Mobility: Fighting hard to get a blue... - British Liver Trust

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Mobility

Yuiop profile image
50 Replies

Fighting hard to get a blue badge. Fighting to get mobility from PIP

Fight fight fight

Anyone else fighting?

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Yuiop profile image
Yuiop
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50 Replies

Hiya -

I fought but they surrendered straight away! Filled in application form. Stressed problems I had walking. Mentioned my liver problems. Gave names of GP and consultants. Submitted. Waited about a week then had a telephone “interview” - just said it like it was. One week later (and £10) hey presto. It surprised me how easy it was. I think if one mentions liver and transplant it sways it...

Miles

🇧🇧

Yuiop profile image
Yuiop in reply to

£20 here and 6 week wait

alfredthegreat profile image
alfredthegreat

Hi Yuiop. Same as Twosmiles. As regards PIP they could see the evidence in front of their eyes and backed up with a mass of paperwork and specialist letters. As for blue badge you have to let them know just how immobile you are on your worst days. I have a neighbour who really struggles to walk and relies on the neighbours around her to put her waste bins out on collection days and other such chores. She had a blue badge and when it ran out she applied for a new one. On answering the questions on the form she answered honestly that on her good days she could walk a certain distance (one that they had stated on the form) if she really took her time and it was not in wet or icy conditions. The outcome was that they would not award her a new blue badge. She had to change doctors because she couldn't manage the distance from the car park to the surgery. She had to change her shopping habits for the same reason. In my opinion she is a person who should definitely have a blue badge. So make sure when you apply to make sure you put your worst case scenario. All the best. Alfred

in reply toalfredthegreat

What’s PIP, please?

alfredthegreat profile image
alfredthegreat in reply to

Hi Miles. It's Personal Independence Payment. It's a benefit for disability. Alf

in reply toalfredthegreat

Aha thx alf!

Yuiop profile image
Yuiop in reply to

Personal independent payment

Yuiop profile image
Yuiop in reply toalfredthegreat

It's shocking

mrsmerlin profile image
mrsmerlin

/benefitsandwork.co.uk

Anybody having problems with benefits should look at and preferably join this site. They have an amazing success rate because they have access to questionnaires and things.

Not seen anyone fail yet.

Otherwise look online for disability benefits advisors and make an appointment with them.

Never try to do it on your own now, there are far too many traps in the form.

Hope you get sorted really soon

Rita

Xx

Sometimes a report from GP or letter from consultant can help with blue badge - each council handles it differently though.

Yuiop profile image
Yuiop in reply tomrsmerlin

My husband got standard rate and no mobility

I then went to the carers centre and a lovely man filled out a second form for me as change of circumstance

Hopefully this will help as he has filled out hundreds of these forms

I'm part time and when I think of all the costs it certainly puts us well out of pocket

It angers me as we have always worked and seem to struggle to get help now that we need it

in reply toYuiop

Its like having to pay at hospital even when uou have a blue badge, EXCEPT at

Derby - we found a cul de sac leading to children’s hospital and maternity ward entrance that has got about 12 disabled bays and they’re free!! The thing is it’s not an advertised car park, and you wouldn’t know it was there, unless, as we did, you come out of the hospital exit right where they are!

QE hospital Birmingham- near the Heritage Centre the car park there is free for disabled visitors. There may be other car parks...

Miles

🇧🇧

Yuiop profile image
Yuiop in reply to

For local hospital we park 2 bus stops away and get the bus in as it stops at the hospital door

mrsmerlin profile image
mrsmerlin in reply toYuiop

Hi

I'm glad someone filled it out for you. On my own I was refused but with them filling the form (A4U as I'm in shropshire) I went straight to high mobility and mid rate care - still DLA for me. I know I qualify for high care now but i dont want to rock the boat.

It's crazy how thry make us fight so hard. I was refused the first time as on my form I mentioned having a unit in the bathroom I could use to stand up from toilet. I was refused because at tribunal I said my daughter sometimes has to help me. They said I was lying and didn't accept that we have 2 toilets 🙄. That's for a separate condition though.

I hope you get what you deserve, it is obvious you need the mobility car. It's

Hope you hear soon. Please go to tribunal if they refuse as it's automatic for them to refuse a certain number.

Rita xx

Yuiop profile image
Yuiop in reply tomrsmerlin

I paid £20 for this but still had to go for help

in reply toYuiop

I may have paid £20 - I was just so glad to get it...

