dla

Nym_Mcfroglet

woodbine wrote: »

its standard now for cab,if they cant do it via a volunteer and use qualified help they charge if you cant get legal aid as they have to pay for legal assitance
the truth about cab atm is that they are swamped with clients,another avenue if you have one would be welfare rights run by local council,but i suspect they will be in the frontline for cuts

That's shocking. I work for a charity so am so far not affected overly by the cuts, but more and more we get phone calls from the CAB even though in our area they just got 5 million in funding. Needless to say I remind them that we're overloaded and don't have the extra money!

hobbledehoy.

Nym_Mcfroglet wrote: »

That's shocking. I work for a charity so am so far not affected overly by the cuts, but more and more we get phone calls from the CAB even though in our area they just got 5 million in funding. Needless to say I remind them that we're overloaded and don't have the extra money!

Hello

Yes it seems to be the way things are going. If you have the money, you get the best support. With no money/on means tested benefits you also get the best support.

Us poor cretins in the middle don't get anything.

I have tried elsewhere, DIAL - they are so busy that they are turning people away. So no luck there.
I have gone through Yellow pages but no luck, telephoned Social Services at the County Council with no luck, and even gone through the Web. There seem to be a lot of private advisory services springing up locally - within 50 miles, but I have heard that they are either a scam or expensive.

It's a shame really as I can't be the only one affected.
I don't blame the CAB, they have to draw the line somewhere, and likewise DIAL, they are taking much more because of what is happening with CAB and they themselves are overrun.

What the DWP need to do is make the forms much easier to fill in and to consider that not everybody is capable of preparing such lengthy reports.

Or is this the thin end of the wedge. Charities not being able to advise everyone on benefit claims will see a reduction in successful claims being made. A very subtle manoeuvre if that is what it is!

cit_k

dazzadub wrote: »

im still waiting on dla claim, applied in october

doc sent crap report, the consultant refused.

dla want atos to come out and do a report.
i have emailed dla with new consultant details who is willing to do a full report, will they stop atos and ask him or still get atos to do it.


also someone i know refused atos to come out and got someone private to do a medical at his home, and dla were happy with that can that be done.
i know it happened as i was there and had to give the doctor directions over the phone on how to get to house.


ive been waiting ages now, need to know either way as im due a big operation very soon and need some help

That sounds rather unusual, normally if you refuse an atos medical, they will just terminate benefits?

cit_k

Richard1075 wrote: »

If the decision maker want's an ATOS report then there is little you can do, other than supply as much information [eg: supplying a report from your new consultant. If DLA is refused you have the Tribunal route.

You have to remember that the Decision Maker looks at the claim form and medical evidence from GP and or Consultant. They can ask for ATOS to do a report too - the decision process is then made by the unqualified Decision Maker looking at all of the information and THEY decide what is the truth and if to make an award.

Hobbledehoy - ATOS do not always use medics to make their report, sometimes clerks are used with a "tick box" list. It is the Decision Maker who makes the final choice to award or not to award and it is on THEIR opinion and not the medical evidence to decide what is the truth - that is the HUGE problem with getting a DLA award!

More decisions are over-turned at Tribunal than are refused - but you have to go to the Tribunal rather than having a paper hearing.

What evidence do you have ATOS use's a clerk to produce a medical report, that if true, would be completely illegal....

seven-day-weekend

hobbledehoy. wrote: »

Hello,

Yes I have heard that CAB are very good at helping to fill the form out. It's not what you put on it, it's more of a case of how you put it.

Unfortunately, my CAB doesn't appear to have anyone qualified enough to help with it, so they pass it to a benefits expert. With this comes the means testing element because it comes under the Legal Aid Scheme. I don't receive any means tested benefits, so either I will have to pay CAB to do it or get a solicitor. In my case, I have given up before I start as I can't afford that and as you say, filling it in yourself is asking for trouble.

Myself, my husband and our son helped my son's girlfriend to fill her form in and she was awarded DLA without any problems. I personally think the form is quite straightforward. Long, but straightforward. Just tell it as it is.

If, however, for some reason you can't fill it in yourself then it is good that there are people there to help.

TOBRUK

dazzadub wrote: »

im still waiting on dla claim, applied in october

doc sent crap report, the consultant refused.

dla want atos to come out and do a report.
i have emailed dla with new consultant details who is willing to do a full report, will they stop atos and ask him or still get atos to do it.


also someone i know refused atos to come out and got someone private to do a medical at his home, and dla were happy with that can that be done.
i know it happened as i was there and had to give the doctor directions over the phone on how to get to house.


ive been waiting ages now, need to know either way as im due a big operation very soon and need some help

Hi dazzadab, I really don't know whether you can stop ATOS coming out to see you but I suspect not. Whether you have a good or bad report from your GP they can still send someone out. At one time they sent someone out to see me although I know my GP had sent a report supporting my claim. My claim was turned down and I went to tribunal and I was successful!

sandraroffey wrote: »

one word of advice is never ever fill in the dla claim form yourself. how it is filled in and how questions are answered, governs how they respond.

go the citizens advice people and they will have someone there who can fill it in for you. they are used to doing these things and are very good at it./

i filled my own one in. and was turned down. so i went to appeal and got the citizens advice person to help. he was brilliant and chased them all the way. even came to the tribunal meetings with me. went on for 18 months until in the end they agreed, and had to backdate my claim for all that time.

when my daughter claimed dla for her little lad who has suspected aspergers, she went to the CA at the outset and wasnt turned down at all. had the dla for him within 6 weeks.

they know their stuff!!!

