Brain injury - disabled?

[Plenty]

If you have a severe brain injury are you classed as disabled?

Maybe relevant e.g for applying for voluntary roles or booking holidays etc...

[pinkvision]

I think if you have not been awarded PIP or other disability benefit then you are not considered disabled. There may be other assessment options, I don't think your GP can class you or the brain injury unit you attend can either. I think they have input but cannot make the decision. Being diagnosed does not assume disability. I don't know this all as fact but it is what I understand from my experiences.

[Marnie22 in reply to pinkvision]

It is a legal definition that's not tied to any benefits or awards. There are still references to people being 'registered as disabled,' but no such register exists. Sometimes different organisations require proof of an award of benefits to count a person as disabled, but that's their policy rather than a legal definition.

🙂🌸

[RogerCMerriman]

gov.uk/definition-of-disabi...

Is not a bad place to start, Perhaps surprising the Gov doesn’t make a choice about you, nor is it necessary linked to benefits etc, for some it’s obvious for others less so.

Do call myself disabled? No, do i tick the box on forms etc yes, I’ve had to reduce my hours at work and lots of other life changes to cope, for myself it’s that well I look so well/fit that using the term is likely just to confuse.

[Marnie22 in reply to RogerCMerriman]

I do understand your viewpoint, but I use the term 'disabled' to describe myself partly because I think it's important to raise awareness about so called 'invisible' disabilities.

🙂🌸

[Marnie22]

Here is the legal definition:

In the Equality Act a disability means a physical or a mental condition which has a substantial and long-term impact on your ability to do normal day to day activities. . Feb 2020

equalityhumanrights

This definition is used by government agencies etc.

🙂🌸

[sospan]

The actual word "disabled" is probably one of the most leading adjectives when applied to people. It is just a lable.

I always use two examples, the now disgraced paralympian Oscar Pistorius lost the lower portion of his legs but could still run faster than people with two legs. Stephen Hawking had a Motor Neurone Disease that that results in the death of motor neurones in the brain and spinal cord but yet was much more intelligent than many of us.

Disabled probably not, have limits yes

[Marnie22 in reply to sospan]

I it think it all depends on the context it is used in and on people's perceptions of what it means.

🙂🌸

[sospan in reply to Marnie22]

I agree, context has a lot to do with things. Disabled in most contexts usually means, not being available or able to be used. Which as we know isn't really the case.

Whilst not wanting to join the "polically correct" crowd, some of the terms in use today aren't that good. Take for instance the term "black" or "white" whilst refereing to peoples ethinicity is quite odd. I am ethinically classed as "white" but in the summer in an light brown because of a tan, then, in the winter in am more of a rosy red colour because of the cold - but can then turn blue if it is too cold, red when I am too hot or embarrased, green when I am sick or envious, grey when I am ill, rarely am I white more likely coloured - which in itself is a derogatory word.

Too much thinking for a Monday morning

[Plenty]

Thanks for the replies.

As we know it’s not easy to get PIP, but after an appeal, I got it. So it would probably be more straight forward and less stressful if a particular life changing injury just confirmed the disability.

Therefore helping others access the correct help.

I managed to receive a disabled blue badge (thanks to headway guidance). Not proud of it, but it’s been very helpful. As brain injuries are an unseen disability, I worry that some people may think you are just blagging it.

[sospan in reply to Plenty]

I get it all the time, I tend to wear "tradesmen" clothes a lot - (because they are harder wearing and more comfortable) and get lots of comments - "can't be much wrong with him if he is working !" - which not only brings in the hidden disability but the belief that people with a "disability" can't work !

[Pairofboots]

I am classed as disabled following a stroke in 2011. It took me a long time to accept that I was less able than I had been.

Being retired on medical grounds was a clue. But even though I had not been able to work for the year leading to this, I was still in denial.

I hate filling in forms, because this brings it home. In my little world I can con myself, but as soon as I leave the house, I can see the problems I have.

Not all injuries will lead to a disability, the brain is quite good at compensating in some cases. But often there is a change in the person.

Yes I get ESA (support group), and I get PIP. The brain injury is probably lesser of impact, it is more the global effect that makes up the disability.

Something that I only found out from headway is around council tax. I didn't think that I would necessarily qualify. But under the Housing Act, if you are classed as severely impaired, you are exempt from council tax. This you can claim right back to the point of injury. To claim, you get a form from the council that your GP completes. This is a yes, no form, either you are or not. If you live with a partner, then it gives a 25% discount.

I do try hard not to be disabled, but there are so many things that I am limited to do.

You can if able do some voluntary work, but you need to run this by the DWP, it is classed as rehabilitation activity, I think it is limited to 15hrs per week.

Holidays, I've only had one since my stroke, it was highlighted that I was disabled, but it made little difference. There are specialist holiday firms that are there for disabled people, but I have not explored these.

Whether or not you are disabled is a choice you can make for yourself. Legally from the point of view of benefits, if you can claim, then claim.

From employment, it is a self declaration, but you will need to prove your disability for the employer to make reasonable adjustments, but this doesn't prevent you from claiming PIP, as this is a benefit to enable you.

[Plenty in reply to Pairofboots]

As you say “you will need to prove your disability for the employer to make reasonable adjustments “

How do you do this?

[Pairofboots in reply to Plenty]

Hi, it is usually a letter from your GP or Consultant. This is only disclosed to HR, and noted on the shortlisting, because as someone with a disability, assuming you forfil the job requirements, you must be interviewed. Obviously, there will be some jobs that cannot have reasonable adjustments made, so you have to be realistic.

[Guppygould]

In a legal sense, it probably does count. I had a GCS score of 3 and don't consider myself disabled. Sure, I have pretty much all the "effects of brain injury" listed on the Headway site to varying degrees (plus some more.) Generally speaking, I am not a fan of 'labels', I think that it is extremely lazy and get frustrated at the way the world collectively groups people into boxes. Everyone is an individual.

I struggle with some things, but do well at others... Just like anybody else that you'd meet in the street!

If you like to be part of a group and identify with it, that's absolutely fine. Speaking for myself, I'd rather be considered as an individual.

[HungryHufflepuff]

Until I moved to the U.K. 8 years ago, I was classed as handicapped in the middle of 3 categories, due to my head injury. Employers who hire a handicapped person get huge financial incentives like getting the employees salary reimbursed at 75%. So it’s in their interest to hire a handicapped person, it gives work to a handicapped person, anyone who thinks handicapped people can’t or shouldn’t work are only expressing a prejudice. Because the employer has these financial breaks they have to create a work environment adapted to the persons needs, and pay for them to go on a course if they so wish.

I don’t want to be labelled as anything and don’t seek to be called disabled or handicapped but since moving here it’s like my past is irrelevant, the one or two times I’ve mentioned it to the doctor it’s been dismissed (everyone gets headaches / you don’t look disabled) , the only time in my job that I mentioned I was tired, I was told no one else is tired.

I’m not actually sure what point I’m trying to make here

[Newtonpovey]

After the accident they classified me as 80% disabled and lots of people just don’t understand that because I’ve go both my legs and I can see. Whatever happens I won’t just lie down and I threw the wheelchair away. I walk with a cane and I sorta lean to the left. Oh well, let’s keep on trying and never give up