DLA/PIP

Everyday living
1

Okay a brief outline since falling ill in 2002 alot has changed , the other day i went out with the camera on the quad bike to get some storm shots and as the quad is small i can get it through the carpark barriers and park on the grass meaning a small 200yd max walk up a grassy slope anyhoos off i walk well by the time i got near the top i felt weak sick shattered and light headed i thought i was gonna pass out and found myself looking around for help anyhoos no one was around that i knew i made it to the seaat and sat there in the rain for 30 mins trying to get myself sorted and took some shots and started a very slow walk back down by the time i got home i felt so ill it waas untrue so i figured more has changed than i had realised as this was something new to me , the after effects went on for 2 days after.

So today i get my DWP letter saying what i am entitled to etc and i see low mobility rate , so im thinking yep this was fine in 2002 but obviously not now as i have a stick with me most days a fold up 1 that sits nicely on the motorbike or quad, so i ring them saying i think things may have changed since i had applied all those years ago , and the lady says a application pack is in the post be about 10 days so i say many thanks and she states “please be aware that when you fill it in and return it it could change the amount your on and it could be time limited or they could even stop it if they see fit” so now i feel is it better to be with something rather trhan lose anything as found last year totally incapable of work which took 4 job interviews and an incorrect atos assessment and a 2 month fight to get it changed , now i dont know if i will do it but i also think this wrong for them to scare folk.

regards sheep

2

Hi Sheep

I totally agree with you.

I was awarded high rate moblity and care indefinitely. Was told that I was incapcable of continuing to work following an assessment by Atos 2 years ago so on their advice I rertired through ill health at the age of 51.

I had my letter yesterday stating the same as you. What a waste of time.

Hope yours turn out ok.

Shazzie xx

3

Hi Sheep, yeh, their scare tactics are so wrong…but do work in some cases.

Every time i ever asked for more help, as my condition deteriorated, I was told the same and worried myself sick until I got the correct amount for me. I had to appeal once to go from low to middle and then high care allowance. I was needing a carer long before i ever got any money.

I now use Direct Payments for personal help, to give my poor hard pressed hubby a bit of a break and again, when I asked for a re-assessment, they said I could lose lose some of what I already have. Last time i asked, I was totally scared off, so l left it alone. It`s just not right, is it, the way we struggle and are made to fear for our allowances?These days I get 1 and a quarter hours in a morning, for a lady to come and hoist me up, toilet, shower me, tend to my open spc wound, moisturise my legs, massage my painful floppy feet, dress me, do my hair, shave my legs when they need it and probably other stuff as well, which I cant recall just now.

It might take less than 30 mins for an able bodied person to do alll this, but I am rushed to do it all and when I began a re-assessment about 2 yrs ago, the woman asked why I need a shower every day…I bet she isnt incontinent or has very slow bowels!

We could do with one of those guys spending a day with us and see how we struggle, eh?

Eee Sheep, I have gone on too much here and forgotten about you… …you poor lad. I know you are struggling with poor mobility and yet, you too are scared to rock the boat.

My bood boils for you,it really chuffin` does lad.

luv Pollyxxx

4

Hi shazz

Yep simular here was told at 36 after working all my life to quit my job on the lifeboat and sell my fishingboat as i was no longer fit to work then lasy year the dredded ATOS so went along with them and tried everything which of course failed so was met with well you are unable to work in all honesty so why are you attend jobcentre interviews so i said cause ATOS said i have to , so i appealed and then gave them my symptons in full graphic details (i.e. bowel issues) and straight away they said yep you qualify so dont have to go throught it all.

Yep Poll

It does worry you as we have nothing to fall back on , my wife is my carer and we have 2 kids and 1 left home living his life :slight_smile: we struggle as it is but now i may have to go through it all again or lose anything etc i really mentally cant go through that again waiting and hoping , they are so wrong its about time someone with this dreded condition was elected to parliment or some respresentating body to fight these people, im lucky as i dont have it as bad as most on here and i really feel for you Poll and my heart goes out to anyone that suffers and something needs to be done to stop them causing worry and striffe to the vunerable folks in soceity , i appreciate the system is broken and was long ago but from what ive seen the changes have attacked the wrong folk and the ones who abused the system all those years ago seem to still be happy going cinema (last film i saw was perfect storm lol) or going pub everynight while the genuine folk are left home worrying.

respect sheep x

5

Hi sheep I feel that they are right to say you may not be eligible as DLA may have changed to pip with new criteria. If they had said nowt and then declined you then you could argue that you should have been told. Pip guidelines talk of distances of 20 metres with or without sticks or wheelchair. Pip will unlikely to be Indefinate and may have regular reviews. Sorry if this wasn’t what you wanted to hear. All the best Neil

6

I totally know where you are coming from Sheep. It sounds as if us genuine people are suffering terribly over this. I just hope that Atos are the ones who assess me for PIP after I was awarded DLA indefinitely and then I will show them the letter I have from Atos saying that they assessed me three times and advised me to retire through ill health as my symptoms were so bad. I bet they will have an answer though. Grrrr!!

Shazzie x

7

Hello Sheep

Will it be a change to PIP or a change of circumstances form your doing? I did a change of circumstance form, at the end of last year. I’m still on DLA.

I never speak to them on the phone. Everything is done in writing and I keep copies.

I can promise you, from what you’ve said in other post, your DLA will not be taken off you. Do get help filling in the form if you think you need to.

Good luck

Noreen x

8

Hi Sheep, If it’s ONLY a question that you think you may now qualify for higher rate mobility, I think you may be right not to rock the boat. You imply that you can walk about 200 metres, uphill, albeit with great difficulty. I’m not clear whether that was with or without a stick, as you say you do not take the stick always, but for the purposes of DLA or PIP, it would not matter, as they look at distance with OR without use of aids such as a stick. As Neil says, the controversial new tougher test under PIP (I think you would be automatically migrated to PIP, if you applied for a review based on a change in how you are affected) is that you must be unable to walk 20 metres reliably or without difficulty (down from 50, I think) - with OR without a stick. This has been compared to about two bus-lengths, and from what you have said, is just one tenth of the distance that recently caused you great difficulty. Are you bad after two bus-lengths, or could you usually manage this without difficulty? If the latter, then it might be best not to try your luck on a higher award you’re unlikely to get, if it may also prompt a review of what you’re already getting - which may or may not go in your favour. I’d be wary of triggering a re-assessment, unless you’re confident your mobility has deteriorated to the point of meeting the new, tougher, higher-rate test. Tina

9

Hi folks and many thanks for your replies and Neil not a problem my friend i was hopeful for some straight advice , yep Tina you are correct that walk was without a stick while i feel things have change considerably since last year i also feel that i can walk 2 bus lengths on the flat on hills its a different kettle of fish but as long as i stop and start im okay for 200yds poss more if i take my time, the letter was just stating what i already receive and both have indefinately after them , but the bit that made me think and wonder if i had to report the change was the “if anything changes inform us straight away” personnaly i know my limits or at the very least i am learning my limits just didnt know if i was obliged to report the change or if it would harm me later if i didnt.

many thanks for all your replies and info it helps newcomers know whats best to do and i appreciate your thoughts and suggestions , i think im not gonna rock the boat as for 1 i dont think im in a strong place mentally to deal with it all again.

respect sheep x