DLA - Renewal - No Longer Entitled! :(

missk_ensington

I guess since the government is in so much debt and the country in crisis they are trying to make cut backs, and since DLA is a great big white elephant passport to allsorts of other benefits (premiums on tax cred, premiums on income support, premiums on council tax/housing benefit....) then they are obviously trying to trim back the number of people in receipt of the benefit.

I wouldnt be suprised if a lot of renewal applications get reduced to low rate from middle or high rate to prevent people from getting the severe disability increments.

[Deleted User]

Its often better to go immediately for the appeal,as part of that process is that they do a reconsideration anyway

woody01

Do you think you are still entitled?
From the sounds of it, you have either improved in condition or got the forms very wrong.

You say you had help with the forms, so maybe you aren't entitled as you are no longer in need of the help.

KrazyKel

I rang up last week (or week before) and asked for a reconsideration and gave them info on the areas i didnt agree with

Need to find my MOT and Insurance info now, as my car tax is up end dec, and will need to pay for it this time or until i hear about dla if sucessful!
Have to go to the DVLA office to change my V5 from Disabled to not disabled so i can pay for my tax!

What a nightmare! Hope it all gets sorted soon

andreadl

I filled in my Mother in laws forms and they turned her down flat, despite her being much worse.
I simply wrote a letter stating why I thought they had got the decision wrong, and they reversed it - she gets both components on high rate now!
I can't believe the first person got it so wrong - I do think they are trying to cut costs and if they do this and some people don't appeal, then they are saving lots of money.

Also, watch your tax credits, because if you get the disability component of that you will have to tell them and they will reduce it. Better to tell them now though than have loads to pay back.

Hope this helps.

KrazyKel

Ohh, I totally forgot about Tax Credits.
Will i be entitled to any tax credits if i dont get DLA?
I work 16 hrs a week, Think it may stop altogether

KrazyKel

Just a long awited update

I asked for a reconsideration which was refused again (as i expected)
have now wrote to them asking to appeal and ive got to send in my evidence etc this week
Ive been to my GP and they have wrote me a note (as they didnt contact them with my renewal)
Ive also got a new specialist at the hospital after my old one left/retired. so seeing him on Friday, which is good as ive been waiting for a while now. - Wonder if i should ask him to write a letter too or not, as i wouldnt have seen him before, he obv wont know much about my situation till i see him - apart from my notes/file

Also my tax credits also stopped due to not getting DLA anymore. so my only income now is my part time wage 16hrs a week!!!

I really dont know what to write in the letter, think im best off going through the dla form writing up notes on what i agree and disagree with (since i messed it up the first time)

TOBRUK

Hi Krazykel, what did DIAL advise when you contacted them in November about an appeal? You now say that you messed the dla form up the first time (which you didn't mention previously) how, or why do you think so?

Well if you are seeing a specialist on Friday there's no harm in telling him/her that you are applying for dla and whether they would write a letter in support - they will know how your illness may affect you or at least explain your illness. You have nothing to lose.

KrazyKel

I got help from A4U / Dial when filling in the forms, but when i got my refusal, it said a lot of things which i didnt agree with so dont think i put my point across well on the forms
I hate when they ask how far i can walk etc, as it varys day to day. when i was at dial i didnt know what to put so she asked how far i walked that day etc. but looking back i should have put a more average or bad day, as i couldnt do that every day, and wouldnt reflect the pain or how much it effects me after doing more in 1 day.

I told them i was asking for a reconsideration, now i heard no from that its an appeal, but havent booked an appointment with dial/a4u again yet as i havent had the letter long and wanted to wait to see my gp/doctor first.

TOBRUK

I see, yes it is difficult but didn't you read the form before sending it off? I know it's too late to think that way now - what's done is done. They may ask you though why you disagree with what you (or DIAL) actually wrote yourself!

I fill in the forms myself now, when I did have help from CAB (the person I had didn't seem to know what they were doing) I was refused (twice) and went to tribunal without them and won. I have been awarded every time since I've done it myself.

With the walking issue you must say if it varies from day to day or hour to hour and give examples, but be honest and never just base it on just your worst day.