Just a reminder that welfare advice is available on our helpline, along with any other questions you have concerning living with a lung condition.
If you're in UK and recently diagnosed, struggling to juggle work and illness, already on a benefit and worried about losing it or facing the daunting process of phasing from DLA onto PIP, I can certainly listen, and offer advice on where to go and what to do.
If you have a questions, please private message me with your phone number and I’ll get back to you.
I work -
Monday 9-3.45
Tuesday 9-3
Wednesday 9-5
Thursday 9-3
Friday 9-3
I look forward to hearing from you, Biddy, Specialist Adviser, 03000 030 555
Written by
Biddy_ALUK
Partner
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Hi Lyn, yes, give me a call when you're ready. Or PM me your phone number and I'll call you back.
Biddy
That's lovely and very helpful but most of our problems seem to come from the so called professionals who have the power to make decisions about our welfare but are ignorant of the facts which apply to our particular situations and needs. In consequence they make us jump through unnecessay hoops, subject us to distressing anxiety and invade our privacy.
Do you have anything to deal with that.
We would all be very grateful
Biddy_ALUKPartnerBritish Lung Foundation• in reply to
I take your point, the whole process from application to award, can be fraught with difficulties and communication break down. There are agencies that offer specialist advice, assistance and advocacy to help you through this, admittedly they are few, and vary from area to area. I'd be happy to chat if you want to give me a call on 03000 030 555
Thank you Biddy. I am waiting to see if I get the Badge now and then I am going to compile a dossier against them. It is a very lonely and frightening process with nobody to support a person against the arbitrary power which these people have. Warwick have created a complex system whereby there is no set procedure for obtaining and most particularly, renewing the BB. It is all smoke and mirrors and they demand multiple and repeated proofs of eligibility. The vicissitudes of this make it very difficult to verbalise what they are doing and how badly they are treating disabled people.
I shall give you a call when I have sorted it all out in my mind.
Biddy_ALUKPartnerBritish Lung Foundation• in reply to
OK.
This may help, if you find you have to appeal a decision on the BB.
It's the DfT guidance notes for the blue badge scheme. The sentence referring to lung conditions is on page 22. It may be useful to quote this if you find you’re not successful with your application.
We have a jobs worth in charge of Blue Badges at Warwick. In 2014 she decided to send me to be assessed even though I had had a badge since 1998.The assessor was so cross that she told me to apply for a PIP because if you get enhanced mobility award it is an automatic Blue Badge. I passed that with enhanced mobility. When I came to renew the Badge this year she refused to process it unless I sent the breakdown of all of the points as she did not believe that enhanced mobility gives you 8 points. I have 12 points. I was forced to send in a document which gives a lot of information about me which she is not entitled to read. She is breaking the data protection act by demanding it. If she had any common sense, 19 years of needing a Blue Badge should be enough to allow a renewal without all of that nonsense. She now says that she will process the badge in early November just before it expires. Once I have it in my hand I am going for her!
u go for it my friend they r breaking data protection big time. Can u record on ur phone if u can then record conversations with this person then go c a solicitor. she has took a liberty with u, proper abuse of position.
still waiting on the walker they found a couple of i' s I didn't dot. have 2wait till next week 2c my OT(she'll b getting sacked just now) no wonder n.h.s lose no waste so much money
hello m8 jus logged back in ive been sick.ive had pneumonia 4basically 3.5.months and i been sick wid my sats 4times been admitted lowest sat reading 21 the other 3times just slightly higher. sp thats were ive been.
Hi, you can take someone with you if you wish. I think this is a good idea as you'll have two sets of ears and eyes to take in everything that's been said and done. They can also make notes during the assessment if you want them to. This may help when you get the assessment report back at a later stage.
I'm always having medicals won't leave ma alone even seen me said contact in 3yrs had enough I will not apply for anything I'm better if I lived on streets pressure makes me worse cut wrist last Xmas but never mind but do they think we're all spongers I know loads but never say anything. How do they get away with it. Sorry to go on take care xx
Hi my mane is lorraine petrie . I have copd. Anx wear and tear in my hip and back . I get middel pip. I have a care but i am unsure what other help is ther for me
Hi Lorraine, I'm happy to give to a call for a chat to discuss what else there may be for you. Please PM me with your phone number and I'll give you a call.
After being a very active, positive and healthy person, I have suffered ill health for the past 17 months. I am a busy Assistant Head in education and during this period I have had a lot of time off work, (including a 5 month stretch. ) No one has given me a straight diagnosis but I have persistent chest infections.
I am independent and therefore worry about my ability to hold down my demanding job. I enjoy my work but it requires long hours. What are my options? Can my health issues be considered a disability? (lasting well over a year and preventing me from having a normal life and being able to carry out my work.) I fear that the anxiety surrounding the pressure of being financially independent, is not helping my condition. I have always worked and have no knowledge of the benefit system. Please advise.
