DLA refused

GlasweJen

Companion supplements are for people on mid/high care DLA who qualify for a bus pass on disability grounds, or at least that's the rules in Scotland anyway.

24skins

GlasweJen wrote: »

I have a companion supplement on my bus ticket but I never use it even though I don't use the bus alone, reason being my sister has a zone card so we don't need a comp ticket.

Yeah I don't see how that would work either - my son has a concession + companion which is used less than once a month, he always has a companion, but they could use their own buss pass & no one would know.

Interestingly, the fare charged is always the highest possible for the journey taken - presumably so the bus company can claim the most from the council? A single journey for the two of us is charged at £4.80, so a return journey (obviously) comes in at £9.60 - if they charged the cheapest (all day) rate for me + child flat fare for my son, a return would be £5.20...

bored_at_home

i dont see how it can be true about the scanned buspass, sounds a bit unlikely to me.
not everyone has companion on their pass anyway, i get high rate care yet no companion on bus pass, iv only used the pass twice in three years and had to get of the bus to throw up then got a taxi home :rotfl:
and if you look at the criteria for dla it claims very clearly you do not needto have someone caring for you, its whether you need help thats relevant.

24skins

opus33 wrote: »

I can only pass on some advice given to dad by the local authority welfare rights chappie.

It's fine having evidence but it is dangerous to send all of it in without checking it very carefully to ensure that it cannot be viewed or interpreted in a different way than what you expect.

It is far better to just send in one letter or report and keep eleven back. You don't want to give the DWP anything to sniff around at.

This is entirely incorrect - I'd recommend putting in *as much* evidence as you can and that passive medical reports are preferable to supporting letters if you can get them. An ideal DLA application would have supporting evidence attached for each question - in the real world that's often not possible, but where someone is seeing several specialists 6 or 7 reports from the last year is often doable.

opus33

24skins wrote: »

This is entirely incorrect - I'd recommend putting in *as much* evidence as you can and that passive medical reports are preferable to supporting letters if you can get them. An ideal DLA application would have supporting evidence attached for each question - in the real world that's often not possible, but where someone is seeing several specialists 6 or 7 reports from the last year is often doable.

But then doesn't it depend on the contents of that report?

What if the report tries to be upbeat and contains hopes and aspirations but little of the current woeful condition the claimant finds himself in?

Dad had one report that mentioned the words 'progress' and 'improvement'. We were told that the DWP would see it that there was every likelyhood that the needs would reduce in the near future.

Besides which I think that you are living in a bubble. Where do you manage to get all of these reports and supporting letters? We don't see any coming to dad? We have to go hunting for letters at £20 a time held by the GP that have come from the consultant.

24skins

opus33 wrote: »

But then doesn't it depend on the contents of that report?

What if the report tries to be upbeat and contains hopes and aspirations but little of the current woeful condition the claimant finds himself in?

Dad had one report that mentioned the words 'progress' and 'improvement'. We were told that the DWP would see it that there was every likelyhood that the needs would reduce in the near future.

Besides which I think that you are living in a bubble. Where do you manage to get all of these reports and supporting letters? We don't see any coming to dad? We have to go hunting for letters at £20 a time held by the GP that have come from the consultant.

That's exactly why you put in more than one, so they can get a good general picture of the claimant's health and condition - if you put just the one (worst) report, when the dwp contact a different doctor and get a different picture then the whole claim will be (rightly) blown. I can't see how anyone could only have reports contradicting their condition unless every doctor involved in their diagnosis and treatment was incompetent.

I accept some people with long term conditions may not have access to reports, but would be most surprised if anyone with a disability had no evidence at all of their condition (diagnostic letters, referral letters etc can all be put in as evidence, patients should receive these when they are referred to a specialist and admitted or discharged from hospital).

Savvy_Sue

opus33 wrote: »

Where do you manage to get all of these reports and supporting letters? We don't see any coming to dad? We have to go hunting for letters at £20 a time held by the GP that have come from the consultant.

We've often asked consultants to cc us as well as the GP in when they get round to writing. No charge for that.

Lleucu

August 2011 stroke
Oct 2011 applied - refused - may 'get better'
Feb 2012 reapplied - they said they would get in touch with GP
19 April 2012 refused, based on can walk more than 50 metres
3 May 2012 after advice from Assembly Member (we are in Wales) sought a review sent off personal statements plus reports from Consultant, physio and district nurses.
15/6/2012 Care element awarded at low rate, mobility refused.
5/7/2012 After sending in Appeal, got letter saying it is being 'reviewed'.

I would completely agree about the GP report, his patient record now has a really detailed report from his Consultant in it.

Thanks for all your help and support, you are all great!

Saversue

I am a bit confused about the Bus Pass system being talked about.
In my area you have to scan your Disabled Pass on some bus's but not others and you are never asked where you are getting off, so how would they know how much to claim back?
I was under the impression that a fixed annual fee is paid to the bus companies for each pass allocated?
I need someone with me, but no such thing as a Companion Pass, and if accompanied by my Mum she uses her Pensioners Pass, so how would there be an proof I was accompanied?

Torry_Quine

Saversue wrote: »

I am a bit confused about the Bus Pass system being talked about.
In my area you have to scan your Disabled Pass on some bus's but not others and you are never asked where you are getting off, so how would they know how much to claim back?
I was under the impression that a fixed annual fee is paid to the bus companies for each pass allocated?
I need someone with me, but no such thing as a Companion Pass, and if accompanied by my Mum she uses her Pensioners Pass, so how would there be an proof I was accompanied?

Certainly here bus companies are allocated funds by journey length and you should always give the destination as you would when paying.