Government assumptions

Sncjw

Right ive had some degree of deafness all my life. Two years ago I lost all my hearing in right ear due to infection being too much, anyways as I was completely deaf with no hearing aid at all and I knew my future would be harder even with one in I applied for dla. I was refused due to needing some help but not enough.mif I need help I need help.

Anyways shortly after this I got my aid which helped a bit but still struggled with many aspects in life and still do. I'm no longer as independant as I used to be. I applied for pip in October and last week I got a letter to say they are handing it over to a decision maker. Then two days later they sent letter to say I've been refused as I have an aid to help me. Grr

This made me think they haven't even bothered to contact any medical professional and also they assume just because you have an aid it helps you, no it doesn't. I have to take it out in bath and for bed so can't bear any important things. Also even with aid in it doesn't cure your hearing as background noise can make it difficult to hear what's being said .

I also don't understand how one dpearlmans of the dwp can help me which is acsess to work and then the other won't help me.

I can't be bothered to appeal for it due to long waiting game and and also they probably wouldn't even understand the difficulties anyways.

Rant over.

[Deleted User]

you could write and ask for a reconsideration with any additional supporting evidence you might have

rogerblack

Sncjw wrote: »

I applied for pip in October and last week I got a letter to say they are handing it over to a decision maker. Then two days later they sent letter to say I've been refused as I have an aid to help me. Grr <snip>

I also don't understand how one dpearlmans of the dwp can help me which is acsess to work and then the other won't help me.

'I'm from the government, and I'm here to help you'.

...
You get PIP for specific reasons.
Being deaf is not one.

It seems unlikely the consequences of deafness would lead to being unable to follow a route or mobility points in any other area.

Similarly - nor preparing food, taking nutrition, managing therapy, washing and bathing (you do not need help washing and bathing, even if you can't hear while doing it, that doesn't stop you washing), toilet needs, dressing/undressing, reading signs, or budgeting decisions.

The arguable ones are 'communicating verbally' and 'engaging with people face to face'.
7. Communicating verbally.
b. Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to speak or hear. 2 points.
e. Cannot express or understand verbal information at all even with communication support. 12 points.


9. Engaging with other people face to face.
d. Cannot engage with other people due to such engagement causing either –
(i) overwhelming
psychological distress to the claimant; or
(ii) the claimant to exhibit behaviour which would result in a substantial risk of harm to the claimant or another person. 8 points.

(trimmed of descriptors which it seems could never apply).
If you are 'just' deaf - it seems impossible to meet 9d.
7b gives you two points, so is useless.
This leaves 7e 'Cannot express or understand verbal information at all even with communication support' as the only descriptor that might grant you PIP.

Note, other things expand this somewhat.
If it takes you more than twice the time to reliably understand someone (not guess), with the aid, on most days, in most environments, then this would arguably apply.

What help you are given in other areas is quite irrelevant to PIP.
Only if you meet the specific descriptors. PIP cannot be given 'because we think you deserve it'.