DLA guaranteed until 2014?!

Sparticus59

Doom_and_Gloom wrote: »

Costs that can occur (note I don't have all of these costs, they are just general examples):
Mobility aids - such as crutches, wheelchairs, grab rails, ramps, grabbers etc.
Transport costs - such as trains and taxis.
Dressing aids.
Mobile - I need mine incase I need to call my partner who is in the same flat if I can't get off the toilet . Also needed incase something happens when no one is home so can call for someone to help.
Internet - this is not a luxury when you are disabled.
Cleaner - not a luxury for those that can't clean!
Therapies - oesteopath for example, some people end up paying for psychologists as the NHS takes to long is another.
Ready meals/takeaways as can't cook a meal themselves.
Delievery costs of food as can't go themselves.
Bathroom aids.
Special exercise/rehab equipment.
Special utensils - mugs with two handles for example.

The above is what I can think of at the moment.

Some things are on going, some are one offs that will need to be maintained/replaced.

I personally give my partner some money each week so he can do what he wants with it as he looks after me basically all the time (he usually buys a game).

I also pay for my friend to come to mine once a week (bus ticket here and back) so my partner can go out and I still have someone to help if need be. My partner gets time to himself and my friend gets to come round and be fed once a week :rotfl:. It's cheaper than a carer coming in with the bonus that she isn't a stranger (she has care qulifications too :beer:)!

All that you have said is correct and true, the extra expense involved living when you are disabled or sick is huge, able bodied or people who do not have a continuing illness do not understand and you will never convince them otherwise, in our society today we have lost empathy for the less fortunate, we are sadly becoming more and more like America which is a very frightening move, do we really want to see people and families living on our street's like America.

Oue society has become very selfish and as our society becomes more and more divided by poverty then we shall see more sickness, where there is no hope for people then you will see more and more people try to defraud the government by getting benefits they are not entitled to.

What about Carers who care 24/7 for their loved ones, all they get is a benefit called carers allowance which is paid at the rate of under £60.00 per week, would any of you able bodied people work 100 hours or so for £60.00 per week? I think not, any one of you people moaning about how benefit is paid out to people etc is only just a accident or serious illness away from these things changing your lives, can you live on sixty pounds per week? Did you know that your carers allowance is taken away from you when you reach pension age? Your caring role just doesn't stop when you become a pensioner does it? Saome of the people on this thread make me very angry, many of you lack any empathy, I pray to God that those people who dispise the sick and disabled never have to fight for the basics that everyone else takes for granted....

andyandflo

Thank you one and all for an insight into just what disabled people need in order to live a 'better' life.

I think, that a great deal of the public only see the 'abuse' of the system.

I do feel however, that there is merit in looking at ways that this help can be given in other than cash terms.

In that way, only those that are in need will benefit, resulting in the so called ' scroungers' being denied what they have been previously given.

The 'old' system of 'for life awards' does need to go. It seems to me that disabled people, much like the rest of us, have needs that increase or reduce over time. With regular reviews, the correct level of help will always be there.

I know I was frightened at one stage before I realised that getting DLA was a hinderance not a help, that if I rocked the boat with the DWP, they might either remove it or reduce it. So I kept quiet.
Then I realised that that wasn't what it was about and took steps to get myself off it.

What I do find sad, is that some disabled people become 'institutionalised' because they can't see any way forward off benefits. Help should be given to enable this to happen. Who really is happy to live a life on disability benefits?

Indie_Kid

dori2o wrote: »

Depending on how much I would be awarded, it could also allow me to drive to work, which would again reduce the amount of pain I am in. ATM if I was to drive to work it would cost me around £40 a week including parking. Having DLA would give me the opportunity to get a Blue Badge and be able to park in the car park under the building I work in. This in turn could reduce the amount of sickness days I have as I shouldn't be aggrivating the condition as much.

Access to work can help with the costs of getting to & from work.

The 'old' system of 'for life awards' does need to go.

Why? Unless someone can perform a miracle, I will always be visually impaired.

With regular reviews, the correct level of help will always be there.

1. I regularly imform DWP that my needs have changed. I've had to do it at least once a year since being awarded DLA.

2. There's something called right payments program - people are randomly selected to have their awards looked at.

suelees1

dori2o wrote: »

When the claim was originally rejected they wrote to me and said any further advice would be with one of their specialists, but I would have to provide my income details as the advice service is means tested for the appeals?

As I'm working full time I would assume that I have too much income to qualify for free advice

You will very rarely (if at all) get advice and assistance on any appeals from CAB unless you are financially eligible for legal aid as the appeals teams are usually funded by the Legal Services Commission in the same way as solicitors firms. There is a calculator on the LSC website but even then legal aid doesn't extend to representing in person.

http://www.legalservices.gov.uk/civil/guidance/eligibility_calculator.asp

suelees1

janninew wrote: »

But there isn't anyway him having diabetes has cost an extra 240.00 (which is what my mum would have gotten so far for him if she claimed DLA) His medication is free, his diet hasn't changed dramatically, he still eats what the rest of the family has at mealtimes. My family were amazed that they could receive such a large sum of money which clearly in this situation is not needed. The money could never make up for him having this condition.

DLA is not awarded because of the condition but how it affects the claimant on a day to day basis. You mention a large amount would have been paid had DLA been claimed but you can't possibly know if the DWP would decide whether he actually meets the conditions.

actionman_3

I have known people who get top disability living allowance for having drug induced psychosis and then spend £150 a week on cannabis and alcohol. then they end up sectioned in hospital as using drugs caused the psychosis in the first place. That ia just a ridiculous waste of the DLA that actually does more harm than good.

People on here seem to genuinely be in need. DLA can be spent on other things as my friend got DLA for her son with behavioural problems and they said she could spend it on anything.No-one is going to penalise someone cos they used some dla to pay a bill.

Indie_Kid

actionman wrote: »

my friend got DLA for her son with behavioural problems and they said she could spend it on anything.

This is true. I got told by someone (not DWP staff) that they'll check what I spend mine on - they haven't.

actionman_3

http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/latest-news

This is a website that is campaigning for fairness in these tests. You can join and get e-mail alerts and access various things. There is an £18 charge to be full member. Its up to the individual whether they think its worth it to be full member with access to various help

actionman_3

This is true. I got told by someone (not DWP staff) that they'll check what I spend mine on - they haven't

.

That would be impossible and too costly to implement.

Indie_Kid

actionman wrote: »

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That would be impossible and too costly to implement.

Exactly! Most of what I buy is online and I don't keep the receipts.