The very strange thing is that my first ever claim I went to CAB and my claim was turned down - I went to tribunal without help from CAB and just took a friend with me for support - I won. Had help the second time but again had to go to tribunal and succeeded.

Since then I have filled in the forms on my own and have been successful!!

cit_k wrote: »

What evidence do you have ATOS use's a clerk to produce a medical report, that if true, would be completely illegal....

Not long ago I saw an interview where Cameron was asked about how they would assess claimants and he said that with the future changes in the benefit system that they would be training people to assess claimants and who wouldn't necessarily have any medical background or training!

The whole thing is scary! I really don't think the government have any idea the outcome of these changes will mean in reality. They are going to create choas and undescribable damage. People who have help removed will put pressure on NHS/care services (which are going to face cuts anyway) as those people who don't currently use those services will seek help from them.

I was offered help by my OT who wanted someone to come out to help me. I refused - as I receive DLA, I use it to get help. If I lose DLA I will take the offer up as I would have no choice.

Nym_Mcfroglet

hobbledehoy. wrote: »

Hello

Yes it seems to be the way things are going. If you have the money, you get the best support. With no money/on means tested benefits you also get the best support.

Us poor cretins in the middle don't get anything.

I have tried elsewhere, DIAL - they are so busy that they are turning people away. So no luck there.
I have gone through Yellow pages but no luck, telephoned Social Services at the County Council with no luck, and even gone through the Web. There seem to be a lot of private advisory services springing up locally - within 50 miles, but I have heard that they are either a scam or expensive.

It's a shame really as I can't be the only one affected.
I don't blame the CAB, they have to draw the line somewhere, and likewise DIAL, they are taking much more because of what is happening with CAB and they themselves are overrun.

What the DWP need to do is make the forms much easier to fill in and to consider that not everybody is capable of preparing such lengthy reports.

Or is this the thin end of the wedge. Charities not being able to advise everyone on benefit claims will see a reduction in successful claims being made. A very subtle manoeuvre if that is what it is!

A very successful manoeuvre if that's what they're doing! I advise as I said and train Social Work students on benefits, so you'd think I would know what I was doing, at present I think I'm getting at most half of my claims awarded, and that's the highest in our office. Typically I take around six hours in the office writing the damn thing and ringing the client back to check about side effects of medication and all sorts.
I dread to think how someone who isn't au fait with the system manages, and it would be nice to think that at least our claims get looked at properly as we're a partnership organisation for the DWP!

I agree with you that the CAB has to draw the line somewhere. We try and take on as many clients as we can and just manage being overloaded for a while, myself and one of my clients have double what we're supposed to have but when we see folks struggling it's not good enough

dmg24

cit_k wrote: »

That sounds rather unusual, normally if you refuse an atos medical, they will just terminate benefits?

It sounds like the claimant offered additional evidence, so the medical was cancelled. I have done this myself with no problems.

TOBRUK

Nym_Mcfroglet wrote: »

A very successful manoeuvre if that's what they're doing! I advise as I said and train Social Work students on benefits, so you'd think I would know what I was doing, at present I think I'm getting at most half of my claims awarded, and that's the highest in our office. Typically I take around six hours in the office writing the damn thing and ringing the client back to check about side effects of medication and all sorts.
I dread to think how someone who isn't au fait with the system manages, and it would be nice to think that at least our claims get looked at properly as we're a partnership organisation for the DWP!

I agree with you that the CAB has to draw the line somewhere. We try and take on as many clients as we can and just manage being overloaded for a while, myself and one of my clients have double what we're supposed to have but when we see folks struggling it's not good enough

Well one of the things this government is doing is getting rid of a large number of QUANGOS and this will affect many people. As you noted, you are a partnership organisation with the DWP - a QUANGO?

will-batts

Two years ago, my wife SERIOUSLY injured her bat in an accident, she spent a lot of time in hospital, xrays, scans, 1 op, and three further procedures, she is on morphine 24/7, and many more pills and potions.
She is now under a neurosurgeon, he believes she requires a major op. The hospital, surgeons, and her doctor say she is unfit for work, And have relayed this to the DWP.
NOT SO SAY ATOS, they told the DWP she was fine for work??. A few months ago she went to tribunal and won, today she got a letter from Atos saying the DWP wanted her to have another medical with Atos! What is going on? at this rate I will be having a breakdown and then the DWP will have to fund me too!
To end, ATOS SUCK!