DLA transition to PIP - evidence?

GlasweJen

Physically disabled people are supposed to be brave and "overcome their challenges", asking for help is a sign of weakness as someone else has X and they are Olympians.

Mental disabilities, well we can't question those as its taboo, yes they used to be treated appallingly but it's swung to the opposite extreme.

I've had health "professionals" (care assistants, midwife, CAB worker, all friends/acquaintances) tag me on Facebook for ludicrous "cures", the most recent is showering in johnsons menthol baby to cure a headache, well neuralgia just isn't cured that easily!

GlasweJen

I was puzzled at the second decision makers choice of words that I'm "only" under a cardiologist until I found the decision makers notes and they say that for mobility points on blackouts the person would normally be under a neurologist and be banned by the DVLA, apparently the DWP are more literal than I am and that's pretty poor.

I've emailed the MP but don't expect to hear anything from her until Monday. I'll start on the appeal but just want to go lie in a corner for a while. My mums in hospital, I'm stressed out my face and I just can't be doing with this just now. I also have the hospital this week so that should be fun, I can't face doctors just now.

nannytone_2

the part about the specialist really hits home with me.
i see a specialist once a year, but have been told many times that it is a 'courtesy' appointment and over very quickly because there is nothing they can do but tell me my condition is worse.
like i hadn't noticed

the main reason i keep going is because i need the .evidence' in order to claim the benefit i am entitled to ( I'm really talking about ESA here ... the benefit that allows me to stay alive and feed myself)

GlasweJen

Unfortunately they don't have space in neurology clinics for medical mysteries, neurologists get so many referrals the system is swamped.

Eyes are much more specialised and so rapidly advancing that most doctors can justify 12-24 month recall appointments even if everyone knows that for some patients any new advances have come too late.

nannytone_2

i suppose i see it as an extra layer of hurdles to jump.
me seeing a specialist is probably a waste of time and money on both sides.
the fact that i have a sedenerative condition and my sight is currently less than 1/36 in both eyes should tell them that I'm not going to miraculously wake up in a better position tomorrow.

when i applied for my DLA to be raised to include high rate mobility ( i met the specific definition required for blind/partially sighted people) i was turned down because they didn't feel; it was necessary to contact my specialist at all, and even though i had supplied an up to date eye test, they decided to ignore that as well.
to add insult to injury, they persisted in telling me that they hadn't made a decision, even though i had received a letter saying that no change was being made to my award.
i was lucky and a decision maker phoned me ( not the one who made the decision because they were on holiday)
all my information had already been filed ( even though they were telling me that no decision had been made) and 2 days later i was phoned again by the DM saying how sorry he was and that clearly a wrong decision had been made.

its shocking how difficult it can be to access the people that wield the axe over our lives

50Twuncle

nannytone wrote: »

i suppose i see it as an extra layer of hurdles to jump.
me seeing a specialist is probably a waste of time and money on both sides.
the fact that i have a sedenerative condition and my sight is currently less than 1/36 in both eyes should tell them that I'm not going to miraculously wake up in a better position tomorrow.

when i applied for my DLA to be raised to include high rate mobility ( i met the specific definition required for blind/partially sighted people) i was turned down because they didn't feel; it was necessary to contact my specialist at all, and even though i had supplied an up to date eye test, they decided to ignore that as well.
to add insult to injury, they persisted in telling me that they hadn't made a decision, even though i had received a letter saying that no change was being made to my award.
i was lucky and a decision maker phoned me ( not the one who made the decision because they were on holiday)
all my information had already been filed ( even though they were telling me that no decision had been made) and 2 days later i was phoned again by the DM saying how sorry he was and that clearly a wrong decision had been made.

its shocking how difficult it can be to access the people that wield the axe over our lives

Someone ought to challenge DWP and take it all the way (ie not get put off by threats to cut benefits) - has anyone taken DWP to the European Courts for Human Rights !!

