What money after claiming Incapacity Benefit

seven-day-weekend

I heard once of someone going to the medical and when asked how his condition was, he said 'not too bad'. (when really it was no better if not worse than last time).

.If the claimant miimises their condition then obviously the decision makers are going to think it has improved.

I'm not saying this is the case for everybody, but I have heard a lot on these boards of people not wanting to say how bad their condition is because it upsets them.

If you are not going to talk about it, then how are other people supposed to know how it affects you?

Mojisola

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

I heard once of someone going to the medical and when asked how his condition was, he said 'not too bad'. (when really it was no better if not worse than last time).

.If the claimant miimises their condition then obviously the decision makers are going to think it has improved.

I'm not saying this is the case for everybody, but I have heard a lot on these boards of people not wanting to say how bad their condition is because it upsets them.

If you are not going to talk about it, then how are other people supposed to know how it affects you?

There are two problems which affect this - firstly the doctors at the medicals don't listen to people about how doing things affects them, although they are now supposed to do so. They report on what you can do there and then and assume that if you can do something once, you can do it all day and that you'll be fit enough to do it every other day as well.

The other side of it is that people who live with poor health generally have a "glass half full" attitude to life because it's the only way to survive. If you looked always at the things you couldn't do, you would go mad. As a consequence your understanding of what is "normal" gets distorted. That's why I always recommend claimants should have a welfare officer/advisor to help fill in the forms - they know what a normal healthy life is like and will be able to see how you are having to adapt yours to cope with the illness. Many people find this a very depressing experience because you are forced to look at all the things you can't do.

seven-day-weekend

I understand what you are saying Mijisola but the fact remains if you don't say how it affects your life how is anyone to know? They are not mind readers. And why should you be given benefit if your condition is 'not too bad'?

I agree in these cases it is better to have a profesional to help them.

Mojisola

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

I understand what you are saying Mijisola but the fact remains if you don't say how it affects your life how is anyone to know? They are not mind readers. And why should you be given benefit if your condition is 'not too bad'?

I agree in these cases it is better to have a profesional to help them.

I agree with you - that's why people need an objective view of their condition. I'm sure quite a few of the appeals that are held are needed because people have come out with the "well, I'm managing alright, really" line.

Apologies to marshallka because we've gone off topic a bit. I do know that if you are turned down for IB and want to appeal then you can apply for Income Support immediately and that if your appeal is accepted your IB is backdated minus any IS that has been paid to you.

[Deleted User]

marshallka wrote: »

I know existing claimants are still in the old system but i also know that medicals seem harder to get through now too. When your review is due do you have to see the medical advisors again or is it just a form to fill in.

if you provide enough info on the IB50 then it lessens the possibilty of a medical,as i said a little research can go a long way to helping

seven-day-weekend

Yes, agreed mojisola and apoogies to marshallka.

PasturesNew

Somebody I know had an accident on a building site the other week. Self-employed. Lost the use of one hand/arm for about 2 months. After about 3 weeks they were called into the job centre office to pursue the option of any "one-handed jobs only" until they get back to work just 5 weeks later.

Now that to me seems a waste of time. Even if they could find some one-handed jobs, by the time they've applied and started it'd be time to walk out and go back to their self-employment!

(Think: carpenter, sliced through hand with cutting equipment, fingers patched/stitched/bloody and swollen, in a sling). Had to be hand-fed for 2 weeks.