Am I allowed Pilates classes ?

sweeper12

Hiya

I just wondered whether the OR will let me include my Pilates classes as a viable expense ? The reason I ask is because it is the only execise I am allowed to do - I have a connective tissue disease that makes all my joints fragile and prone to dislocation - OUCH !!! I cannot get these on the NHS and have been advised to do these classes by my specialist. They cost me £18 per week and are something I will have to do for a long time to come.

Any advise please kind people ............?

wherediditallgo

Unless you can provide a letter from your doctor and from your specialist stating you have to do these classes & can't do any others available on the NHS, I very much doubt that they'll allow you the money towards them. They might take the view that if you're so reliant on a particular form of exercise, your doctor should be referring you to private classes somewhere at his practice's expense now that you can't afford them for yourself, or you should be claiming some form of benefit to cover the cost of them.

sweeper12

Thanks for the speedy reply

I don't think I would be able to get them through my GP, can't even get them through hospital physio, cuts and all that stuff I suppose. I know that I can't get any benefits as the household income is too high. I do work but I get help with that from family, definitely can't afford to give up my jobs and claim IB. I do get DLA but I need that for my car.

Thanks again

Posthinking

Every OR interprets the rules in their own way so I would think it's pot luck, but if you don't try you'll never know. Share the outcome with us. It's that way we build the database of knowledge to help each other

sweeper12

Okay PT, will do.

I won't be filling in my income/expenditure just yet but I am going to put it down anyway. I will try to explain that without my exercises, my condition will worsen and I will struggle to do my work..................

Toad

On my SOA, I included £40/month for Osteopath fees. I've had back problems for years and have spent quite a bit on Osteopaths. The OR accepted this without asking for proof in any way.

As it happens, since I went BR, I have not had the need to see the Osteopath (for 3 months), but, when I do, the bill could easily hit £120 in a month, then the £40/month would againt become accurate.

If asked for proof, then my previous osteopath could provide a statement to show the treatment in such fits-n-starts. But I was not asked.

Likewise, I included £40/month for swimming for myself. This only got through because there are 4 of us in the family so they assumed it was for all of us.

Finally - don't forget yor holiday entitlement, we were allows £60/month towards a modest holiday for the family.

Tony

sweeper12

Hi Tony

Thanks very much for the info, I will include my classes on my SOA now. I also have seen an osteopath in the past for subluxed discs and hips. I haven't been for a while as (touch wood) things seem to be a bit better at the mo - probably the Pilates is working

Cheers