Claiming DLA for Crohn's

Llyllyll

Has anyone here successfully claimed (or do you know of anyone who has) DLA while suffering from Crohn's disease?

I have had it for 9 years and have filled in 2 applications previously. Both were turned down because, with hindsight, I believe I did not include enough detail and underplayed the problems I have.

Having just had a right hemicolectomy I have completed another form and am a little more confident this time as I read/used the help and guides available from the NACC.

As it is a notoriously unpredictable illness I was wondering what sort of success rate there is in claiming DLA for CD.

Thanks.

Ted_Hutchinson

Claiming Disability Living Allowance for adults (February 2006)
This guide looks at benefits you may be able to claim if you’re too ill to work as well as exploring your options if you’re considering giving up work on health grounds.

For other readers this is a link to the Crohn's specific dla guide.

Did you notice Support for people under 65 years old with Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn’s Disease in claiming DLA is also available through the NACC Information Service on 0845 130 2233

I'm afraid that the DLA statistics don't specify Crohns so I've no way of knowing. I would imagine it's very difficult as the basis of the award is the amount of time you need another person to provide for your personal bodily care needs and unless you've been keeping a diary/logbook/timesheet type of record it's very easy to understate the level of care need. The people at NACC should be in a better position to tell you. They helped 95 people claim DLA last year so why not give the above number a ring and I'm sure they will be able to talk you through it.

Llyllyll

Llyllyll wrote:

Has anyone here successfully claimed (or do you know of anyone who has) DLA while suffering from Crohn's disease? As it is a notoriously unpredictable illness I was wondering what sort of success rate there is in claiming DLA for CD.

Thanks.

Update on my own story. Letter of refusal came this morning :mad:. Off to the CAB for me then.

cifpower

Do you know if they requested a report from your GP/specialist or just went with what you put on the form?

Llyllyll

They requested a report from my GP.

Honestly it looks like a standard letter though. I've checked what I put on the form originally and they have completely ignored it. Think I should ask to see what the GP wrote though. Is this perhaps what you were thinking?

Ted_Hutchinson

Llyllyll wrote:

They requested a report from my GP.

Honestly it looks like a standard letter though. I've checked what I put on the form originally and they have completely ignored it. Think I should ask to see what the GP wrote though. Is this perhaps what you were thinking?

Have a word with your CAB first. There are some Welfare Rights Places that don't like you to start the appeal process and won't give support you if they think you've already made it difficult by saying/doing something silly. However you do need to see what the GP or DWP doctor has said about you or you will not be able to refute the bits that are wrong. So the sooner you ask for a copy of the medical evidence on which the decision was based, the sooner you can start finding your own medical evidence which shows you were right in the first place. When you write for this you also need to ask for a written statement of reasons for the decision, that way you can see if they've not taken your evidence into account. But you need to ring CAB explain that you want to go to appeal and get the process moving by writing to the DWP for medical evidence and statement of reasons and will this jeopardise their support for you at appeal, if thats going to be possible anyway?

Did you try ringing the people at NACC they will have more experience of wording claims for Chrons than anyone else and should be best placed to see how your original claim went the wrong way.

Llyllyll

Ted_Hutchinson wrote:

Did you try ringing the people at NACC they will have more experience of wording claims for Chrons than anyone else and should be best placed to see how your original claim went the wrong way.

I based my claim on the help sheets I downloaded from the NACC.

Honestly it looks like they've just ignored what I've written. For example I've stated that I need help when I go to new or unfamiliar places - the DWP letter states 'You are not entitled because to get DLA for getting around you must have a disability which means that you can walk but need guidance or supervision to get around in places you do not know well'. Bizarre!:mad:.

Couldn’t get to the CAB today but will definitely go tomorrow.

Will update here as I go…

Thanks for the advice and to christabell for the PM.

Zara33

Llyllyll wrote:

I based my claim on the help sheets I downloaded from the NACC.

Honestly it looks like they've just ignored what I've written. For example I've stated that I need help when I go to new or unfamiliar places - the DWP letter states 'You are not entitled because to get DLA for getting around you must have a disability which means that you can walk but need guidance or supervision to get around in places you do not know well'. Bizarre!:mad:.

Couldn’t get to the CAB today but will definitely go tomorrow.

Will update here as I go…

Thanks for the advice and to christabell for the PM.

I hope this post doesn't seem rude but....having Chron's how does this affect your mobility?

Llyllyll

Zara33 wrote:

I hope this post doesn't seem rude but...

Yes, it does a bit Zara33.

My mobility is not affected as bad as some, however I didn't mention mobility in my post; what I stated was 'I need help when I go to new or unfamiliar places' for a few reasons that I'm not going to go in to here.

Hope that helps...

Ted_Hutchinson

Zara33 wrote:

I hope this post doesn't seem rude but....having Chron's how does this affect your mobility?

I've provided a link to the Chron's dla claims guide. It will take only a few seconds to download. It may help you to understand just how serious a condition this can be.
They could have problems walking arising from abdominal pain; fistulas;

soreness around the anus; fatigue, breathlessness; the fact that movement increases the likelihood of incontinence or any other physical problem.

Fatigue a general feeling of weariness or is it strongest in particular parts of your body; do you get dizzy or unsteady on your feet; what happens if you keep on walking?

Describe any pain you suffer: where is the pain, how intense is it, what does it feel like, does it get worse the more steps you take? Do you have osteoporosis so that a stumble or fall might lead to a broken limb?

Really until you've had the condition or lived with someone with it, it really is difficult to imagine how this can affect every aspect of your life. This is why claiming is generally a pain and why so many claims get decided at appeals where the claimant actually explains the difficulties directly to an appeal panel.

Ted_Hutchinson

Llyllyll wrote:

'I need help when I go to new or unfamiliar places' for a few reasons that I'm not going to go in to here.

But which shouldn't take much imagination to deduce.