Benefits and COPD Advice please

[blessings]

What stages does one ask for help with benefits ? Who qualifies ? when you claim , do you go by the worst scenario of what you have suffered with your illness . As yet i do not intend to make any claims at all, as I am newly diagnosed with COPD. But if my illness gets worst , it would be a help to know .....

[stone-UK]

The following link will give you usefull information, and keep you busy for a while.

disabilityrightsuk.org/clai...

[blessings]

thank you Stone xx

[Gordon57]

The best answer would be when you feel that you need to make a claim. Everyone is different,. COPD and other lung diseases affect people in so many different ways that there isn't a stage at which you claim. There's no automatic qualification for any benefit, you have to show that you are unable to carry out tasks that many people find easy. Looking after yourself, walking a given distance, remembering to take your medication, even spelling the word WORLD backwards (one of the tests I had to do last week)

You can get help from many places, the CAB, see if you have a DIAL office near you, Age UK or even the BLF helpline can all point you in the right direction. Be prepared to be rejected and have to appeal.

There are quite a few blogs on here, if you are prepared to read back through them all, where people have applied or asked similar questions before.

Personally, while I was working and able to pay for my own car and could look after myself and eat etc. I would not have claimed. It's only since I lost my job and have no income to support the basics of going out that I've applied for benefits, and have been knocked back. I've appealed and it's ongoing. With a bit of financial help I can get myself mobile again, instead of being trapped in the house.

It's not really down to if your illness gets worse, that's if you let it get worse. Now you've been diagnosed you can manage the COPD with your medication. It takes a bit of getting sued to, but if you are sensible you'll not have a sudden downhill slide and go from being a competent swimmer or walker to a wheelchair bound bag of wheeze. It may not be curable, but it's not as harsh as some conditions, it will take time to get worse, put it that way.

[blessings]

Thank you Gorden , again am so amazed with all of the support here . I was a sniffling wreck and have not been well for some time . I was put down as having severe depression as well anxiety attacks. Its only with in the last two weeks that i actually have been diagnosed as having COPD. The symptoms were literally not being able to breath , and cough where i could not catch my breath , which is why i ended up in hospital. I have holes a well in my lungs ??? Yet now I have been treated with all the right medications i am feeling well again ... Which is confusing to the illness i have been diagnosed with. I feel like its a waiting game for it all to rear its ugly head again .

I have not worked for two years as well, and for sure really understand the isolation that i personally have felt . My quality in life has taken a battering and financially have had to live on 98.00 every two weeks . I have money taken out of my benefits like crisis loans from last winter where benefits were stopped. I was suicidal, and could not understand the debth of my depression , and more so knowing something was not right and really just being dealt with for depression . Its not like i want to play or SPONGE of society for an illness i have just been diagnosed with , yet to be honest extra money in my case would help me have a better quality of life , as well maybe be able to get out more too . I have had to slow down shall we say , in what I DO and get very tired easily after house work . But for sure the treatment i am recieving now has helped ie Nebs steroids and antibiotics . x

[Gordon57 in reply to blessings]

You do need help! See if there is a DIAL near you - scope.org.uk/dial to search yourself or call them on 01302 310123

Your local CAB office may be able to help, but they tend to be overworked and can't always fit everyone in. Age UK (was Age Concern/Help The Aged) are another possibility - ageuk.org.uk/ - and don't forget the BLF helpline on 03000 030 555, have a luagh at the mugshots of the people there at blf.org.uk/Page/Helpline

All of these can advise on benefits and go through your personal situation. It may also be worth checking in with your local MP's office to see if they can help you, It's nothing to do with which political party you support, they are pledged to assist the people in their constituency regardless.

[derrylynne]

First class reply from Gordon57

[Carol_ALUK Partner British Lung Foundation]

Dear Blessings

Please do call us here at the helpline 03000 030 555 were not as scary as we look! (thank you Gordon for posting the link)

Warmest regards

Carol

[blessings in reply to Carol_ALUK]

lol nothing is more scary than not being able to breath xxx That is a pleasure , and thank you so much xxx

[Bumley]

Hi Blessings,

Don't think of yourself as a sponger, like most of the people here you will have paid National Insurance contributions and tax in your lifetime and your entitled to benefits. This Sponger thing is a myth created by the Torys