Mrs_Ryan

I know that we've not seen eye to eye in the past GlasweJen but I think it's pretty awful what they've done- hopefully they see sense soon.
Just a quick note by the way- as someone who was awarded PIP partially because of mental health problems FBaby's post got my back up slightly. I've been depressed for years but I had a mental breakdown a few years back due to what happened to me at work. Cue no doubt people telling me (I've had this loads) I don't deserve any of my benefits and should get a job as I have three made up conditions- fibromyalgia, anxiety and depression. They ignore the fact I also have a cancer diagnosis and extremely painful tumours on my spine. My back is utterly banjaxed and I'm utterly in awe of how liberal the trust GlasweJen works for is because my trust told me very baldly that there's no way I could work as an HCSW any more because of the state of my back and the fact I can't walk unaided. I note basically FBaby says why do people with mental health conditions need PIP- they have no disability needs and should get on with it.
Well personally, my PIP pays for my wigs (I have alopecia but that's ok, I don't need them, it's cosmetic and I should just walk around bald or buy a hat) it pays towards the multitude of non-prescription medicines I need because I don't want to trouble the GP for a prescription (artificial tears because the cancer treatment left me in premature menopause, heat patches for my back, heat packs for my painful neck, the list goes on...) currently I'm saving for a decent pair of crutches as the ones I have are worn out (but that's ok because clearly I don't need them either) countless pairs of warm socks because the nerves in my legs are also banjaxed thanks to what's going on in my back and my feet are constantly cold and painful... I could go on! But yet my PIP award states 'anxiety and depression and back pain' as my diagnoses all came after I had applied and for some reason they refused to take the cancer into account. Yet I was awarded points for the effects.
There are some very unfair decisions but some people need to look beyond their own prejudices as sometimes things aren't all they seem!
Good luck GlasweJen.

FBaby

Mrs Ryan, you are saying yourself, you have MH issues as well as physical so not sure my views would apply to your situation. All the costs you refer to are associated to your physical symptoms, not mental.

What I am referring to is people who claim for anxiety and depression as an onset of work related stress....and 10 years later, are still claiming it. Many of them have long given up trying to seek help, whether from professional or through self-help (and ultimately, professionals can only help so far, at some point, self-help has to take over), and just become totally dependent on a life on benefits.

PIP claims are now dominated by mental health conditions and I think this is a very serious societal issue because it shows how people are becoming less and less able to face and cope with normal life stressors. There is a culture of avoidance, yet that's the exactly what leads to mental health conditions becoming chronic and I really don't think that throwing money with no condition attached is the way to encourage such people to get better.

GlasweJen

MrsRyan, when I applied I was easily the most qualified for the job - it was HCSW in the eye department and I'm an optometrist so they couldn't say no without finding another professional with years of eye experience and giving the job to them.

The job is outpatients only in a fully accessible new built hospital so the only hurdle was getting people used to a light blue in a wheelchair, the mandatory moving and handling course was hilarious though.

pmlindyloo

We all know the benefit system is a complete mess and all have our own views on where it is going wrong.

I am not familiar enough with Universal Credit to say whether some of the 'problems' will be sorted out when everyone is transferred over.

The question of disability benefits have always been contentious. On a personal level I see an increasing number of people wanting to apply because they need more money to survive and do not 'get' that benefits such as PIP and DLA were originally awarded to offset the higher cost of their disabilities.

Others maintain that because they are disabled (usually through no fault of their own) they deserve the extra money so they can lead more dependent lives and, in some cases, just lead a more normal life as non disabled people do.

If someone is claiming ESA then it is often the case that it means that they are living on a very low income. Claiming DLA/PIP and the relevant premiums boosts their income to a more acceptable level.

At the same time this sometimes gives them an income which means that they do become less likely to think of trying to work.

And then there are those who do work. Should they be awarded PIP/DLA when they have sufficient money to live on?

Add to this the lack of support for mentally ill people and the post code lottery of getting aids/adaptations and the debate widens.

I do not envy those who are trying to make the benefit system work. I understand why people get mad when the system goes wrong and I also understand the incentive to get people back to work (but where are the jobs?)

In the meantime we can only try and help those who need support with the system as it currently stands.