Just got turned down for DLA at the tribunal :(

Ames

I had a letter about my OT assessment, saying there's a long list and that they'd enclosed a list of places you can buy from if you can't wait. At least one of them (DIAL) doesn't sell equipment, and the last one ('look in the yellow pages') is a bit obvious anyway..

jazabelle

munchings-n-crunchings wrote: »

An OT assessment over the phone??

What will they think of next?

It must be cost cutting / waiting list reducing exercise.

Regardless, I hope it achieves the desired outcome for you

Munchie

Sorry, not an actual assessment - they just took all the details, and then will pass it on to an OT to see whether I'm eligible for help.

jazabelle

Ames wrote: »

I had a letter about my OT assessment, saying there's a long list and that they'd enclosed a list of places you can buy from if you can't wait. At least one of them (DIAL) doesn't sell equipment, and the last one ('look in the yellow pages') is a bit obvious anyway..

Ugh, how annoying. I'm sure if people had the money to buy it themselves, they wouldn't have contacted social services in the first place!

jazabelle

munchings-n-crunchings wrote: »

It must be cost cutting / waiting list reducing exercise.

Actually, Essex County Council don't have a 'waiting list'. They have an 'interested persons' list!! Now that is all kinds of ridiculous.

jazabelle

Does anyone know when you can put a fresh claim in for DLA please? I just spoke to a care advisor, who couldn't remember if it was three months from the initial claim, or three months from tribunal.

Also - she said they take into account your old claim, and compare the two, so that's a shame. I've got a lot worse, but I was going to spell everything out for them, and they might think well you could do that in Jan when you claimed. Argh.

Ames

Was this someone from CAB? There's no time limit, if your condition is worse then you put a claim in And they don't take into account your old forms - I was once turned down and the papers said that having an award before has no bearing on a new award, so that's rubbish. I know people have asked if the decision makers can read past medical documents, including DWP ones, and been told no.

jazabelle

Thanks for that info! No, it was a Care Advisor from my GPs office. Hm, not sure I trust her info now!

joyciebird

Ames wrote: »

Was this someone from CAB? There's no time limit, if your condition is worse then you put a claim in And they don't take into account your old forms - I was once turned down and the papers said that having an award before has no bearing on a new award, so that's rubbish. I know people have asked if the decision makers can read past medical documents, including DWP ones, and been told no.

The Decision Maker will have access to previous claims and more often than not they will look at them, usually to gain more of an insight into a persons illness and how it has affected them previously

Morglin

This site may help:

http://www.benefitsnow.co.uk/

Make a fresh claim, but get a welfare rights worker to help you - it's usually more difficult with disabilities like Fibromyalgia, as the DWP always seem dubious that it exists at all!

Good luck.

Lin

purplecatlover

joyciebird wrote: »

The Decision Maker will have access to previous claims and more often than not they will look at them, usually to gain more of an insight into a persons illness and how it has affected them previously

agreed, i assume they based my renewal award on previous medical reports as they did not contact my doctors this time and i highly doubt they excepted just the info i put on claim form with no supporting evidence/statements form people who know me best etc.