DLA don't know where to start

aimee0763

Hello All,

I have been unemployed now for five years due to Anxiety, Agoraphobia and Panic Attacks. I was running my own business until then and doing well. I also suffer with PMDD which is a severe form of Pre Menstrual syndrome. I've have suffered from Panic Attacks, Anxiety some 25 years ago but has managed to combat it and carried on working but 4 years ago when I suffered with severe lower abdominal pains and couldn't walk even to put one step forward my GP send me for scans to see if it's not anything serious luckily it wasn't but somehow that kick start my Anxiety, Panic Attacks I am worst off now that I have developped Agoraphobia. I have been told by the Job Centre to applied for DLA as my Advisor from the Job Centre said I've developped Agoraphobia as I am always having a panic attacks whislt being there and also have not been able to see my doctors because I've had panic attacks several times at her surgery. I have great problem with travelling by puplic transports I cannot travel in the underground the thought of it make me very sick and I cannot travel in crowded buses I only go around my local on foot but even that I am limited to what distances most of the times I am housebound because there isn't always someone there to help me get out. I have no Social life nor interest. I would like to be able to go out again. Would I be able to claim for mobility if I could drive I would get my life back again.

Can someone please help.

many thanks in advance


aimee

Indie_Kid

Your diagnosis is irrelevant. If you have care / mobility needs, you can claim.

Oscar_The_Grouch

Hi there

Sorry to hear of your problems. I know how frustrating it can be getting stuck at home and I do find that this forum helps - you can "vent" here and no one worries about it!! Look for a thread called "The (not so old) Crocks Cafe". Don't start at the beginning - you'll be there for days!!

DLA comes in 2 parts - care and mobility. You probably know that already. What you may not know is that the form to claim DLA comes in a format that allows you to complete it on your PC and print it out, rather than having to fill it in by hand. You can save it half way through and go back to it too. When DW (Darling Wife) was completing my forms, she found the boxes too small. The PC version shrinks the text to fit!!

Here's a link:

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/advisers/claimforms/dla1a_adult.pdf

Now the reason I'm mentioning this to you is that if you have anxiety, you may want to go over some sections a couple of times. This way, you can change what you've written without using half a bottle of tip-ex!!

Depending on who's advice you follow, you'll either be told to fill the form in on the basis of a "bad" day or an "average" day. My suggestion would be to go for "average" and make mention of what happens on a "bad" day too.

Other people on here will give you advice on your condition - I'm a cripple, so I just have to deal with mountains of tablets and a sore back!!

[Deleted User]

apply for dla and try and get help from welfare rights with the forms if they will come out to the house to see you

sunnyone

aimee0763 wrote: »

Hello All,

I have been unemployed now for five years due to Anxiety, Agoraphobia and Panic Attacks. I was running my own business until then and doing well. I also suffer with PMDD which is a severe form of Pre Menstrual syndrome. I've have suffered from Panic Attacks, Anxiety some 25 years ago but has managed to combat it and carried on working but 4 years ago when I suffered with severe lower abdominal pains and couldn't walk even to put one step forward my GP send me for scans to see if it's not anything serious luckily it wasn't but somehow that kick start my Anxiety, Panic Attacks I am worst off now that I have developped Agoraphobia. I have been told by the Job Centre to applied for DLA as my Advisor from the Job Centre said I've developped Agoraphobia as I am always having a panic attacks whislt being there and also have not been able to see my doctors because I've had panic attacks several times at her surgery. I have great problem with travelling by puplic transports I cannot travel in the underground the thought of it make me very sick and I cannot travel in crowded buses I only go around my local on foot but even that I am limited to what distances most of the times I am housebound because there isn't always someone there to help me get out. I have no Social life nor interest. I would like to be able to go out again. Would I be able to claim for mobility if I could drive I would get my life back again.

Can someone please help.

many thanks in advance


aimee

Yes you could claim mobility but it would be low rate for anxiety, agraphobia and panic attacts and not the high rate which is 99.999% awarded for physical disabilities and it this one that can be exchanged for a motability car.

sandy71

aimee0763 wrote: »

I have been told by the Job Centre to applied for DLA as my Advisor from the Job Centre said I've developped Agoraphobia as I am always having a panic attacks whislt being there
many thanks in advance


aimee

I doubt very much that the DLA people will take the word of the job centre advisor that you have agoraphobia. Do you have a good relationship with your doctor, would you be able to get a home visit?
If I am having a bad time I ring the surgery and the receptionist gets him to call me back and he always does. Could you try that?

You might be surprised with your application, I filled my own in and really expected to have to appeal but the just awarded it straight away:eek:

Good luck with it all.

newleaf

If you regularly need someone with you when you go outdoors, to guide or reassure you, or to keep you safe, you should qualify for lower rate mobility component, which I believe is now roughly £18 per week. Probably not enough to run a car, but helpful nonetheless.
There is a knack to filling in the forms. You need to clearly explain what the problem is and precisely what support you need, how often, and for how long each time. CAB will sometimes help with filling in the form, or there may be a local disability organisation near to you. If you are receiving any help from mental health services, you should ask the person who regularly sees you to help you with the forms. Any supporting reports you can send in with the claim form will help the decision to be made quickly (don't wait for them to request these, it will delay the process and they are likely to contact your GP, which may not be the most appropriate person to explain your needs).
There's a page on the form for any further information. If you have a partner or parent for example, who cares for you, it can be helpful for them to write something here about your problems from their perspective, but make sure it's relevant (ie: specifically relating to what, how, how often, and for how long).
If your claim is rejected, and they very often are, I recommend appealing, and taking someone with you to the appeal - always request an oral hearing, as that way you get a chance to explain personally, and your difficulties will be observed by the tribunal first hand.
It's also worth knowing that a successful application or appeal means the award is backdated to the date you initially request the claim pack - so the sooner you get on with it, the better.
HTH

bitsandpieces

However well-meaning, a jobcentre adviser is almost certainly not qualified to diagnose agoraphobia. The symptoms you've been having sound horrible, but it's not necessarily helpful to assume that they are agoraphobia.

You do need to see your GP - or, if you can't get in to see them, explain why you need a home visit. If you're struggling to find a doctor who can accommodate you, your local branch of Mind may be able to help.

If it is agoraphobia, there are treatments available. Your GP's support will also be very helpful if you do claim DLA.

aimee0763

Thanks very much everyone who answers my post I appreciated it. I have been diagnosed some 25 years ago from old and new GPs I have been sent to severals ECG recently last year, my GP used to used to give me sick notes when I was able to work. I can call her if I am ill and cannot get out, she is very good and always assist me on the phone. I would not mention about the Job Centre advisor. I have searched the net and have seen mentioned about keywords used to filled in but that just mentioned of it. I would like to see a filled in dla form not that I would copy but just to see how it’s done. It is so very hard to concentrate on the questions I have to put the form down the minute I look at it I just have to fill it bit by bit. CAB and Dial there are a 3 months waiting list.


Many thanks again




aimee

July100

Give it a go sweetie. Apply for the pack & take your time filling it in.

Good luck.

jetta_wales

The forms are horrible, I did them when I was 17 but have just done mobility again to have it looked at again and it wasn't fun. I'm lucky in that I don't have to renew mine ever but doing the mobility one again made me remember how difficult they are.

I wrote out all my answeres on paper befoe putting them on the form and I even used the computer to type out one bit for the 'any other information' part as I wanted to write a lot and that's difficult for me as my eyes get sore trying to focus (and failing somewhat).

This helped because I could re-read the questions and then re-read my answeres and make sure I'd stayed on point and covered all the things I needed to and used the relevant key wording.

Best of luck x