Dla to be replaced by pip

krisskross

GlasweJen wrote: »

I've never had a medical for DLA but I am aware that the DWP have contacted 2 of my consultants and my GP in the past, the last time I renewed they also asked the occupational therapist at work for a report.

This is how it should always be done I believe.

Indie_Kid

GlasweJen wrote: »

I am constantly in and out of hospital, my medical records are so thick that doctors do a double take when they see me because they assume that i'm in my 70s with the sheer number of different departments involved in my care (and having the pacemaker doesn't help my cause either).

My notes from the eye infirmary are like that too.

it's worse that there's no treatment and it's diabolical that there is almost no support for someone like me who wants to do something other than vegetate on benefits and what dribble of support I currently get (less than £20 a week to make sure i'm supervised every time i leave the house :rotfl: ) is about to be decimated by the government.

Same here. Well, I have been told there is some support from the local sight centre. That's something I would've ideally needed when I either registered as partially sighted or got my new diagnosis. Getting a new diagnosis and knowing no-one else with it, is scary. As is the lack of information about it.

Indie_Kid

krisskross wrote: »

This is how it should always be done I believe.

They finally decided to do this to me. Last time they didn't, they somehow decided that I don't have at least 3 of the diagnoses (and therefore, care needs as a result) that I do have.

Well, they have finally contacted my GP. My neurologist may have been a better person to contact though. (although his opinion is pretty much the same as my GP)

Doom_and_Gloom

krisskross wrote: »

For a start I believe that anyone claiming and receiving money for care needs should have to prove that the money is actually spent on the care they say they need.

What about people who have a partner, family member or simular looking after them? I get the care component of DLA and my partner is my main carer. I get MRC and that doesn't quite pay for 8 hours at the same pay my partner gets at work yet he looks after me more than 8 hours each week. I think my partner more than does enough considering he also works but how would we prove what care he provides me? He's not a worker that I pay to come in and help me is he after all so how would we prove it? I give him an allowence for the help - not all the care component but he understands that it is impossible to do so not the he expected to get an allowence for it as it is.

Indie_Kid

krisskross wrote: »

For a start I believe that anyone claiming and receiving money for care needs should have to prove that the money is actually spent on the care they say they need.

If they do that for DLA, then they should do that for all other benefits too.

Some of us have care needs that aren't covered by DLA - what happens there? For example, the DWP say I don't have problems with going toilet - yet, I'm having to buy stuff to help me with going.

It would work out too expensive too. Do DWP really need to know that last week, I spent £2 on wet wipes and £1 on hand gel? It would probably cost more to investigate that. And what about those who have to save up their DLA to buy things?

I also give my parents keep every other week out of my DLA - how do I prove that?

GlasweJen

I've mentioned on another thread saving £25 from my DLA to pay for a fall alarm, the cost of the service will come from my DLA when I can finally afford one. Local SS say that although I would greatly benefit from one I'm not eligable for support from them because I work.

Currently I get £240 every 4 weeks from DLA, it is spent on:
£70 access to work taxi contribution
£90 to Wiltshire farm foods (basically meals on wheels) this is for 5 dinners and 3 lunches per week
£25 fall alarm savings
£10 dressings for wounds (from fainting)
£15 on private prescription meds (not available on NHS even though my consultant wants me on them but he's nice enough to waive his fee from the cost and I get a staff discount)

That leaves £30 left over for emergencies. Last months emergency was being rushed to hospital for a blood transfusion because I managed to cut open an artery. The £30 will go towards the 3 days pay I lose before OSP kicks in. Month before that the £30 was used to purchase a new pair of support socks (can only get beige in my size on the NHS and I don't want to look like a grandmother at work).

My intention was to save £55 towards the fall alarm as the cost of the service per month is about £20 not including the phone line costs but I had to trim that £30 off as I always had an emergency pop up.

My disabled element of WTC does come in handy but I'm using that towards my keep at home (since I'd get LHA if I wasn't employed I think that's fair).

A good whack of my wages goes on disabled related costs as well, like more meals from Wiltshire, hypertonic drinks, a home ECG, new BP machine (needs constant monitoring).

And that's before I factor in the stuff related to the rest of my condition - that's just one symptom up there. I've not factored in my breathing difficulties, stomach problems, random cravings or the dyslexia and autism side of things.

ETA the point in this post is that if the DWP asked me to account for my DLA they would probably get receipts in excess of £240 per 4 weeks to deal with, I'm sure this is the case for many disabled people.

Also in relation to me using WTC to pay digs, I would be able to afford to live away from home if i wasn't working hence me saying i use it instead of LHA.

krisskross

GlasweJen wrote: »

Last Month before that the £30 was used to purchase a new pair of support socks (can only get beige in my size on the NHS and I don't want to look like a grandmother at work).

My husband wears knee high support socks. He gets what the Consultant described as 'the Rolls Royce of support stockings' in black on prescription.

They are Medivenplus and his legs are carefully measured to get the right size. I believe they cost about £40 if we had to buy them.

GlasweJen

And I love the idea of proving that your JSA is going towards job seeking, that CB is going to your childs direct costs (since from the tone of this thread us crips aren't allowed to use our DLA to pay for normal costs) etc. How up in arms would all the normal folk be if their fags money had to be spent on their kids?

GlasweJen

I wear thigh high inelastic in grade III, I don't fall into "normal" size patterns because the ratio of my calf to ankle is high (because i have freakishly thin ankles and feet) so mine are made to order and only available in beige, you used to be able to get them in honey but they stopped doing that. I was gutted because honey looked like normal tan tights.

£30 is actually quite good for them but again, staff discount on the private script.

I've managed to get them patterned like fashion socks before, cost a fortune but I still have them to wear out and to music festivals.

Doom_and_Gloom

I'm still waiting on an answer on how people would prove how they spend the money on caring needs if someone they know does the care instead of a hired worker!
How would they prove the costs?
How would they prove the hours if not hired?
What would class as care?
Will it only be classed as care if the person is helping with medication, cooking, feeding, moving the person, taking them out etc?
Will care include keeping them company because they don't go out as much?
It's not so clear cut.