I applied for DLA as I felt I had a legitimate claim and have been refused on ridiculous grounds. Where I had written that I was unable to walk certain distances or needed help with certain things they refused me stating that I had said I could do those things. I rang and complained that it was incorrect and then they turned me down again for the same reasons. I can't understand how they can make such a stupid mistake by saying that I had said I could do them.
I applied October 2011 and have my Tribunal in Sept 2012!!
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AriadneJones
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This has been going on for years. It is a particular problem if you don't have a supportive doctor that you have briefed before the DWP contacts them. I got turned down initially (many years ago now) and on getting a copy of my doctor's report, found that she said I could walk and self-care without help! I complained as I had specifically told them to approach my specialist and not my GP. After they did that, I got DLA.
That wait for a tribunal is ridiculous. I would suggest taking that to your MP. What are you supposed to do in the meantime? More than ever DWP decisions are getting over-turned on appeal because of ATOS (many organisations have complained that their work is appalling). This actually costs the Government more money!
I applied in August 2010 and my tribunal will be April/May 2012...
I had my tribunal for dla yesterday, it was a debacle I just wasnt believe from start to finish, 1st they said they hadnt received any of my medical reports, I had copies with me, then the foreman said my face wasnt wrecked with pain and I wasnt wasnt grimacing enough, my gp has never supported me, my broken vertebrae at t4 was noted as backache my blackout s were noted as a headache, Im now getting help from social service as I need a carer 6 hrs a week my hubby has had a carers assessment[he had a breakdown last year due to the pressures of my illness]my young daughter [13] has had a young carers assessment because this illness has both terrified her and made her very sad, but still no dla
I applied for DLA a couple of months ago and was turned down too. My ability to be on my feet is now limited to minutes and not metres. Am on 4 different types of painkillers several times a day and yet am still in pain. It's making my depression worse. It seems that nobody really understands fibro and none of these bureaucrats understands what a toll constant pain takes on an applicant. I was hoping to use the DLA to apply for a blue badge for my car, without which I'd have been virtually housebound and unable to feed me or my cats, which I was even considering having adopted at one time.
Hi Sammicat15, you can apply for your blue badge even if your not on DLA . I've just been granted mine. If you go to directgov and search blue badge it gives you a link to apply. Hope that helps. x
Thank you Twiglet. Down here in Devon, blue badges are like gold dust, especially without DLA support. I will certainly be applying separately, once my builders have all gone and my scattered wits are re-grouped lol.
I live in Devon and have applied for PIP but don't hope for any positive results as it seems it's their policy to refuse everyone! However, just been for a mobility assessment and am told I'll hear within 7 days if I'm successful for a blue badge. They were really nice there, but whether I'll get one is another matter. If you really have problems walking for whatever reason, it is worth applying. I'm told you should go for blue badge first THEN Pip
i got a blue badge before i applied for DLA i would apply they contact ur doctor for med letter at least thats what they do here in glos xgood luck please try x
i to had to fight the DLA i i was awarded it indefinitely but only lower for both care and mobility in 2010 now i cant do lots of things i could do then but am scared to reapply in case i lose it all together, if they took the time to read properly about conditions such as Fibromyalgia M.E a CFS they would have the knowledge to understand how we all feel and how it changes from day to day>
How Sad to read all this ! I have also been turned down twice and I am preparing to go to tribunial ! Its so frustrating that we are just written off with-out careful investigation , I am almost house-bound , I have to go up the stairs on my bottom because of a leg deformity and i was still refused ,My saddest day came a few weeks ago when i had to re-home my labrador who i had for ten years feeling sad now Take care every-one n dont give up x
That is wicked and you had to give up your dear dog at that late stage in its life. How sad for you both. I do hope you get to see your friend from time to time How sad no one would come and walk your friend for you enabling you both to stay together. I am disgusted at what I'm reading and hearing everywhere about people being turned down. Obviously a tribunal made up of people who are low achievers in life and suddenly find they have a position of power and so abuse it to make themselves feel better. I wonder if they will one day learn that what you give out tends to come back on you? Good luck to you xxx
I think because FMS affects all of us in a different and to varying degrees of pain etc, this why some of us get awarded it and some don't. It could also be due in part to how we describe our condition. I know it shouldn't be. I think if and when it changes to PIP it will be worse, I have seen one of the suggested forms for claiming PIP and I;m sure even more will not be awarded it, sadly !!!
The government is just interested in saving money !!!!!
I'm horrified with the responses from my fellow sufferers - it is shocking to treat us in such a way. I did copy my submission and will go through it with a fine toothcomb, I will also speak to my doctor. I will contact my MP too.
I wish you all good luck in your battles and will let you know how I get on.
