Incapacity Benefit

seven-day-weekend

I can't actually see the problem. Why does it matter that you give advice out if you know the rules? Providing that you make it clear that you doing so as a private individual.

When I worked in Town Planning (for a Local Authority), I often had to give an opinion in writing and we were told to always end the letter with ' ....this is a personal opinion only and is not a formal decision by the Local Planning Authority, for which a formal application would have to be submitted'.

Problem solved.

alba37

Well Frosty you offered help, and gave plenty, I don't know why people have to spoil that? Surely no one knows who you actually are?

I for 1 want to thank you for giving us the chance to ask/query/clarify IB related questions.

Thanks again

Alba

P.S. It was a medical I had, well lots of questions, a couple of physical tests & my peak flow! It must have lasted 20-30 mins. The appointment was 3 hours late!!! And it was at 1010... God help others later in the day!

I don't expect it went that great, the drs English wasn't great, but hopefully better than it seemed to me. She was very nice though, but I didn't feel her questions covered my illness very well. I expect an appeal in the pipe line : (
My own stupid fault, but I find it hard to be honest with someone I don't know asking personal questions! Will just have to wait & see!

real1314

Frosty_box wrote:

Real 1314, I don't know why you're feeling paranoid? I've not mentioned you or yours on this board!?? You mentioned once that you'd sent me a PM, but so many others had also!! you were the only one to publically admit it. I have not been detromentle in anyway what so ever. Get a grip! You will not get an appology from me, cause why would you flatter yourself that I was talking about you in the first place? For Gods sake, pick your toys and rattles up. Some of us have more important issues to deal with - mine are called life

Frosty

You mentioned me in the message, stating that it was a reply to my PM to you. And it was directly after my message on here that you threw your toys out of the pram.

If you'd actually replied to my PM stating that you don;t work there anymore, I'd probably have said "fine, good luck to you, EMP doesn't apply anymore", but hey, who cares, next time I'm concerned that a MSE'r may be putting their job at risk I suppose I should do nothing?

For those that don't know, DWP staff are not allowed to openly post on benefit issues in case their messages are taken as official advice.
The "EMP" is part of the staff guidance that prohibits it.

Morglin

I don't know what this row is about, and to be honest, it seems to happen in any forum giving benefit advice.

But..........I would just like to advise that anyone needing benefit advice should go to the CAB (or similar) and get some proper help from a Welfare Rights worker - they will understand the law and they can see all your paperwork and help you.

I do benefits advocacy and give general advice on forums, but it really is best to speak to someone face to face.

Anyone can be anything they like to be on forums, so never take any advice as gospel - always check it out.

Lin

longforgotten

The reason Frosty got the heave-ho is because the very fact their help is needed shows that the government are not doing their job properly. It shows them up. At least Frosty is trying to help.

As for the CAB, int this case, it's turned to because of the failings of the government department to help people. I don't doubt some people abuse the benefits system but they are in 'the know' anyway and seem to know what to do to get the system to work for them. It seems to me it's the honest people who get the run around.

real1314

long,

the only problem is that the advice that was given was evidently not official, and therefore could only be opinion based on experiece, which was not what was stated.

quicker isn't always better.
There are a lot of people on here who can give very good advice, which can be backed up by reference to various legislation which is also available on-line.

People just need to be clear about on what basis they are giving info, which in my case is always based on my own interpretation of the rules, which I will back up with ref's to on-line or published info if need be.
The only people who can quote an official line (of DWP or any other national govt org) are press and publicity depts, that's just the way it is, just like if someone working for M&S was to start quoting company work-arounds/fiddles/rip-offs - they'd be putting thier job at risk. THAT was my only concern.

Morglin

Some very good advice is given over the net - and a link supplied backs up the advice.

But, because the rules change so much, and individual circumstances very so much, I prefer to give advice face to face - as not all claims are straightforward, and it's easier, with letters in front of you, to see exactly what the DWP are saying, in cases of conflict.

Trouble is, anyone can say they are benefit experts, and I have seen many posts (not on here) giving incorrect advice by those who are obviously not au fait with benefits - all of which could cost the claimant a lot of money.

DLA forms hinge greatly on how they are worded to express the care/mobility needs (too much, in my opinion), and it's always easier if the first form sent in gives the details properly - which is why I always advise that anyone inexperienced in filling out the forms gets some professional help to do them.

It's simpler to do it right, and hopefully avoid the need for tribunals etc.,

I don't know whether it's a case of the government "not doing it's job right" with claims - it's the claimants responsibility to claim what they think they are entitled to, not the government's (although I do think that there could be more advertising of various benefits).

However, it is the government's job to implement the claims correctly - and due to the fact the whole system is bogged down with different types of benefits (many overlapping each other), and the fact that this government (in it's wisdom........:mad: ) are laying off thousands of DWP and Revenue staff who already have to deal with computer systems that cannot cope, then that's where the whole thing goes belly up and those that are entitled aren't getting what they should, and those that should be working just keep on getting........:mad: :mad:

Lin

Bossyboots

Sometimes people just need to know what to say and where to start. We have found the people we have dealt with to be kind and caring over the predicament that arose. However, not one person used the phrase "downrating" to put us on track and yet it is something I would have thought very important and there were certainly at least two telephone calls where it could have been mentioned which would have solved a mystery. If someone else had said it, our minds would have been put at ease as we would have least have known the money being paid was not as the result of a mistake. Once we were on that track, the rest has fallen into place and the necessary letters sent.

Frosty did for us what many telephone calls around various departments had not and for that I remain grateful.

Its no good saying its for claimants to know what they should claim. I consider myself wordly and streetwise and I didn't have a clue. I have the intellingence to obtain telephone numbers and ask for help but that is useless if the people the other end expect you to know what you are talking about.

longforgotten

I may have not worded my earlier comments well but what it amounted to was the very existence of 'Frosty' on this site means someone is not doing their job properly !

Morglin

For anyone wanting to ask about what benefits they may be able to claim (without giving out your name and address etc.,), then this helpline is generally pretty good.

"A confidential telephone service is available for people who are sick or disabled, carers and representatives. Ring the Benefit Enquiry Line (BEL) on 0800 88 22 00. People with speech or hearing problems using a textphone can dial 0800 24 33 55. You can also use the RNID Typetalk service.

If you speak Welsh, you can still use the numbers above.

BEL is open Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 6.30pm and Saturday, 9.00am to 1.00pm.

The person taking your call will not have your personal papers but will be able to give you general information about all benefits.

Information can be produced in Braille or large print. Help is available with completing forms for disability benefits."


Lin