Yuiop profile image
Yuiop in reply to

Hi twosmiles, these comments are a bit mixed up, I paid £20 for the benifit website.. I will happily pay £20 for a blue badge

Gfdee profile image
Gfdee in reply tomrsmerlin

Ii

Gfdee profile image
Gfdee in reply toGfdee

I failed, yet I am being badgered to get to Kings College to get on the transplant list with a view if 12 to 18 month !imit. I provided the paperwork and on the face to face, in spite if of having fallen a couple of days before, i was considered to walk normally and to be able to have fine motor skills as i was able to zip my fleece up on my own. I appealed and still got rejected.

jojokarak profile image
jojokarak

It took me 2 years to get my pip and I got it after I had my transplant was disgusting the way they treated me and that was with all the evidence citizens advice helped me

in reply tojojokarak

So who can get PIP, any responses welcome. I’ve been off work 4 years and not had anything. I also, proving I know nothing, didn’t think about the impact on my government pension of not paying NI because I was so used to employer paying. Yes, no need to tell me, please, I am a PLONKER

Miles

🇧🇧

jojokarak profile image
jojokarak in reply to

I don't get pip now even though I have been advised to go for it again from citizens advice ... And it's anyone with long term medical problems I know you can get it even if your working your best bet miles is to go citizens advice they will help you out with it all x

in reply tojojokarak

Thx jojo (and hello again - long time no see - on here that is?). I’m not working - need to sleep too much.

Why are you not going for it? You obviously don’t have to say 😁

Miles

AyrshireK profile image
AyrshireK in reply to

There are two benefits available for the long term sick - Employment and Support Allowance has now become part of the dreaded Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment. Details of both are on the .gov web page at:-

gov.uk/employment-support-a...

gov.uk/pip

Have a look at the pages but seek help before applying. I find the Benefits and Work page amazing in taking you through step by step how to fill in the paperwork and every stage from first phone call to proofs needed, how to present yourself at face-to-face assessments etc.

benefitsandwork.co.uk/

Citizen's Advice and local council Welfare Rights Officers are useful too.

My hubby has been getting Employment Support Allowance since he first took ill (April 2012) and has been classed unfit for work. PIP proved a battle including a zero score at first face-to-face assessment and need to go all the way to appeal tribunal. Since then he's been receiving enhanced rate daily living allowance and basic rate mobility.

It can be a battle but it is possible.

Katie

smp071266 profile image
smp071266 in reply toAyrshireK

Careful with ESA. I didn’t inform them soon enough that I had returned to work and have been hit wit a £50 fine and have to pay back £800 overpayment. Thankfully I didn’t spend it as I kinda knew something like this would happen 😬

in reply toAyrshireK

Thanks very much Katie!

alfredthegreat profile image
alfredthegreat in reply to

Hi Elmis. It works on a points system for mobility + Every day living. Like if there are any tasks you cannot do for yourself then you get so many points for each thing. Things like dressing, washing yourself, cooking, taking your meds etc. etc. If certain things have to be done for you then you are awarded higher points. If you have to be assisted doing certain things then you still get awarded points but not as many. Then the points are totaled and that decides what level of benefit you get (or not, in some cases). There are lots of tasks on the forms. Some you may be able to perform (and so get no points) and others that you can't (and so you get points). Hope that this has helped make it a bit clearer (or maybe it's made it as clear as mud!! lol) Get Raft Here Lad.

in reply toalfredthegreat

Hmm..I can’t think of much except one, so not much chance for me. 🤭

alfredthegreat profile image
alfredthegreat in reply to

memory comes into it too. Like can you remember to take your meds or do you have to be prompted. You get points if you wear hearing aids or use a walking stick or any other thing to aid your walking. Or if you have to be helped to get up from a sitting or laying position. There are lots of questions to cover all aspects of mobility and day to day living. I know someone who works full time and gets some PIPs. Alf

in reply toalfredthegreat

Omg freddie

I was sooo slow again and when

I saw elmis I didn’t realise you were talking to me. But being a verbose so and so I commented anyway hahahahaha...

Yuiop profile image
Yuiop in reply to

Anyone can get PIP whether you work or not, it isn't means tested, as long as you can prove you have a disability

Yuiop profile image
Yuiop in reply tojojokarak

It's terrible, yet we are only asking because we need it, I didn't realise the cost of disability

Hi

When I went to my face to face interview I was warned that they will ask you a question and then ask it again with different wording to see if you give the same answer and sure enough that is what they did but I was ready!! Ha ha. I got standard on both. Good luck. Love and hugs Lynne xxxx

in reply to

Gosh Lynne sounds like an exam! Did you pass go and collect £200?

What is “standard”, please?

I “like” your post 😁😁😁😁😁🤭🤭🤭🤭

Miles

in reply to

Standard is one level of payment, the other is enhanced, I think. This is the higher one. I was just relieved to get something and not having to appeal like soany others have had to do. O just told them the the truth and told it like a is. I made sure I didn't leave anything out!!, Love and hugs Lynne xxxx

in reply to

Ahh thanks Lynne...it all sounds very stressful which used to drive me to Vimto 👎🏻

Don’t know if I could cope atm.