I feel so sorry for those of you who are struggling to get DLA. I was turned down the first time and then at the subsequent tribunal so the second time I took my form to the CAB. A lovely lady helped me fill it in and her experience meant that she knew what to say for every question. I told my GP what had happened and he wrote me a letter of support for me to include with my application, plus his secretary gave me copies of all my medical reports. Three months later I received a letter saying that I was entitled to the higher rate for mobility and the middle rate for care.
Like some of you here, I struggle to walk even a few steps now and I can't even carry a cup of tea from the kitchen to the lounge. My husband took redundancy in November to become my full time carer and my life is on the up - he takes me out in my wheelchair and caters for my every need with love and care.
We don't have two pennies to rub together and we had to give our house back to the mortgage company and rent but I have a nice life now and I find I can cope with the pain and illness because my life is far less stressed.
Please try the CAB and get your doctor onside - anything is worth a try.
love and care is hugely important. thank goodness you've got an understanding life partner.
I thought I had it all sorted had CAB they advised high care high mobility, had an advocate with me had all report from neuros psychologist care assessment telling of my disability but sadly to no effect, your asked to sit on the middle chair I shuffled, I was told I shouldnt be abled to do hat, everything I said was shot down, I was asked when I last fell told them I was asked what proof I had, I stated my social worker had seen the bruises, to be honest they dont want to give you the money, my local council is going to pay for a wheelchair, and a carer, its unfair they have to pay the bill, when I should get dla and pay my own way
the different situations and the responses of the claims administrators is terrible. No matter the circumstance, "No" seems to be the default response unless challenged, and even then not without a fight. Stress is a key factor in fibro. I want to say to these people: walk a few yards in my shoes (rather than a mile - my goodness I wish!) and then see how you might feel to be rejected without further thought. I don't mean to be offensive when I say that it would seem that, unless you are dead or dying, you can expect to be treated with disdain by bureaucrats. I want to spit every time I see the PM and Deputy PM doing their "man of the people/being one of you" thing on TV!!
I completly lost it with them Ive had to give up a good job[community support worker] Im doubly incontenent , on bad days my daughter wipes my backside, as I cant do it, Im having a carer, a wheelchair , care link Im being sent to a pain clinic, and due to see a psychologist to help me deal with the serverity of the pain, but still I dont need help
I'm shocked and disgusted by this Lally. Please don't give up. Get your GP to write a letter of support and get your CAB to fill in your form for you because they know all the tricks. I wish I could clone my husband and send him to you. Gentle hugs x
I did get the CAB to fill in the forms, but I tell you honestly if youve got a tribunal coming up dont bank on a positive upcome, I was treated like a mass muderer
Ive started a facebook group called "Help Us" hopefull those that join can have a good moan offer advice as well as receive advise
i'm awaiting a date for a tribunal at the moment, not only did my own GP not help, but when the EMP doctor came out he mentionedthat i have BPPV, but did no mention the pain i had. he also said on 1 page that i live in a town house (which is true), but on another page he said i lived in a ground floor flat. i have been trying to get hold of my welfare officer for this area and i have phoned 3 times and had no phone call back, but today recieved a letter telling me he will visit in 2 weeks time. i'm tryiung to get the EMP report dismissed totally.
could you please give me a link to the FB page please?
just type in help us on facebook you should fins us, , Ive gone through the mill in the last 3 yrs been dx with MS? ME? Fibro? Syringomyelia? my gp never supported my dla even though I can barely ealk need a carer have brain seizure doubly incontentent, I have photophobia double vision and so the list goes on, but Im going to fight,I ve never claimed benefits in my life I put 4 kids through college and uni, so I wont be labelled as a scrounger
just aa thought if your claiming for mobility make sure it states in your reports you can barely walk if your claiming for personnel care make sure all your report state this also
oh my goodness i cant believe how awful everyone is treated. i recently tried to get dla and was turned down not supported by my hospital doctor or gp , it makes me so angry they make you feel like your making it all up ,how do they sleep at night ( hopefully as bad as me )
i fought for years for this.. and at moment i get both mobility and care... keep going.. go to appeal and ask them to send out a doctor to see how u live... leave all ur aids out u use in every room cause he dose go round ur house to make sure ur living like a disabled person.... hope this helps...
hello all... reading all comments gave me shivers... it only proves one has 2 be dying to get help... as am still mobile except wen in 'flare-ups'... DLA application has 2 be shelved until condition gets worse and/or untennable... and even dat will not guarantee needed assistance...
do we have campaigns/petition set up wer we can sign-in?
meantime, tnx all informative comments... here's gentle hugs 2all..
