? Can someone help you with the forms (your Dad)? You stand a better chance at an appeal hearing if you pitch up in person. Can you get support from your GP or a physio will they put a letter in? They need to know how it affects you - the impact on your life. Have you looked at this site:-
http://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/Home
They have tons of information & help
also
http://www.disabilityalliance.org/
hope things look a bit brighter soon...
Mx

magicstrawberry

I havn't applied for it yet but i intend to start tomorrow by ringing up my local CAB centre and trying to get an appiontment asap.

I'm also going to ring my social worker and my mentor (ex social worker). My dad said he would help me if i had no luck there because it would be easyer if someone helped me in person but i know he will support me.

I know my GP should he knows the problems i have to deal with but i think my problem with my form is i didn't put much regarding my mental health, i know i should of it was silly not to but it upsets me when i do so having someone who could put it down would be a great help.

Also they said they used my income support medical which was ok and im still getting it but the women who did it knew i was in so much pain because the time before she manipulated my knee so much it cracked and so this time she didn't do it as she knew it would cause me so much pain.

So really i can't see they havn't really looked at her form properly and also there was no mention about conraspondance with my rheumatologist or my gp.

Thank you for you help

magicstrawberry

Also can i re submit my form with more information before a tribunal?

Also ive been hearing its 100 metres for walking i put 10 and still didnt get it

Rosemary_Jane

Hi Magicstrawberry.

May I suggest that you look at http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/ ?

This is a brilliant site. The best parts are for members only - but I paid the £18.50 (I think it is), and I think it is well worth it. There are huge helpful guides to download, from applying for DLA, to how to appeal etc. They are brilliant.

I was upset the other week, when my son's renewal put him down to the lowest rate, even though I'd filled in the forms carefully. The local autistic society adviser said he didn't think I had a chance at appeal, but I did anyway, and within a week they wrote back, having looked at my claim again and had revised the award up to what I though was correct.

Well worth the money, that site is.

Rosemary

munchings-n-crunchings

Hello magicstrawberry,

Did you keep a copy of your DLA application forms?

Have a look back at the answers you have given.
With DLA, it's about the care you need because of your disability. So you can mention the pain you are in, but then it needs to be when help you need from someone else.
Also your financial position does not make any difference in respect of DLA, so personally I'd not mention it, so not to give the wrong impression.

There are plenty of places to get advice, without laying out any money.

Dial are a disability advice organisation, often staffed by disabled people, who can help with an appeal, your nearest branch can be found from this link.

http://www.dialuk.info

Also there is Welfare Rights, part of your county council.

A good website that help explain all the terms use when applying for DLA is here, they also have good information about appeals.
http://www.benefitsnow.co.uk

A DLA decision maker used to be able to offer help, but is no longer able to do so.
Here is the link to the discussion thread. You cannot post to it, but there is good information, particularly about walking.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1250001&highlight=thanatos

Good luck

Munchie

magicstrawberry

yes i did photocopy the forms on advice from my dad which now regarding this result is probably going to improve valuable.

And no i wasn't going to mention about my financal situation i just said it on the forum so you could have the full picture

thank you both very much for the links,i need as much help as possible because the sooner i can get this done the better for my heath and i can get the help in place.

I'm in alot of the pain at the moment and it seems so hopeless but im going to try
thank you all

munchings-n-crunchings

Hello again Magicstrawberry,

Just found another, almost, useful link.

Have a good look around the Benefits Now website.
I found some information in The Disability Handbook, which give the decision makers guidance about how conditions affect a person. The DWP use various methods of looking into how a disability might affect a person, and the handbook is one of them.

http://www.benefitsnow.co.uk/handbook/Inflamatoryjointdisease.asp#psoriatic

The more you learn about how the DWP assess your claim, the more effective you will make your appeal.

Regards
Munchie

wilf55

magicstrawberry wrote: »

OMG

I hope its not that long, did you get it backdated?

yes i got it backdated