Anyway why are you awake at this time? Ah yes you, like me, have trouble sleeping. - I remember you saying....There seems to be lots of us in this boat. Side effect of several of the meds I have! And I expect you have as well ☹️

Miles

mrsmerlin profile image
mrsmerlin

Another thing that worked wonders for us was hubby got a carers needs review. It meant a social worker being assigned which was scary at first.

She wrote the most detailed report on my needs as well as his.

I was given a special mattress for my bed (hospital bed) and other equipment within 24 hours. That report is filed with all hospital and blood test letters.

Oh and Miles PIP is the new benefit tgat replaces DLA for all new claimants. Best of luck with your claim. From reading previous posts of yours I would say you definitely say you qualify.

Forgot to say, insist on interview being recorded, never go alone and always talk about your worst day. Be careful as you get out if a car to go in for interview and how you walk - it's actually filmed and forms part of your mobility assessment.

Rita xx

Yuiop profile image
Yuiop in reply tomrsmerlin

They came to our house the last time, not sure it helped as he wasn’t short of breath, she saw him take 3 steps into the room, he sat on the arm of the sofa, because if he had sat on the sofa seat he would never have gotten up again. Live and learn .

mrsmerlin profile image
mrsmerlin in reply toYuiop

It's so wrong. It's our doctors who should be able to say if we're disabled not someone with no medical trading in an office, or as is now the case a librarian helping you from the checkout desk in an open library!

Yuiop profile image
Yuiop in reply tomrsmerlin

Correct!

Louisepeters profile image
Louisepeters

I certainly am. Had a liver transplant nearly 10 years ago. I am suffering very bad side effects from the immune suppressives but am just about managing to cope, although it stops me doing many day to day tasks. I have had multiple slipped discs and a fracture of the spine. At night time I cannot walk at all and am in pain 24/7. At the moment I am having CBT has I suffer with panic attacks and depression. Up until 2 years ago I was on a high rate of DBL - mobility. Now I have a standard rate of PIP and the mobility has been stopped altogether. I appealed straight away and this has been going on since the beginning of 2017. Next Friday I have a THIRD Tribunals hearing. The first one, I collapsed the 2nd one was a warning, that if I carry on the standard rate could also be taken away from me. You are right. FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT. I wish you all the best. Perhaps you could let us know how it goes on further with you. GOOD LUCK. xx

Yuiop profile image
Yuiop

Well! Social worker on transplant ward said hubby should definitely be getting mobility ! Hhhmmmm

AyrshireK profile image
AyrshireK in reply toYuiop

Social Worker at Edinburgh gave hubby a letter for his first PIP appeal and we'd never even met her.

Best wishes today, Friday afternoon is very looong, we were just pleased hubby had a lovely chap beside him on the ward and he had so much in common with us both that we kept chatting all afternoon and it went in eventually. The walk to the wee room seems like an eternity, my hubbies decision was he'd be listed after they did the procedure on aneurysms they'd found during the CT scan and he was a couple of weeks later - we never had any paperwork to sign which we always found weird. Anyway delisted 10 months later 'cos his liver stabilised.

Good luck today, hopefully you'll be off home but packing that hospital grab bag as soon as you're in.

Katie

Yuiop profile image
Yuiop in reply toAyrshireK

ThAnks Katie, social worker told us yesterday he should be getting mobility . The day has come that will hold our future. X

Agnes

Snorkers65 profile image
Snorkers65

I asked my GP for a DS1500 and my PIP and Blue Badge were sorted in less than a week.. obviously to get a DS1500 things have to be very serious but worth asking..

Yuiop profile image
Yuiop in reply toSnorkers65

Thanks, we have filled out and submitted a blue badge application to our local council, hopefully we can buy one. When he gets assessed for PIP hopefully soon we can now give them the number for the social worker at the transplant unit, she said he should be getting it .

Snorkers65 profile image
Snorkers65 in reply toYuiop

I just emailed my DS1500 to DWP and the Council - no form filling for PIP and just the standard online form for Blue Badge.

Yuiop profile image
Yuiop in reply toSnorkers65

It’s standard we have applied for. It’s for hospital appointments as it’s a nightmare trying to get near the door.

in reply toYuiop

Great advice everyone, looks like I have the appointments coming up, I’ll remember being filmed getting out of a car. Shame they weren’t there when I fell flat on my face getting out of a taxi. One thing the Royal Free advisor told me is not to go for the ‘worst day scenario! rather can you do this, safely, reliably and repeatedly’.

Just found this post, firstly how is decision day going? Hopefully all positive.

Getting the blue badge sorted was the easy bit, even though I had to appeal. Now dealing with the DWP, the waste makes me laugh, no point stressing, I am still alive, roof over my head and food on the table.

Got the adviser at the Royal Free to help with the pink form. This has cleared medical and now moves onto decision making, which bit am I missing?

Yuiop profile image
Yuiop in reply to

Find out about 5pm. Not be long now.

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