DLA turned down - don't understand why?!

nannytone_2

lyniced.......i worked for D I A L for 2 years, and clients like you were what made it all worthwhile. too many clients wetre 'swinging the lead', but we were told it wasnt our job to judge.
in the end i left as i couldnt justify enabling so many people to claim benefits solely on my skill at form filling.

we had people that told me they couldnt get out of a chair without help, after id watched them 'jump' out ogf the car and walk across the car park perfectly happily.

all it acheives is to make claiming harder for those in legitimate need.

kusadasi040667

lyniced wrote: »

Well, when I worked at CAB, this is how it was explained to people who needed help filling out forms and this is how I was told to fill it out by some-one who works for the Benefits Office. Anyway, the best advice I can give to the OP is to ring the BEL (Benefit Enquiry Line) and ask their advice. I often directed clients to do that, as they are better placed to answer any quieries. Good luck with your appeal.

What I'm about to say will go down like a lead balloon I know but.......
As much as I think CAB/or similar are fantastic for all the good work they do going the extra mile and often 'saving' people in terrible situations! However on a daily basis within the benefits section customers would state I've been told by Joe Bloggs at CAB that I can claim this or do that etc and yes obviously some customers may have used the CAB title to 'aid' their quest but on a regular basis we would have telephone conversations with CAB staff who would strongly request items that were no longer in use or relevant to the customer resulting in a very unhappy claimant when they found out that they were not entitled to the benefits they had been told and of course I'm not suggesting that this is the case for all their staff ! As we all know some JCP staff don't get it right either!
Years before I worked there I was under the same myth that you should always talk about your worst days re DLA, dmg24 is 100% correct as the problem doing just that is two fold , firstly you lay yourself open to DWP investigatin as there could be a descrepancy in how you have described how your condition affects you esp if it was a better day when you are watched or questioned. Secondly if your worst day is talked about as the norm perhaps it wouldn't tally with the accounts or medical opinions held within DWP.
Again I want to point out that I am not trying to knock CAB in any way at all.They offer a very valuable service I have used them in the past . Unfortunately benefits are complex enough but on top of that they change within themselves so often that if you are not at the daily morning team meetings you are behind . Agree with the advice about contacting BEL they're great & lovely to deal with too. Hope I've not upset too many people with my comments that's is not the intention:o Good luck & fingers crossed for you I'm sure if you follow the good advice given by other members on here that you will be successful with your appeal take care K:)

Indie_Kid

kusadasi040667 wrote: »

Secondly if your worst day is talked about as the norm perhaps it wouldn't tally with the accounts or medical opinions held within DWP.

If you mean their disability handbook, that doesn't always apply to everyone. According to it, what I have should only last a few weeks at a time - my current flae up has lasted for 2 months and is still ongoing.

They have also told me I shouldn't have problems doing something - it's actually normal for people with my condition to have this particular problem.

viktory

ash4becks wrote: »

i have hypermoblity syndrom with you no is related so i no the issues you have to a degree, there is another member on here with eds shes 24 , have you ever went to the clinic down london to see the leading speclist might help support your claim more,

doing a diary of how you are may also really help to show what you have problems doing

did you get anyone to fill in the forms for you like CAB tbh from what you have wrote i dont think they may have been filled into fit the dwp cretria there really funny over there buzz words to fit the care and mob needs annoying i no but appeal and dont give up

i no eds is on there accepted list cretria but reffered to there doctors because of how rare it is so the docs that may have looked at this may not how know much about this

chin up hun x

ps yes this is very comman to deny dla on the 1st time of asking

Wow, I genuinely did not understand a single word of this post.

ash4becks

viktory wrote: »

Wow, I genuinely did not understand a single word of this post.

for a start i have dyslexia so what i say may not come out as i want it to wrote down same typed, and second unless your affected by these condtions or no someone thats effected then i wouldnt expect you to understand the abbravations and medical terminology

tinkerbell28

lyniced wrote: »

Basically you have to write as if it was your worse day - I initially only got the lowest amount, but went to appeal and got the higher on both components. Good luck!

What utter crap. With DLA you have to be honest to your needs on an average day.

By your logic everyone could get DLA, everyone will have a time where they can't get out of bed or what not.

I put very clearly on my sons renewal that, he needs nightcare on the average day 2-3 times a night nightly which is true it varies from 2-3. Some nights however it's all bloody night and is exhausting. That is not all the time however. I was quite clear about that.

I had the DM maker phone me to double check what me and the professionals had said re his night waking, just to clarify I was giving an average nightly account which I was. EG he was up 2-3 times a night on a regular basis as opposed to all night on a regular basis. I wasn't going to say I am up all night with him as standard, as I am not. They want to know averages NOT your worst day otherwise it's fraud.

lyniced

I would certainly give BEL a call - 0800 882 200. I've always found them to be most helpful.

serenity79

cateblanchett, I also have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Hypermobility type. I gather from reading your post you didn't have a medical and that your claim was decided on your claim pack and perhaps a GP letter? I would definitely advise you to appeal and to put your case to a panel in person, that way you will be able to explain your needs a little better. I had a medical at home and was given high rate mobility and middle rate care as I have a lot of problems with walking and with personal care, but I am convinced that it was being able to talk to the Doctor who came out to examine me that really helped to prove my case.

Also, I filled out my forms using the average day/worst day/better day system, rather than filling out everything as a 'worst day scenario' as I wanted to be totally honest.

WhiteHorse

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Another good reason why people getting help filling in forms is unfair and cheats the system!

Tell that to a blind person? Or someone who has literacy problems? Or just some ordinary Joe who is very ill and for whom this is a whole new ballgame?

Too sweeping a statement.

Aputsiaq

lyniced wrote: »

Basically you have to write as if it was your worse day - I initially only got the lowest amount, but went to appeal and got the higher on both components. Good luck!

No you do NOT!!

The DM are not stupid and they know exactly how a lot of medical issue affect people.
When the DM look at 100's of applications from poeple with EDS.....they get a rough idea of what the condition is like for people to live with.
If an application is written on a worse day basis they just wont believe it. It must be an honest account.

EDS can affect people as the OP described at times but is very rarely like that full time.....unless you have another illness too, then I would suspect that that is why DLA was not awarded to you at this time. Your application may not have met their guidelines.