After reading everyone's post I am grateful to live in Australia. Getting the mobility allowance and the disability allowance is just one interview and then that's it. There are no more assesments. I have been on it now for five years. The disability that is, and unless things change in your condition you stay on it. You do need to call centrelink if there are changes to your health, but no waiting after letter from doctor. A month at the most, well that was for me and others I know. Some people do have problems though, but I have found these same people apply for it for health conditions that they could still work part time. All the best to you all.
Shadycurt Jan
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shadycurt3160
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I am so pleased that you were able to get your benefit without having to jump through all the hoops we have to do in England. I am sure that they make it so complex in the hope that people will give up.x
Yes that is something else that has crossed my mind as though they think we are all malingerers and of course as you say if we haven't got the knowledge or strength to go through all the system or perhaps some can afford not to then that is another one crossed off their list. I know with the ESA in my case when it came up for renewal by the time it came to tribunal there were only a few months for me to go to retirement when it would have stopped in any case and my OH begged me not to go as he had had such a bad experience when he went having to wait 2 years to get a verdict. I never thought they would try to bring that into the equation that I did not go to tribunal when I was reapplying for DLA it shows that they can be "joined up" when it suits them.
I noticed that both hubby and i are due for reassessment just a few months before our 65th birthdays. If you are already on pip when you reach 65 you stay on it, but you cannot apply for it after 65. so if they can stop your pip just before your birthday it could mean that if you are not careful you could lose it.
Yes they are. I was one of those just caught out in the DLA/PIP chaneover so I am on DLA but in March next year it expires and I have to applt for PIP and I have done the tesy and reckon I will miss it unless I suddenly get worse by one point as of course they have chaned some of the descriptors. I could easily sit back and let my OH do everything for me but I prefer to struggle on and try and do things for myself whenever I can but it might cause me alot of pain and distress to do that but it seems with the PIP unless you can;t do it you get no points. Oh happy days.x
Dont give up they can come up with surprises. No way did i think that i would even get basic mobility so it came as a shock when i was awarded the enhanced rate. I had been totally honest and had told them that i could walk around a supermarket slowly and hanging on to the trolley and that i could walk for a fair distance but very slowly and that both left me exhausted.
It helped that unknown to me my Rhumys report backed me up.
Good for you, as you say surprises do sometimes happen. My friend was amazed that she was given the Blue Badge this time but was fortunate that they examined her just before she was due a knee operation on a very cold, damp day and her COPD played up. As she said on a calm, warm day and after the op she doubts whether she would have got it.
I have the problem with my Pain Specialist that according to his secretary he has no time to fill in any forms that he hasn't absolutely got to so he would ignore any letters asking for reports. The only evidence I have to say anything is the letters they send about what treatment I have had e.g. electronic acupuncture after my appt. I have also had a new doctor ( after having the last one for over 30 years who was excellent in supporting me )and he knows nothing about me so any letter he did would just be a list of my meds. We can but try.
Aren't those shopping trollies are blessing. My doctor tried to get me a walker. I said no way. How far can I walk for God's sake. I use a shopping trolly to support my weight (Am on steriods, hardly eat except for fruit and veg. I haven't had carbs in over a year. No ice cream, no cakes no nothing an yet I went from 47kilos at 4ft 10inches to 70kilos as if that's not depressing enough, it does help the pain though on top of my other strong meds. Oxy-contin and endone. I know they are called the evil drugs but with my allergies I have no other choice. So down they go and I have a short list, jump in a cab (Jump) Ha, Ha. So I get in a cab and get out and grab a trolly. I only get half an hour of walking around. Then I'm screwed. But the disability pension here is for life and even at 65 it still continues. I am so sorry for all of you who have to jump through hoops, that is just worse than animal cruilty. Anyway everyone, never give up, it's not our fault we get struck down in our prime and can't walk let alone work. I will be thinking of all of you. All the best Jan.
Maybe different rules apply in your country, I can tell you when my daughter was waiting to be seen, there was about 20 or so people waiting, out of that 20 people there was only two people who could speak English that was myself and my daughter.
So maybe you now know why they make you jump through them hops.
I know you should never judge a book by its cover, but really??
These people who really need this and the stress they get from having to go through all these test etc in unbelievable.
But when you see these other people just play the system and get the money, it does make you think.
Tell me if my daughter came to live in your country, would she still be able to claim this, would be nice to know.
My son going to Australia for 3 weeks next year .
So would be interesting to know if my daughter came to live in the country you live in would she be able to claim this there.
That's a really interesting question. I know if your daughter were to come over here and marry an Australian she would then be automatically entitled to benefits, based on her husbands income. And if she doesn't mind the oppressive heat, and when I say heat, I really mean it. We have 3 months out of the year when the weather is comfortable. It actually drops down to the low 20 degree mark and 10 degrees an upward at night. I love it then. Do you know what I have seen when trying to get benefits? It's always the honest people like us that suffer and then the other people who cheat the system seem to breeze through without a care or a concious. Here $650.00 is the amount of disability you receive per fortnight. Then if you are paying rent then you get rental assistance on top of that. Then if you are studying at home, corrospondance or at a college, or you volunteer somewhere for 12 hours a week you are entitled to what's called a mobility allowance which is $83.00 per fort night. I live in a lovely detatched home through department of housing so do not qualify for rental assistance, but my rent is cheap. My back is too bad to even think of doing volunteer work so I don't qualify for mobility allowance. Well that gives you all the information about costing here in Australia if your daughter comes over I imagine if she remains single she would have to become a citizen? The rent here depends on where you live like anywhere. But it cost about $270.00 up to $600.00 a week for rentals. There is a shortage of aged care workers here in all states, so that's something that could be studied, depending on how much your daughter can do. Anyway Sharron hope this covers everything you need to know. Best of luck with everything.
I wish our gov could learn from yours it took me twelve months almost to the day to get my Disability for something I have suffered from for 15 years, i worked right up to 6 years ago, I literally dropped, on the job, the whole process made me feel like a crimnal despite working for 33 years and paying full stamp, I believe I have to go through it all again in two years time as award for three years but backdated for 12 months, they can see from my medical records its not going away. Gentle hugs.
I sincerely hope that you are feeling as well as you possibly can be today? I think your system in Australia is much better than the UK system, and I am delighted that ti works so well. The emphasis over here is to prove your disability on a regular basis and it really doesn't feel fair half the time!
It really upsets me to know people who are so unwell that even getting out of bed is such a huge effort, then you have to fight the goverment. We are lucky here down under. how many people have to go on suffering not only with constant pain but trying to put food on the table. This would just cause so much depression, which we all know makes our pain worse. I am so sorry to all of you and know my thoughts are with you as I know how you must feel. Lots of hugs are what you need and a simple "I love you" goes a long way when it comes from family and friends. A phone call to see how you are, it's the little things like these that are so important to our health. If people only knew, but then they'd have to go through it and I wouldn't wish that on anyone. Good luck to all once again. (Shadycurt) Jan
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