1999 was the first time i had applied for DLA the appeal is a stich up. I had to go privert to get a diganosis of ME/FM and Chronic back Problems. Last year i got it for life so they say. I have home care, need a wheel chair and my scooter to get about. I am in pain all the time, most of the time i am in bed. Its hard on my kids but its taken this long for them to say oh yes she may have a problem. I have been told the condtition was not regongnised, my pain killers should take all the pain away, i never had an accident re- my back pain. They do it so we would stop.
yes i do believe it. i was on dla since 2003. then when i was told i had fibro, i was asked to apply to dla on the next rate. some so called support worker filled my form in wrong. dla stopped my £35.00 extra a week in april 2011. ive hardly had much to live on, and now im told i should have been and to apply again. but not being funny lol (cuz if i didnt laugh, id cry buckets) but have you seen the forms to fill in. thats why im in this mess, cuz i couldnt fill it in before hence it got filled out wrong. now im facing homelessness and no-one wants to help.
Yes they are. The rules for DLA have changed so much that they tend to turn people down first time to see who appeals, that way they are pretty confident that the claimant actually needs the DLA.
Do any of you applying have an OT? They make a massive difference to the claim as if they are involved it shows that you need the extra help. I have one and he is a god send.
Going to the CAB is always good too, they know how to word things in a way that will help you get the DLA.
I get Higher rate mobility and middle rate care and that has taken me years to get. I do though have other conditions. I have also found asking my best friend to fill it in for me has been a good idea as she tends to be more exact about how bad I am, I have this tendency to under play how bad I am. I also got ESA on my first attempt.
If you keep getting refused speak to your Dr and ask them if they were contacted by the DLA and if they were did they support your claim. Sometimes it is all based on that report.
My uncle has been refused and he has cancer and only about a year left max and he was refused purely because a Dr who had never seen him before didn't take the time to look into his notes properly and said he could do all sorts. He has had to wait 6 months for his tribunal.
i applied for dla bk in june 2011 was refused, appeald got to tribunal on 14th feb 2012 and was turned away on the grounds that i could peel on potato and turn a tap on ridiculous aint even close i think that in most cases they just look at the names and stamp yes or no without actually reading through the claiments form, all i would do is exaxtly what im doing now at thats fight them all the way it does help though if you have the backing of you local gp in my case that wasnt to be although they did write me a letter which tbh was of no use. i now have my local CAB office sorting all mine out for me, so much better. in a nut shell yes they will refuse everyone and anyone due to all the fraudulant claims that are made these days.
I have applied for DLA 4 times and been turned down everytime, even though some days i can be confined to bed.. why is it they always go off walking distance, and not take into account that there are many other things we need help with.
Just started to appeal after being turned down today. I suffer from FM and UC. Depression, anxiety and panic attacks. Wish me luck please, I won't give up, I need this to make me believe that someone really knows how much pain I'm in.
there is a group on twitter called atos stories. they getting as many people together. plus i have recently created a facebook page called campaign against atos. please join both and recommend others
I was turned down for PIP my assesors were Capita does this still count. The DWP cam out to fill my form in he made a mess of it. Spelling mistakes and questions incorrectly marked. Was this deliberate. He also did not read out the question regarding home assessment. So i was sent 40 miles was this deliberate too.
i was diagnosed with fibro in 2000 and had severe allergies and asthma..i have had several anaxphalatic shocks to unknown causes. which causes severe panic and anxiety , i can eat or touch something and bang lights out , it terrible to live with that lurking.
.i was successful in a dla claim first time for one year, then without a visit from doctor, then i had a doctor attend who was super and understood fms...then i was award three years, then another 3 then and the same again.
last year i was told i have c.o.p.d obviously making everything worse around coping with daily life. On renewing my claim again.this year i was refused everything not even reduced. from full mobility to zero and full care to zero. i need no help, no i dont have a mobility problem !! apparently i must of had a miracle occur and missed it in my fibro fog. i must be fighting fit now..
. they really are a joke...whilst all this was going on i was told i have an under-active thyroid...and that nasty ectopic heartbeats racing again making me more breathless...seems the worse you get the less you get...and yet some who cope better polish clean and run about in their shiny new cars..holiday etc...and get awards for life...it's so unjust
,two of my sisters also have fibro and one has copd also and is fighting to get sick pay...thatll probably be me next........bitter.?.yes, very and certainly bewildered
hi hun your deffo right about changeing things around as i went for a assesment for esa an they said things that i never said twisting things around an i had sumone with me ,i go for my tribunal at end of july i am dreeding it now as they makeing out that i am not ill an i can work on loads of meds aswell ,carnt do much at all mysellf i hope sumut comes good for me .
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feeling sad now 
Please help me I'm soooo stressed
Pip
A long long battle has been won (yes really!!)
Holidays, are they worth it?
ESA medical
