Hi, I was in receipt of DLA/PIP for numerous years for Behcets, Fibromyalgia, Bursitis in both hips, Tremors, Arthritis etc. I was put under surveillance early this year in March 2018. As they had an allegation made in Feb 2017. They watched me for 2mnths but saw me twice leaving the house, recorded me once. The footage shows me going shopping with my cousin who lives 2 doors away. I explained I’m taking CBD/THC Oil to get a good few normal hours. I was only out to see if I could go back into Charity Work. I was shopping with my cousin for Syria Aid in Aldi. Bought lots of nappies & baby milk. We had £2,500 to spend. I never went back to charity work as I crashed & burnt when I got home. Which I had proof to as well as my cousin didn’t allow me to put my name down.
They have since stopped my PIP & want £13,000 back from 2017 (date of allegation) I’m really confused but petrified on what to do next. I can’t find a solicitor to help me. I can’t afford all that back & since all this I’m getting more flares. Can anybody advise me pls. They’ve called me back in on 6 Dec for another interview regarding money. Too ill to think ahead.
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Bring physician documentation. Legal cannot question the expertise of medical disability. Make sure each Dr writes exact same directives of physical limitations
I had given all that in. They still dismissed it. They say I didn’t notify change in capabilities. As I was bending & walking fine. They recorded me getting out of the house & in car but not my neighbour/cousin getting in car. They drilled me about going out alone. Till I saw my cousin in store with me. I explained she lives 2 doors away. Once over & tape was turned off the Officer said he understood & didn’t want to interview me but was forced by management!😔 Even though I explained my CBD/THC gives me 2-3hrs of relief. I pay £120 for 3ml of pure oil. I only use when I want to look & feel pain free, eg, weddings, family gatherings etc.
Hi Ann Is that what PIP is for personal independence payment to help a disabled person to live the best of their life independently. To help you with support to live as much as posible and give you the same equality to do the same as normal people.
This really worries me because we all have good and bad days. PIP is supposed to be based on our worst days. I feel guilty about receiving PIP but with Behcets there is no way I can do the stuff I used to do. Every day is a challenge. I agree, try your MP.
I’m just so stressed. It’s making me ill. I also feel I can’t use my crutch on bad days as they going to think I’m exaggerating! As in footage I wasn’t. Feel so isolated. I’m scared to leave the house. Worried my mental health is going to back with a vengeance. I was suicidal in 2016-2017. Due to people not believing me & making fun of me.
I live in the States and am not familiar with your UK benefits. However, as a retired lawyer, something doesn't "smell " right here. Do you mean to say that you are on house arrest, and being stalked and spied upon as a consequence of receiving a benefit for disability?
I would follow the advice to involve your govt. representatives, and if that fails, try to go to the press with your story ; a quality newspaper. It seems that they are treating you as as an object of the criminal justice system! Seems more like invasion of privacy, a blatant misunderstanding of autoimmune disorders; ie. good and bad days which we all understand. Just what are the medical qualifications of these people who go around spying on people with disabilities? Do you have names of these people?
When you were awarded this benefit, were you given paperwork that explained your right and responsibilities and an explanation of how any dispute is to be adjudicated. Perhaps this Vasculitis UK site, may be able to rattle some chains.
Or you may need to keep trying for a soliciter who has an interest in discrimination, abuse of power , harassment and the like and threaten suit. Hopefully, these tactics may work. I understand you feel sick and now doubly so. And probably not strong enough to fight back at the moment.
Has anything like this happened to you before? I do empathize with your situation. Take notes as to exactly what happened while your memory is fresh. Good luck; work on getting strong enough to get your fighting spirit back. Solicit your consultant's and GP's support.
I always hate it when money becomes the bottom line when someone is ill. Best of luck to you, and keep us posted.
I guess it’s all under the guidelines of UK benefit system. I don’t have the help financially to seek a good solicitor & the one I did, did F*** all. I wrote all the letters out. Emailed them to her. She replied saying yes perfect send it off. Didn’t edit anything. Now charging me £73 for reading 2 letters. That’s my full weekly benefit money.
Only worry is if I take further & loose I get a Criminal Record in Fraud😔.
I’vecontacted the Behcets Society in UK. Hoping they can help. Not heard from them. A similar case was in the media of a man with MS! The MS Society helped him win it.
I can’t go to Media. Feel ashamed as it’s hard to convince family let alone strangers!!
Yes, it’s happened b4, family!! As I’m a burden on my other half his family want to get rid of me. This is the only way they can. As financial strain is the biggest tool to break healthy couples up...
thank you for taking time out to read my thread xxx
You have nothing to be ashamed of, Anne. So sorry, your husband's family is meddling; you have every right to live your life to the best of your ability. They should be ashamed.
I hope the Bechet's community can help. Governments and bureaucracies can be so intrusive and utterly stupid. And having been a lawyer, (now retired) in the US, there are a lot of bad lawyers who charge for doing nothing. It's endemic.
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