council vs dla

[ziggyinhants]

so i rang my council yesterday to become registered disabled no probs.... even they said a lot of people are having problems with dla. So the fun shall begin. hope everyone has a painless weekend soft hugs xx

[Tendo]

I didn't know that you could be registered disabled with your Council. Which department did you tell, and what do they help you with?

[ziggyinhants]

i went to my council which is hampshire county council ?( now i knew about this for years as both my husband and son have this card) all you do is ring them and tell them you want to be registered disabled. it takes 15- 30 min to answer there questions, they then send you a form to fill in and you send it back. they send you a yellow card (its good for 5 years) where if your anywhere say shopping and you fall or need assistance you show your yellow card which had emerganct details on it for them to call. But with this card it gets you into things like zoos or swimming free or 1/2 price events (depending where you go best to check out there sites before you go). We live in andover where Nothing is free so we go to basingstoke were we all get free swimming at the huge pool. but it gives you a chance to get out! which is a good thing but its also used for emergencies at the same time.i find it very useful please ring your council and see if they have same resourses.

[velvetv]

DLA is not easy to get but my advice to you is get as many organisations on side as you can. Go to your local CAB (citizens advice) & your local disability advocacy service. Get them to assist with your claim & expect to be turned down the first time you apply. Appeal & appeal again. Get as much information as you can to back up your claim. Letters from Doctor, Hospital, friends & family who see you frequently.

When filling in forms for DLA your award is worked out on a points system depending on the answers given on your claim form. A lot of claims are rejected because people don't answer the questions based on their worst days not their best ones. We all have days we can do more than others & feel guilty if we answer the questions according to our worst days not our best, but that will not do you any good in a claim.

The forms are misleading, the questions are not based on if you can do things like walk up stairs or lift your hands above your head, or pick something up. They are based on 'if doing these things causes you extreme discomfort'. I can walk but I can't walk without extreme discomfort. I can bend over to pick something up but can't do it without the risk of falling on the floor alongside the item I'm trying to pick up. I can lift my hands up above my head but after 30 seconds of doing so am in considerable pain which lasts for up to an hour after.

Fill in all forms according to your worst days & the effect doing each activity has on you.

As for registering with the council as disabled.... You may want to get an OT assessment as that is where you will get the real assistance with things like adaptations for your home. Just being registered as disabled will not necessarily get you assistance with such things.

I live on the 2nd floor with no lift, My OT sent a request to my Housing & Community services dept. at my local council for a stair rail to be put on the wall side of the stairs & a level access shower. The stair rail has been installed (even though the property is listed) & I'm now waiting for a date for the installation of the shower which has been approved. The Occupational Therapist Assessment is invaluable if you need any adaptations or equipment to help you on a daily basis. Having an OT assessment will also carry weight with getting a move if you are in unsuitable accommodation.

[ziggyinhants]

yes i am doing this we have had a lot of help via hubbys workers but they are taking on my needs now as well and they are brill...

[nicely]

well what happened in my case i am up nearly every night in sheer agony have been waiting for a shower room and stair lift all been approved also i use a bed stick a walking stick,a rise and fall chair all with the help from my lovely occupational therapist the shower and stair lift will be installed in a couple of weeks after waiting over a year i was getting hrm and lrc until my breathing was very bad so i put in for hrc because of all the extra help i needed i didnt get it and appealed in the meantime i was asked to go to a atos assessment who promptly put me on the support group i then put in for the hrc again after advice i got it but was told i could still go through with my tribunal appeal i went the rude judge not only beleived a word i said she was extremly rude the dr was implying my breathlessness was down to my overweight although losing 3 and a half stone loss which i just had a gastric by pass and hiatus hernia repaired done less than a month ago because of sleep apnea and osteoarthrits in my knees and a disgenaretd disc in my spine as well as fibromyalgia and asthma i was told to sit in a great heavy chair in the middle of the table which i had to move to sit in i struggled indeed and tore my wounds open and bleed not only all of this the judge had great pleasure in telling me there is nothing a matter with me and said im not entitled to any components rate of any kind and also for the last 2 years where is the justice in that and where do i turn to now xx