Hi Biddy, I was turned down for PIP to DLA last September the lady in the face to face said she wasn't a doctor and she would not examine me, I tried to show her all my latest reports from a chest hospital on top of my other disabilities I now have asbestos lung disease but she said she did not need to see them! The following day I was sent to see a DWP doctor for Industrial disease benefit she looked at all my consultant's reports and give me a good examination and put me at 55% disabled, yet the DWP took my DLA mobility away and refused my PIP on what the first lady wrote, Yet they upped my daily living benefit to more than the mobility ? I have just been told my tribunal case is on 3rd Jan 2018 not giving me much time to prepare for it, I don't have transport and don't have anyone to help me at the Tribunal please can you point me in the right direction, How can one person working for the DWP who was not a doctor put me at zero percent and a DWP doctor the next day put me at 55% because of my asbestos lung disease ? many thanks Paul
Hi I've been on pip 3 Ur now and employment support I'm having to fill another email form in, I suffer anxiety I have self harm problems it's causing me anxiety I'm scared of being left with nothing I also have fibromyalgia astma colitis IBS arthritis loads I can't cope now please help I'm so worried xx
Thank you for calling me back so fast Biddy. I think this is a wonderful service you are providing. It is frightening enough when you fall ill, then when you have to fight for benefits it can be a lonely place.
Thanks your kind words. I've been looking for information relating to your question online, and so far haven't fund anything that indicates that you would be at a disadvantage due to your change in circumstances. I'll keep looking after the weekend and get back to you early next week with anything I find.
Hi Biddy I am new to this site and recently been diagnosed with Bronchiectis. I also have chronic fatigue and Fibromyalgia. I am 64 and looking to claim pip before my 65 birthday in June. I dont know how to private message you with my phone number as I would be very grateful for your advice. Many thanks.
Hello biddy I’m struggling just been diagnosed with bronchiectasis and have Athsma been n sick pay and once paid my rent was left with 100 to do me a month asked my employer if he thought that was ok his words were absolutely they over paid me he said yet my wages never went up and took 32o off my last wage even though was no fault of my own I asked why not make up a monthly payment plan instead leaving me skint got no response feel helpless
PM me your phone number and I'll call you tomorrow.
Thanks,
Biddy
Hi I have copd and find it difficult to get around doing housework etc I can't even walk upstairs to loo I'm totally out of breath can I get pip
Biddy_ALUKPartnerBritish Lung Foundation• in reply to
Good afternoon.
PIP is awarded to claimants who have difficulties with mobility and/or 'daily living' needs. These are issues relating to everyday tasks such as washing and bathing, un/dressing, making a meal and taking medication. It's a complex benefit with a very lengthy application so I we could have a chat about it if you wish.
Please PM me your phone number and I'll call you for a chat tomorrow.
Hi Biddy,I'm 55, I suffer with clinical depression and have been on medication since I was 23, I have asthma and moderate Copd. I've not been out barely in 3 yrs due to my anxiety, so on the odd occasions I have been out, for example...doctors, hospitals or shopping i have always had to have ssomeone with me .I've been refused Pip and had no help when i claimed it but felt sure I would be entitled so I did a MR and still received absolutely zero points. I'm really struggling at the moment, its my worst time in years.
Do you there is any point in my trying again to claim? Or should I wait till im severely bad with Copd etc
Did you ever try again for PIP?? Or go down the appeal route?? As I know people who have it for the exact same conditions/reasons as you have!! It’s such an unfair benefit to apply for 😕 However I’m also waiting on a reply from them, & I’m not holding out much hope of getting it either 🙁
Hi again Kittiekatz, Thanks for replying. I tried to start a new application for PIP with help this time from welfare rights who asked me about my previous unsuccessful claim.I told them I had done an MR and still got 0 points and they suggested before starting again I should go for a tribunal despite 4 months having passed since so I did. He showed me how to lodge an appeal saying its worth a try before doing a new application as I would be owed quite a lot if it were successful this time. I didn't hold out much hope but only 2 weeks later I received a phone call from DWP asking me further questions and she said she will ring me back with a decision in 20 mins.
20 mins later she rang back saying I've been awarded standard daily and enhanced mobility and it would all be backdated too.
Needless to say I was shocked as they owed and paid me nearly 10000 in arrears backdated.
I would never have tried again if it wasn't for welfare rights as I had lost all hope but there you go so to anyone else I can say fight for your rights if that's what it takes 💯
Obviously 0pts was just an insult even the decision maker knew it wasn't correct.
Aww that’s fantastic & it’s only right you got the money backdated. I’m so happy you got the advice from welfare rights & went the appeal route rather than a new appeal & then wouldn’t have gotten what you were owed. It’s good to hear when someone gets the outcome they deserve rather than being fobbed off like they do with so many people. I read recently that 2000 people a month were failing telephone consultations 😧 & again I don’t hold out much hope for myself, as mine was a telephone consultation too.
Thank you Biddy . I am currently waiting on a reply over a pip claim been about 10 weeks waiting . My pip claim is for Epilepsy and Copd . If I am refused it’s nice to know I could come to you for some advice which I definitely will. Thank you it’s so kind off you to give your time xx
Hi katie, I felt better after my AZ covid vaccines for a while. If they are thinking to give both the flue and covid vaccine on the same day then I’m not sure if this is an ‘overload’ to our system? Somehow I don’t fancy that, and we know now how to avoid flue so I will always wear my mask in enclosed spaces in winter. I did not have the flue vaccine last year, didn’t get flue and my ‘covid’ infection last September turned out to be meningitis in the sinus and brain from colonised haemophilus Influenzae, my lovely gp has prescribed HIB vaccine to see if that can help me as well as the antibiotics which never clear it completely.
You are very lucky to have your ‘on the ball’ ⚽️ surgery katie.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
BLF Welfare Benefit Advisers to host a Tiny chat on benefits.
Copd, bronchiectasis, asthma and benefits
Big Benefits Survey 2017
COPD - benefits
Travel insurance and advice on help with benefits
