Council refused to renew BB for a disabled 74 year old woman

Ames

Once again Danday you seem fixated on the letter of the official communication, not the spirit. Why didn't you contact them and ask for an extension if you couldn't get the evidence by the deadline?

This seems to be a common issue in your threads - you don't communicate with departments, you follow what you misunderstand the 'rules' to be, and you're surprised when they treat you the same as you treat them, ie without flexibility or accommodation.

Danday

NeilCr wrote: »

No-one's missed the point

It was you who filled the form in incorrectly and didn't send the evidence.

Far more importantly it is you who is moaning, groaning and prevaricating while refusing to "play the council's game". Thus depriving your wife of a BB for even longer. I have to say you see far more concerned about making your point than her wellbeing.

Fill the right form in and get the BB. Then, if you think the system is wrong complain officially - as opposed to posturing on here.

The online form was filled in correctly as per the instructions.
The online form did not ask for any evidence to be sent in
The online form made no mention of medical evidence

The council failed to give clear and proper advice for a renewal for those who did not get it automatically.

I have since phoned the council and asked them these questions and they admit that the online form is the one set by the government and that I am right, it isn't clear what should have happened for those without automatic entitlement. The council also admitted that they have already found out about this problem with many other applicants but that they can't do anything about it as the government set out the form to be used nationally. The council gave me 28 days and say that that should be long enough. There is no mention either on the online site or the council's site that an extention could be asked for - I have just checked again.

Danday

Ames wrote: »

Once again Danday you seem fixated on the letter of the official communication, not the spirit. Why didn't you contact them and ask for an extension if you couldn't get the evidence by the deadline?

This seems to be a common issue in your threads - you don't communicate with departments, you follow what you misunderstand the 'rules' to be, and you're surprised when they treat you the same as you treat them, ie without flexibility or accommodation.

I am not fixated, I try to follow the instructions that are given, not what the instructions should be or the thought behind why the instructions were made that way.
There is absolutely no reference anywhere that would allow or even give me the right to ask for an extension.

If the council says that I must tick all boxes with an odd number - you tick all boxes with an odd number.
If the council say I have 28 days to return the full form fully completed with medical evidence then the rule is that the 28 days have to be complied with.

My argument is that I have had to fill out two sets of documents, the online version and the full paper version.
Why?

NeilCr

Ames wrote: »

Once again Danday you seem fixated on the letter of the official communication, not the spirit. Why didn't you contact them and ask for an extension if you couldn't get the evidence by the deadline?

This seems to be a common issue in your threads - you don't communicate with departments, you follow what you misunderstand the 'rules' to be, and you're surprised when they treat you the same as you treat them, ie without flexibility or accommodation.

Yes.

I wonder if Danday ever thinks about who the common denominator in all this is

custardy

I think you should start on those forms now.

poppy12345

Have you done those forms yet? Judging by the amount of posts from you since starting the thread you could have had them completed by now. saying that, if your PIP/DLA stories are anything to go by then how do we know any of these problems even exist.

Ames

Danday wrote: »

I am not fixated, I try to follow the instructions that are given, not what the instructions should be or the thought behind why the instructions were made that way.
There is absolutely no reference anywhere that would allow or even give me the right to ask for an extension.

If the council says that I must tick all boxes with an odd number - you tick all boxes with an odd number.
If the council say I have 28 days to return the full form fully completed with medical evidence then the rule is that the 28 days have to be complied with.

My argument is that I have had to fill out two sets of documents, the online version and the full paper version.
Why?

You have three options.

1. Stop concentrating on the words and start concentrating on the meanings.

2. Get help with any official forms you need to fill in.

3. Stop filling in forms and claiming benefits.

It's up to you.

Danday

poppy12345 wrote: »

Have you done those forms yet? Judging by the amount of posts from you since starting the thread you could have had them completed by now. saying that, if your PIP/DLA stories are anything to go by then how do we know any of these problems even exist.

Thanks
To be honest you can believe what you want.
I have outlined the events of this latest BB application. This is the second one, the first was refused following a walking test where the assessor for the council was more interested in how my wife managed to get in/out and drive a car that sat low to the ground. But hey everyone can have their own viewpoints.

Yes I have almost finished the full application form but it cannot be sent off as I am waiting for Social Services (OT) to get back to me following a request made for an updated assessment of needs and abilities. I have also asked the GP with my wife's permission for them to copy any documentation in their files that relate purely to (a) the reasons for having difficulties in walking, and (b) any observations made of her walking ability.

Until all of this evidence arrives there is no point in returning the form given the previous history and the possibility in their minds that my wife may well be making up her statements.

Danday

Ames wrote: »

You have three options.

1. Stop concentrating on the words and start concentrating on the meanings.
Isn't that one and the same? Surely if the council say that the from and the evidence has to be returned no later than 28 days, the meaning of 28 days is the same as what it actually says?
2. Get help with any official forms you need to fill in.
There is no help locally. Been through this before. When I see clear statements there can only be one meaning. Besides which I am well able to understand the English language and deal with it appropriately. As for thinking that there are hidden meanings behind the words or instructions I'm sorry that does not feature in my way of looking at things - I see things as black and white, positive and negative.
3. Stop filling in forms and claiming benefits.
Is that the advice you would give to people who find themselves at the mercy of councils and the government?
It's up to you.

To recap, the forms are now more or less complete - all 12 pages of it.
I am now waiting for evidence to come to support her argument that she has considerable difficulty in walking beyond 80 metres.

sheramber

Danday wrote: »

Everybody seems to be missing the point.

I followed the instructions to the letter that the council had told me in their email via a link - to do an online application. - scanned evidence and photo and sent it off with my debit card details.

Then in August, a few days after her badge had expired the council sent me a second email telling me that the online form was missing important information and could I now forget what I had already done and start again but this time fill out the full application form scan it and forward it via email
Then because I had not managed to complete the full form AND get the evidence from the GP AND an updated OT report from Social Services AND have it sent back with a cheque for £10 within the time limit forced on me they have closed down the original application
Put it bluntly I have wasted weeks of inaction by the council and looking at the future of getting the evidence together, finally completing the form AND then another 6/8 weeks of waiting for the application to be looked as a new application.

And you wonder why I have an attitude over this.

Then because I had not managed to complete the full form AND get the evidence from the GP AND an updated OT report from Social Services AND have it sent back with a cheque for £10 within the time limit forced on me they have closed down the original application


You didn't mention that in the original post