DLA Turned down

mike+caz

Hi Sorry for long rant.

After waiting nearly 3 months they have turned down hubby for any DLA. They have said that he walk with aids more than 50 metres without discomfort [he can't walk 2 steps without discomfort]. They also said that he can take care of his care needs himself. However he can't.
They have said that at his own speed he can safely get in and out of bed [he cant move unless I help him get up it takes him up to 45 mins to turn over so days], he can wash dry and use the shower [again he cant I wash him and dry him because he cant bend] also as for using the shower it took us about an hour to get him out of the shower, which is over the bath, just before christmas he now uses shower in my parents place which is walk in until we get rehoused to a bungalow.
He can dress and undress again not without me he cant.
he can go up and down stairs not very well he cant that is why we have be assessed by OT at council and she said he needs to move to a bungalow.
They have said he can cook a meal for one but when he's bedridden he cant he cant even get a glass of water let alone cook.
They have said he can clean himself after the toilet. No he cant I have been doing that for a while again when he's bedridden he cant even get to the bathroom.

We saw OT last week and she has made him priority for a bungalow, so how can DLA say he can live life on his own without help when OT and GP have written statements in his defence.

BTW they say they used his hospital specialist for decision but that specalist doesnt know anything about his back injury just his arthritic knees. He had DDD {degentrative disc disease]

How do we appeal? Is it better to phone or to write?

Thanks in advance

[Deleted User]

read what they sent with the decision it will tell you how to appeal
i would also suggest you request a statement of reasons as this will give you 6 weeks to appeal not four,and try and get help with the appeal from CAB or welfare rights etc,and ask for an oral not written appeal(higher success rate)
part of the appeals process is that a different decision maker reviews the decision and may make a change,so dont just ask for a review ask for a full appeal
good luck

kingfisherblue

Not specifically about the DLA, but if your husband cannot clean himself after using the toilet, as the OT about a Closomat toilet. It cleans and dries the genital area and is designed for people with disabilities.

http://www.clos-o-mat.com/palma_shower_toilet.html

fogartyblue.

kingfisherblue wrote: »

Not specifically about the DLA, but if your husband cannot clean himself after using the toilet, as the OT about a Closomat toilet. It cleans and dries the genital area and is designed for people with disabilities.

That is an excellent product. I never knew these existed! Thanks.

As it is becoming clearer, there are now many products and services that are available to the disabled ranging from simple grab rails, stair lifts, clothing and shoes with velcro fastenings, to these toilets and walk in showers.

What I cannot understand is why then do people still insist in stating that they can't get up and own stairs, need help in the toilet, need help bathing, need help dressing when trying to claim DLA?
Doesn't make any sense.

We have a stair lift, walk in shower grab rails, stools etc etc which we have purchased to help my wife live as normal life as possbile.

I can see DLA fast becoming something of the past, which it should be given the aids and adaptions available now.

I will be enquiring about this new toilet as that will save me another job.

kingfisherblue

It is quite expensive, but it stores some warm water for cleaning, so is not unpleasant to use. Ours has a soft pad that my son can press between his hands. The water cleans him for as long as the pad is pressed, and once he releases it, the warm air circulates until he gets off the toilet.

My son is doubly incontinent, but I can sit him on the loo to clean him afterwards. The jet of water aims at a small area, so I encourage my son to wriggle around to clean himself properly. He still needs help, as he has learning difficulties as welll as physical disabilities. He needs supervision in the bath or shower, on the stairs, etc.

Incidentally, DLA in our house goes on additional costs of gas and electricity (additional washing and tumble drying, extra heating), petrol, etc - not just on one-off purchases, so I sincerely hope that there will always be some sort of financial help for as long as disabled people need it.

Folar

fogartyblue. wrote: »

That is an excellent product. I never knew these existed! Thanks.

