Disability Living Allowance - Dare I Claim the Care Component as well?

[symondsyat]

Hello,,I wonder if you could help me please, I currently already receive DLA at the Higher Rate of the mobility section.. This took me from 2002 until 2005 to achieve and was only successful after a home visit from a DWP Doctor..I said at the time that I would not go through the stress of claiming DLA ever again.

 

In short I am 60 and I had a severe heart attack in 2001 which reduced my pulmonary efficiency to 40% with all the resultant drawbacks that has left me with (Angina and severe breathlessness).I am a type 1 diabetic.I have high blood pressure.I have high cholesterol.I receive complex medication for all of the latter ailments.I am currently undergoing tests for Prostate cancer and am being treated for Prostatitus...... Earlier this month (August 2010) I suffered a small stroke which has left me debilitated and frightened.I am unable to drive for 1 month.

 

The DWP has sent me another DLA claim form to claim for further help but I am so frightened of completing it because of the problems and battle I had previously..Whenever I have filled in the forms myself or with the CAB's help I have failed and it was'nt until the Home Visit did I get anywhere at all.So I am frightened I would go back to square one.

 

My question is, Do I need to fill in the whole form?.. or can I write something along the lines of "as previously verified by DWP Doctor's home visit" on the Mobility section of the form and just concentrate on the Care part of the form?... or do you have any other advice you could give me please?..regards Rob

[ANDYANDFLO]

Hi the claim form should be completed fully, and yes they will look at the whole claim again. They can increase it, reduce it or even cancel it!

I have just answered a similar thread on here - copy here:

 

In the past I was awarded High Rate Care & Mobility (1995 for life) and over the years I have put in many DLA Review forms. Each time the result was a withdrawal/reduction of benefits. This to be honest didn't bother me as I was glad that I was getting away from the stigma as I saw it of being classed as 'metally disabled'.

 

Anyhow, following a deterioration of my health over the past 6 years, my care and mobility needs have gone up. I decided a few months back to ask for another review as I & my GP felt that being on Low Rate Mobility only was not now relevant. Being optimistic and honest, and bearing in mind I had accepted the earlier reductions at my request, I thought the DWP would be fair and reasonable with me.

 

Nope, I have just been told that following a review of my form and a report from my GP that they asked for, I am not now entitled to anything. So I have lost the Low Rate mobility element and found that I do not have any Care related problems.

 

Been to see my GP as I was not happy that he had recommended that result. He said that he was asked for his comments to the questions asked which he did. This is maybe because although he suggested that I should have it increased, I am not the best type of patient. Either I don't go to see him when I should, and when I do, I tend to crack jokes to cover up nervousness and fear of my illnesses and what is happening to me..

 

I have considered an appeal but with my GP giving this evidence to the DWP, and the DWP finding me fit for work following a medical for ESA, I can't see how I can get it overturned. So I have put it down as experience and that I should not put trust and faith in anybody other than my own close family.

 

As a side issue to this I went for a DWP medical in Jan 2010 and was told then that I am fit for work and that there is nothing wrong with me. That was my fault because I failed to give them anything other than basic information and failed to disclose all of my illnesses. I have had help with an appeal for this, but was recently told that it would be early 2011 before it is heard. