Low Rate Mobility to Higher Rate - Not Sure What To Do.

nogginthenog

dmg24 wrote: »

How far are you able to walk?

Whats that got to do with anything, in law it does not matter how far you can walk.
Any distance you can walk in severe discomfort will/should be discounted.
And remember their are also laws to protect people who are stoic.

winkydinkuk

TheBottomLine wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.

I don't really know how far or fast I walk. I'll try to get out later and time myself up the street and back when I have someone to go with me. The big worry I face at the moment is if I end up needing crutches or even a wheelchair I'll be stumped because I currently use a white cane when out even in familiar places. Life sucks right now.

EDIT: Just measured the bit of road I'll walk on Google maps and it's 62-and-a-bit metres. Off the top of my head I reckon it would take me ten minutes to walk to the end, a bit of a rest maybe another ten minutes, then ten minutes back. I could do it quicker but it gets too painful so I deliberately walk slowly. As I say I'll go out a bit later and time myself.

i thin k you should claim the benefit as soon as possible , it seems to m e that you satisfy the criteria.....some of us labour on and dont like to acknowledge that we have a problem.....there is a brilliant prganisation calle di think disability and benefits which helps show you how to fill in forms..good luck with your claim

TheBottomLine_2

For anyone interested I got the results of the x-ray and as suspected it is osteoarthritis. This is bad news for me because if I'll need sticks or wheels to get around then I don't know how I'll use my long cane. Life sucks again, I'd stick my head in the oven but I only have a microwave...

lyniced

TheBottomLine wrote: »

For anyone interested I got the results of the x-ray and as suspected it is osteoarthritis. This is bad news for me because if I'll need sticks or wheels to get around then I don't know how I'll use my long cane. Life sucks again, I'd stick my head in the oven but I only have a microwave...

Yeah, my oven's electric, but I'd never get down there to stick my head in!

Js_Other_Half

It's possible that you will qualify for high rate mobility from next year anyway?
http://www.rnib.org.uk/livingwithsightloss/yourmoney/benefits/Pages/dla.aspx

"You will normally only qualify for the higher rate of the mobility component if you have an additional disability or illness that affects your ability to walk, no matter how severe your sight loss is. Therefore, most blind and partially sighted people only qualify for the lower rate of this component.

In March 2009, however the Government announced that the qualifying criteria for the higher rate of DLA mobility will be changed and this is likely to be implemented in 2011.

The new rules have not yet been published but it is likely that people with a very severe sight loss will qualify for the higher rate. Until the rules are changed, if you have a very severe sight loss you are likely to only qualify for the lower rate. "

Indie_Kid

TheBottomLine wrote: »

For anyone interested I got the results of the x-ray and as suspected it is osteoarthritis. This is bad news for me because if I'll need sticks or wheels to get around then I don't know how I'll use my long cane. Life sucks again, I'd stick my head in the oven but I only have a microwave...

If you do need walking aids to get around, I'm sure the hopsital or SS can help you with getting around.

TheBottomLine_2

Well I'm grumpy. I got my letter awarding me the lower rate of mobility, this is because I can walk "Up to 50 metres. Slowly". I am very surprised that I don't qualify for the higher rate because there are days when I cannot walk at all! Mostly I can walk less than that anyway, I don't know why I have to tell them what I'm capable of walking when those best days are probably about 2 per month anyway.

So does the decision sound fair to everyone or is it worth my appealing?

Indie_Kid

Is the "walking up to 50 meters slowly" painful? And how slow? They look at speed and pain.

TheBottomLine_2

Yes it is painful, it always hurts when I walk. It told them I can do 'about half a football field' before I have to stop. This is true on a good day and I didn't mention the pain. The lady on he phone asked me how far I was capable of walking so I told her truthfully, she didn't ask about pain at all.

Indie_Kid

What are you like on an average day? This is what they need to know - the forms have to be done on an average day. There's nothing to stop you saying "I can walk this far on a better day, this far on an average day and this far on a bad day".

The following might be of some use to you:
When deciding whether you are virtually unable to walk the following factors will be taken into account-
The distance over which you can walk without experiencing severe discomfort
The speed at which you can walk
The length of time for which you can walk
The manner in which you can walk
This question is about walking out of doors, not in your home.
If you can only walk up to 30 yards without severe discomfort then you will qualify.
If you can only walk between 30 and 70 yards without severe discomfort then it is likely that you will qualify.
If you can walk more than seventy yards without severe discomfort then you will need to show that the other three factors mean that you are virtually unable to walk. For example, if you can show that it takes you five minutes to walk 100 metres, you should qualify.
It does not matter whether the severe discomfort occurs at the time of your walk or later. What counts is that the discomfort is a direct result of your attempt to walk.
Where you live or whether or not you work is not taken into account.



Source - http://www.benefitsnow.co.uk/dlanotes/virtullyunable.asp