As it is becoming clearer, there are now many products and services that are available to the disabled ranging from simple grab rails, stair lifts, clothing and shoes with velcro fastenings, to these toilets and walk in showers.

What I cannot understand is why then do people still insist in stating that they can't get up and own stairs, need help in the toilet, need help bathing, need help dressing when trying to claim DLA?
Doesn't make any sense.

We have a stair lift, walk in shower grab rails, stools etc etc which we have purchased to help my wife live as normal life as possbile.

I can see DLA fast becoming something of the past, which it should be given the aids and adaptions available now.

I will be enquiring about this new toilet as that will save me another job.

Trouble is all those things need money to buy them and of course be in a property where they can be fitted etc.

I would love some of those things to help make life a little more bearable but we don't have the money and the Council don't have enough funds to be able to help much at all. Coupled with that is the fact I live in rented accommodation and they don't want the bath removed for a shower to be put in or any other major changes to the property (even tho I have lived here 14 years).

I really hope some form of DLA carries on existing or some of us would really struggle.

Brassedoff

mike+caz wrote: »

BTW they say they used his hospital specialist for decision but that specalist doesnt know anything about his back injury just his arthritic knees. He had DDD {degentrative disc disease]

How do we appeal? Is it better to phone or to write?

Thanks in advance

Sorry don't take this the wrong way, but how do you know he has DDD if the specialist does not know about it? Neither a GP or a OT will be able to diagnose that problem.

I know the issue with bed, I am currently in the 7th day of being stuck in bed.

EycplUK

mike+caz wrote: »

Hi Sorry for long rant.

After waiting nearly 3 months they have turned down hubby for any DLA. They have said that he walk with aids more than 50 metres without discomfort [he can't walk 2 steps without discomfort]. They also said that he can take care of his care needs himself. However he can't.
They have said that at his own speed he can safely get in and out of bed [he cant move unless I help him get up it takes him up to 45 mins to turn over so days], he can wash dry and use the shower [again he cant I wash him and dry him because he cant bend] also as for using the shower it took us about an hour to get him out of the shower, which is over the bath, just before christmas he now uses shower in my parents place which is walk in until we get rehoused to a bungalow.
He can dress and undress again not without me he cant.
he can go up and down stairs not very well he cant that is why we have be assessed by OT at council and she said he needs to move to a bungalow.
They have said he can cook a meal for one but when he's bedridden he cant he cant even get a glass of water let alone cook.
They have said he can clean himself after the toilet. No he cant I have been doing that for a while again when he's bedridden he cant even get to the bathroom.

We saw OT last week and she has made him priority for a bungalow, so how can DLA say he can live life on his own without help when OT and GP have written statements in his defence.

BTW they say they used his hospital specialist for decision but that specalist doesnt know anything about his back injury just his arthritic knees. He had DDD {degentrative disc disease]

How do we appeal? Is it better to phone or to write?

Thanks in advance

This is so similar to my Hubbys DLA that was turned down as well , when we read the papers that came with the decision we really thought we was reading about someone else !

"They have said that he walk with aids more than 50 metres without discomfort [he can't walk 2 steps without discomfort"

Where is this the same as what was submitted ??
Are they looking at what is described ?
Our Dial is helping with our appeal so still hopeful but really feel like the DWP are calling us liars ! so unfair !
Could someone please tell us is the letter that came with the decision the same as a statement of reasons ?
Thanks , and good luck with your appeal !

fogartyblue.

EycplUK wrote: »

This is so similar to my Hubbys DLA that was turned down as well , when we read the papers that came with the decision we really thought we was reading about someone else !

"They have said that he walk with aids more than 50 metres without discomfort [he can't walk 2 steps without discomfort"

Where is this the same as what was submitted ??
Are they looking at what is described ?
Our Dial is helping with our appeal so still hopeful but really feel like the DWP are calling us liars ! so unfair !
Could someone please tell us is the letter that came with the decision the same as a statement of reasons ?
Thanks , and good luck with your appeal !

