I was diagnosed from birth with a severe level of Asthma. Which was considered life threatening and kept me from being taken home for around 6 months. Throughout my life I have had a number of scares and inconsistent issues regarding my Asthma.
Whether it has been asthma attacks, loss of breath, unable to do certain activities, sleeping issues, mentality flaws and lack of confidence.
I am unable to do certain jobs and have been exempt from applying for various jobs that I would of liked to do due to my condition. Which made me feel restricted from achieving certain goals or ambitious achievements.
I am now 26 years of age and from birth I was awarded a lifetime DLA benefit in which would help my carer which was my mother at the time to have time off work to help me and it wasn't until recently the DWP have decided my health is good enough to not be helped with financial care or disability care anymore. They are taking away financial relief from families and patients that they believe are fit enough to work which in a sense is understandable. But they are not thinking of the effects and the possible outcomes after the decision is made.
My condition has been controlled and managed due to great support of the NHS and my mother who has been my carer. But that doesn't mean I am cured and my health will maintain at the level when they examined my lifestyle as you know due to seasonal changes, strenuous work, general moving around, day to day activities can be challenging for anyone with asthma.
So as they were looking back through my health documents they based my health on year by year consistency and as our health varies from good and bad month by month year by year they determined that I am OK.
I just wanted to ask has this been the same for anyone else? What your plans are moving forward? How do you challenge this opinion?
Any general thoughts as I have not appealed as I have read so many news articles about terminally ill patients being turned down and then dying and still no change or help is being given.
Kind Regards
Darren Blair
Written by
DarrenB2692
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You are caught in the trap that there is a problem with availability of funds. You have to speak to charities which handle benefits. You think it is bad now. It is going to get a lot lot worse. You are going to have to network to get whatever help you can.
The problems are partly due to pensions and health and social care treatment for old age pensioners. Governments budget every year on tax income. When people are removed from paying tax and receive a pension income for 20 to 40 years when at one time it was about 10 to 15 years, there is a massive shortfall. The baby boomer cohort is now retiring. Rich people have a choice which country they pay taxes to and so the country with the least amount of income tax goes benefit from a large tax base of rich people.
You are going to need to plan on cutting costs and surviving on less. It can be done. I do admit it does require a lot of research to be able to do this.
Darren do challenge the assessment. A lot of people do have revised ones and are successful. I know of one lady with a heart condition who went from zero points to have care and mobility at the lower rate.
You need to ask for a reconsideration in the first instance. Don't be fobbed off into answering questions about why over the phone. Ask for a copy of your assessment report. There is a time limit to doing this. To ensure your wish for a reconsideration isn't overlooked write a simple letter saying you are doing so. I found joining the Benefits and Work website well worth while. It costs £19.95 for a year's subscripton and has good guidelines, but they are lengthy. benefitsandwork.co.uk/
They have a forum where you can find answers to questions.
The key is that points are awarded in relation to different descriptors. You need to know what these are. When you have a fluctuating condition that should be recognised but you have to not be able to do something for 50% or more of the time. For instance if you can't walk a certain distance but it varies from day to day then you can say, I can only walk xx less than 50% of the time. In my case (because of other ill health issues) it is usually two to three times a twice a week. Then the other days I can't, plus I can't do the same amount in the same day. You need to give specific examples of how your health effects you now. The assessment is very different to the DLA and the assesors are not medically qualified in the same way. Everything is recorded via a computer so you have to try to check that your answers to questions are not just about your illness but what you can and cannot do.
You can speak to the Citizens Advice Bureau for help and check their website for free.
Hi Darren, appeal it. I did and won. I agree about getting help though. I also joined the benefit and work group and there help is invaluable. If you have run out of time for mandatory reconsideration, then go to tribunal. Hope this helps.
Hi Darren, some good advice here but if you check out other threads regarding PIP there is some additional guidance about organisations that will help you free of charge to challenge the decision.
I was advised to apply for Pip I never considered myself bad enough. I was 2 points short off getting standard rate on daily living but needed more on mobility levels. You can get one without the other.
Standard is lower level of care needed and enhanced obviously need more a lot of support.
My decision letter said not this time but as have multiple conditions it said review in 18months as conditions are progressive or likely to deteriorate.
You have a carer and have all your life and DWP aware of situation if they awarded your mum that benefit so definitely worth challenging decision and using the agencies.
Good 🍀 luck 🤞
These agencies are pretty successful at what they do
If you are too poorly to work then you must challenge it.
The system would appear to be to stop as many claimants as possible and only reinstate after individual appeals. They know that a lot of people won’t appeal even though they are entitled to the benefits; a cost saving exercise. Please appeal if you’re not able to work and be confident in doing so.
It's awful to have to fight for things with asthma, when we need to avoid stress!
I know this sounds extreme, but to pay for legal challenge if your appeal doesn't work.
It would be an investment just to pay to get face to face even for an hour with a professional to cut through the bullshit and get a better ongoing action plan.
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