Woke up this morning feeling halfway decent - THEN!

[Bronch1noGO]

Well I woke this morning feeling pretty half way decent not as bad as I have been for the last couple of days, then disaster strikes in the form of the dreaded "Brown envelope" from those who live on another planet. I thought it was a bit too quick as it was on 1st October that a doctor from the medical services called to interview me about my claim for DLA. He said it would take up to 6 weeks before I had a reply as they requested my medical information from the consultant, physio, GP & nurse. Well to cut a long story short it's a NO to mobilty & care. Letter states in short.

How I made my decision

I made my decision using the information about your illnesses and disabilities from:

Your claim form

the health care professional who examined you on 01/10/2012

including details about any:

current treatment

medication

test results

symptoms

I consider this information to be the most suitable available and enough to decide how much help you need.

The best laugh is

You can walk:

400 metres

at a normal speed

in a normal manner

and

Guidance or supervision

You need help:

for comfort and reassurance

followed by a load more rubbish, they seem to know a lot about my requirements from a doctor who just asked a few questions, asked consistently how long do I watch daytime tv every day, then proceeded to ask to listen to my chest (quite ineffectedly I think) them ask to see me up 3 stairs walked back into romm said lay on settee (yes I had hubby there) to examine me

I could rant on forever but where will it get me. I'm looking to appeal but I'm worried in case I get it all wrong. I'd filled in my form on a bad day and had had a long period of bad times but when the doctor came I'd been well (well sort of) for 2 weeks. Still into battle I go I know there are others here who are a million times worse than me who don't get it but I have to hope.

Karen

Forgot to say I don't watch daytime tv and hubby told him that on the 3-4 times he asked!

[junegirl]

Hi Karen, im in same boat and mine said more or less the same, it was as if he was talking about someone else, my advice to you is take a deep breath get hold of cab to help you with your appeal they are experts in this area, and above all good luck and dont take to heart what some stranger has said, they are being told to fail everyone debsx

[Hidden]

Hi

rather than go the appeals route, ask for a revision of there decision, ring BLF help line, for help in composing letter, it is fairly generic. Asking for the case papers will show you how they reached ther conclusion.

One stubbling block, 400 metres, that is 40 times above the threshold, for being 'virtualy unable to walk' was this a typing error.?

[Bronch1noGO]

Nope it isn't a typing error of my doing it most definitely states that I can walk 400 meters at a normal speed in a normal manner - I should say that he didn't see me walk other than in my home and I do walk with a limp due to arthritis in my back,hips & knees. When asked how far I can walk without stopping I said if I go out my door to cross the road that's too far and it's a narrow side street, though he was wearing dark glasses maybe he has visual aswell as hearing problems. I'm just annoyed that they make me feel such a fraud and so dependent on others for supervision & guidance for my comfort & reassurance - I'm a stubborn redhead and leave things till I'm practically dying before seeing my gp or nurse, like so many others here I don't like admitting I do need help.

Karen

[Hidden in reply to Bronch1noGO]

hi

it sounds like he as ask a question about outside,( where you said you catch a bus at the corner to go doctors,) or something of that nature, he already knows or checks on is way out, and measures 400. which he indicates on his report. where as in reality you walk rest walk rest ect. ring BLF help required.

[Terrel_BLFHelpline British Lung Foundation]

Hello

We have a benefits adviser on the helpline today, who will be happy to go through any of your benefit issues.

Best Wishes

Terrel

[Gordon57]

You need to reject this decision ASAP and get them to re-evaluate your case. Make your objections very clear, that there is no way you would cover 40 metres, never mind 400, without 'severe discomfort', that's the term they use. You have to spell out the need to stop and regain your breath and strength to go on.

It's well known that a very high percentage of DLA claims are rejected following initial application. A lot of people will just give up at that stage. I had a similar letter, although they did say in mine that I could walk 'slowly' and 'in a reasonable manner' without specifying a distance.

I've appealed. They only give you a few weeks in which to do that so please get some advice on that. The crazy thing is that they then sent a letter to say "if you don't hear from us within 11 weeks please contact us".

I've not had a visit from a "health care professional", but I would be making darned sure they are a real doctor and not just some ATOS robot who is paid to distort their report...

[Hidden]

I rejected their decision to refuse me the care component and demanded to know where they had got such erroneous information from as it was not from me and they appeared not to have bothered contacting my consultant. I was pretty adamant on the telephone that I would not accept the decision and was told the decision would be reviewed. It was and the it was changed without need of going to appeal. Good luck.

[Gordon57 in reply to Hidden]

One tip for anyone dealing with the DWP, or any official body come to that, try to avoid the telephone and send letters instead. That was there can be no dispute over who has said what and when.

I learned that the hard way when I called to reduce a mortgage payment once, because the car broke down and we had to pay to get it fixed. The mortgage company took double the month after and said I had agreed to that on the phone. Strange that they could not produce a recording of that conversation and I was very sure I had not done any such thing, because I knew we would not be able to afford to do that. It took a week to get the bank to reverse the payment in our favour. Mainly on the grounds that they should not have taken anything without us calling them as they had re-used some debit card details.

Now I refuse to talk to them on the phone, they can call me obstructive and non-cooperative as much as they like, I simply don't trust them.

[Maximonkey]

I agree with everything you have all said. Being ill is bad enough without feeling like a bad person for needing help. I had 2 appeals and 1 revised decision before I was given DLA 2 yrs ago. Because I was having an op on my foot the powers that be thought I "would become more mobile" and my lung issues would fade away". Of course they did not and when I was diagnosed with Bronchiectasis I began the process of filling in the forms so that they could review my situation. It took me 5 weeks of slowly filling in the form (by hand, my hands shake very badly when I write for too long) no form on line available, I even rang them and begged them not to put me thro this and to contact my consultant and GP. No go.

I eventually finished the form, got all the copy letters from my doctor re: all consultations, plus her letter of support, and sent the darn thing off.

8 weeks later I received their reply, Yes, you have guessed it, they have given me the same level of mobility and home care as before for 1yr more, "In case my health improves". What a joke. I know everyone in the DLA offices must be fed but with all the claims and their guide lines must be a joke, even to them. But come on are any of us going to get better???? I feel better for that rant. Maximonkey.

[lizziec1]

hey Karen, I can walk down to visit you if you like either Monday or Tuesday of this week, before we go to Breathe Easy. In order to retain confidentiality, just give me the number of your house and I know the road. Perhaps we can have a coffee at your place. Let me know what you think? Lizzie xx