I have two points to bring up. the first is, did you honestly expect the DWP to just accept what you claimed were his problems? It would be a sad sad world, if the DWP just went along and awarded benefits on the basis of what the claimant stated.

You have to provide medical evidence of those needs not evidence of the cause of them. You have to ensure that your GP at least can give the DWP a report that backs up everything that has been claimed.

The second, and this always makes me wonder, what help would it be if the State handed out £50 a week because you say he can't walk? £50 isn't going to bring about a cure is it?

I cannot understand in most cases, apart from paying a professional carer, why is there a need for more money. If my wife was given £50 a week or so, it won't improve her lot, she will still be in the same position. £400 a week would make a difference, I could then pay for a professional carer to look after her whilst I had some time off.

mike+caz

fogartyblue. wrote: »

That is an excellent product. I never knew these existed! Thanks.

As it is becoming clearer, there are now many products and services that are available to the disabled ranging from simple grab rails, stair lifts, clothing and shoes with velcro fastenings, to these toilets and walk in showers.

What I cannot understand is why then do people still insist in stating that they can't get up and own stairs, need help in the toilet, need help bathing, need help dressing when trying to claim DLA?
Doesn't make any sense.

We have a stair lift, walk in shower grab rails, stools etc etc which we have purchased to help my wife live as normal life as possbile.

I can see DLA fast becoming something of the past, which it should be given the aids and adaptions available now.

They are lovely if firstly you can afford them and secondly we live in a Housing association property and they are unwilling to give you even a grab rail without a OT report, then they try to claim funding for alterations. Even having a report from OT there are some things they cant do anyway. We can't have a stair lift as our stairs is too narrow and also we have a split level staircase. We are having a rail and higher seat for toilet thanks to the council.

Folar wrote: »

Trouble is all those things need money to buy them and of course be in a property where they can be fitted etc.

I would love some of those things to help make life a little more bearable but we don't have the money and the Council don't have enough funds to be able to help much at all. Coupled with that is the fact I live in rented accommodation and they don't want the bath removed for a shower to be put in or any other major changes to the property (even tho I have lived here 14 years).

I really hope some form of DLA carries on existing or some of us would really struggle.

I totally agree Folar.
As I have said we rent and they don't want to convert a family house into a disabled house because then it would be limited to who could rent it after our time [they told us that even before OT report and finding out staircase was no good for lift]. Even though we have lived her for 20yrs

Brassedoff wrote: »

Sorry don't take this the wrong way, but how do you know he has DDD if the specialist does not know about it? Neither a GP or a OT will be able to diagnose that problem.

I know the issue with bed, I am currently in the 7th day of being stuck in bed.

Sorry Brassedoff

Didn't make it very clear. The specialist DLA used was one who did his knees he had another specialist for is back which he last saw about 8yrs ago and was told then that his condition was inoperable he has since retired. He had xrays back then but he had a MRI 18 months ago and the damage was worse. His GP got a specialist to look at MRI but because nothing could be done he just gave here his report.

mike+caz

EycplUK wrote: »

This is so similar to my Hubbys DLA that was turned down as well , when we read the papers that came with the decision we really thought we was reading about someone else !

"They have said that he walk with aids more than 50 metres without discomfort [he can't walk 2 steps without discomfort"

Where is this the same as what was submitted ??
Are they looking at what is described ?
Our Dial is helping with our appeal so still hopeful but really feel like the DWP are calling us liars ! so unfair !
Could someone please tell us is the letter that came with the decision the same as a statement of reasons ?
Thanks , and good luck with your appeal !

Hope it goes well for you.

I also feel like we are being called liars. Hubby has struggled to work since his condition was dianoised 20yrs ago. He finally gave up a yr ago because he was told that if he'd carried on working then he would be in a wheelchair within 5 yrs. Maybe we should have waited for that to happen then we can't be called liars.