Please Help Incapacity benefit

ebbylush

Hi im hoping someone can give me some advice please ?
I have been claiming incapacity benefit for several years for chronic depression, agoraphobia, chronic asthma, exthma and anxiety attacks. Last year I was given an appointment for a medical but due to my agoraphobia could'nt keep the appointment. My incapacity benefit was stopped, I appealed against the decision and after 7 months of hell I won the appeal 19 August 2009 and incapacity benefit was repaid. During this time my housing benefit was also stopped & resulted in me being served with an eviction order & massive arrears on my rent. I had to arrange to pay £13.25 a week to avoid eviction after I won my appeal. I also had to live on crisis loans for most of the time due to being told different stories each time I rang, so I also have to pay them back at £15.80 a week.
In December 2009 I received another appointment for a medical, Christmas is already a very bad time for me and the stress and worry of a repeat of the last year sent me into a spiral and unfortunately I did't attend the medical. I was reassured by a friend that it must be a mistake as I had only just won an appeal for exactly the same problem. But on 21 January 2010 my benefit was stopped I have written twice to appeal but it has made no difference but I really do not think that I can cope with it all over again.

DX2

After knowing what happens for not attending medicals, did you even bother to phone them? Or did you just not bother to attend?

ebbylush

I have not got a phone and could not just pop to the phone box. It was not a case of just not bothering, or are you unaware of the meaning of agoraphobia?

karenx

You could of wrote back to them instead of calling?

ebbylush

Yes I agree I could have written but when I had the appointment through I intended to push myself to go but I was half expecting it to be a mistake, as like I said I had just won my appeal, (4 months earlier)to me that meant that the decision to stop my benefit for not attending a medical was wrong. It also meant that they were fully aware of my difficulty & have all evidence they need already there.

Sunshine12

Im sure telling you what you should have done isnt exactly answering your question is it...or indeed helping you??

OP, was your appeal declined or have you just heard nothing back from them? If its been declined then I dont think there is much you can do. If you have merely heard nothing then I think you should call them to discuss your application for appeal further.

I hope you get it sorted out.

happymumto2

Could you maybe borrow someones telephone to give them a ring? I usually ask them to call me straight back as I am on a pay as you go mobile and they have always done this for me.
You could then discuss what needs to be done, I think but don't quote me that if you are unable to attend they will arrange for the medical to be done at your home.

fluffymovie

As you have access to the internet, is there an e-mail contact form that you would be able to use as you don't have a phone?

On your HB claim side, we usually just suspend a claim when we hear that an income change has happened and write out asking for information. If this isn't received after a month, we would cancel the claim.

If you claimed again after the appeal, you can ask for it to be backdated and if you are of working age, the maximum backdate period allowable is 6 months.

Don't' know if this would be of use but just in case.

I would say contact the HB department today, again, most have e-mail something like [EMAIL="benefits@(whatevercouncil).gov.uk"]benefits@(whatevercouncil).gov.uk[/EMAIL] and tell them that your Incap has stopped and confirming what income you have to live on at the moment. eg. Child Tax Credit, child benefit or money from friends and family.

Prinzessilein

I have ASD and can not use the phone. I have an arrangement that my mum makes all calls for me.

I also have a dreadful memory and am likely to forget appointments. As soon as I get an appointment letter, I make a note in my diary, and on my calender and give the letter to mum. She then is able to deal with it if I have a 'bad day' and can't make an appointment, and reminds me what I am supposed to attend.

If you have theses sorts of issues then there are ways of dealing it it.

OP, I hope you get this issue sorted, but you need to get some sort of plan in order. At some time in the future you will probably have other appointments and medicals to attend. You need to plan now. Good luck.

dmg24

When you missed the medical, you should have been sent a form asking why you did not attend. Did you return this form?

seven-day-weekend

If you just ignore a medical, even if you think it is a mistake, they will stop your Benefit.

You will need to appeal again, and next time a medical comes through, acknowledge it by writing/e-mailing/asking someone to phone for you to arrange a home appointment.