Council taking all my DLA in care costs leaving me with nothing.

GlasweJen

You might save money by buying frozen veg instead of fresh but I would really push to see the nutritionist again as it seems a lot that you need ensure plus kilos of veg daily and even then you can't regulate your body temperature. Is there a support group for your illness? You can ask online and see how other people cope with such high nutritional demand.

jobbingmusician

I don't have much to add except to send good wishes and sympathy. However, I wonder if it's worth you visiting https://cookingonabootstrap.com/category/recipes-food/ - Jack does loads of really imaginative recipes and they are really well costed out and CHEAP. Jack is really into vegan food nowadays so I suspect that many of the recipes are high in fruit and veg and might suit you. And there's a whole section for recipes under 50p, and another for recipes under £1. (Can you tell I'm a fan of Jack's approach? )

(If this post comes across as a bit stilted, apologies - I am not very confident in using gender-neutral pronouns! )

easy

iammumtoone wrote: »

Whilst you might not be able to change the outcome or decision. I think you do have grounds to put in a complaint about the way you were spoken to/treated.

I agree wholeheartedly with this. A FINANCIAL assessment should be just that, not an opportunity for the assessor to degrade, humiliate or upset the service user.
Furthermore I would seriously doubt the financial assessor's qualifications for judging whether someone can or cannot eat cheese (or anything else) - as such the assessor should not be commenting on such matters.

In your shoes OP I would be writing to the department concerned with a very strong complaint. I think I might also be asking my local councillor round for a chat, explain to them what is happening under their jurisdiction !!

faerielight

I had a terrible assessment from a care agency last summer, I won't repeat what the manager said to me, suffice to say it was offensive and derogatory to women. I was really upset , I know how it feels to be humiliated by a professional.. they should be more sensitive.. I have incontinence too, and that man laughed at it and made jokes.I had my friend present which made complaining easier as I had a witness, but . I was really devastated at the time, and refused that agency. Insensitive workers should not be working in care!.. They don't realise how much dignity we lose when we get ill and have to rely on care..especially anything to do with incontinance.. Shame on them! Making a complaint did feel good.. it takes some of the power back.. here's some info about how to complain about a social worker, in case you do feel like reporting it.

Joan.Batt

I have found it really difficult to survive on £25 per week. To be clear the Council say that included in that £25 are food, all cleaning and toiletries, your heating, cooking and water bills. In short everything that a single person would need for a week.
I will try and make another appointment with my nutritionist today, thanks for that guys, when I get stressed or upset it is really hard to think straight.
I will also be making a formal complaint today, if for no other reason than to take back some power as faerielight says.
I came here at my wits end, really upset and didn't know what to do. You all gave very sound advice and for that I am grateful.

dktreesea

Hi Joan,
I'm sorry to hear what you are going through. Have you checked the benefits calculator on www.entitledto.co.uk/ to see if you are entitled to any benefits besides DLA/PiP? I have also found www.disabilityrightsuk.org/ really helpful.

[Deleted User]

I wonder if you could do some research and see if there is an advocacy service in your area. They might help negotiate with the assessors.

I've had some problems with affording heating after moving to a place with key meters. I have a lovely thick cardigan (more of a coat) and a thick M&S dressing gown I wear. I got the cardigan for a fiver from a charity shop, the M&S dressing gown from ebay. They have easily paid for themselves. I have two sons, the older one wears woollens and a dressing gown like me, the younger one uses throws. I got some thick velvet material from ebay and made a curtain for the draughty front door. I had to buy curtains for all the windows when I moved but made sure they were all thermal ones, with careful shopping they weren't expensive (ebay again). But I have achieved similiar effects in the past by using old sheeting or fabric to line curtains. Its important to make sure the curtains line the windows correctly (keeping the cold sealed behind them) and are the correct length to hit the window sill. If they hang down further it can just let the draughts out. If you can't sew them, just pin them to the right height.

I wonder if you can look online and find someone who'd help you adjust your curtains - perhaps a charity which focuses on your condition?

The front of the house gets all the sunlight so I always leave the curtains open during the day to help heat the house up. It works surprisingly well. Depends on how much sunlight the house gets of course. The back of the house gets hardly any (have two duvets on my bed lol).

SkipClick

Have you tried food banks?.

Gypsywoman

I had a friend who was in a delicate financial situation and she was able to get her mobility contract terminated early.

I know locally the ambulance service offers patient transport which is no charge and takes you to the hospital in time for appointments, procedures and returns to pick you up.

I am shocked that you had such a bad assessment and agree with others that your DLA or PIP care is not for food. That is why you can usually claim ESA or another means tested benefit.

Is there perhaps a chance to ask for a re-assessment on the grounds of the assessment not taking into account disability needs that without such needs being met you could become both physically and mentally unwell?

It may be worth seeking the support of a group that is aware of your condition and who can support you in being given more consideration than it appears that you have had.

Even the high rates or full rates of disability payments are totally inadequate when your needs are such that there is a need to use them all and be left with nothing to support any needs that arise on a less than regular basis.

I am sorry to hear you have been treated so shabbily and been made to account in very minute detail for all your needs arising through your disability. It is hard to talk to a young man about incontinence needs for some but there is a part of me that hopes he soon talks to a woman who feels no embarrassment and gives him a lesson he will never forget.

Young and thorough is a state many of us have passed through and yet I feel this young man took that far beyond what would be considered acceptable by many disability groups and I would guess far from what would be acceptable by his line managers.

I hope things do work out for you. No-one should be made to feel like you have been and I personally would start asking questions within the department that sent the charming young man who did your assessment. Questions like 'How can I afford to eat low fat to avoid being very ill or being hospitalised?' All the issues you have wrote on this thread that will or are impacting on you, ask of that department and cc in your GP, any relevant hospital consultants and your MP also. Include a brief covering letter the first time to why they are being sent copies and always remember to cc them all in all correspondence with the council.

xx

FBaby

I have found it really difficult to survive on £25 per week. To be clear the Council say that included in that £25 are food, all cleaning and toiletries, your heating, cooking and water bills. In short everything that a single person would need for a week.

That's not what you said in your first post. You said you were given a budget of £25 a week for food only. Which one is it?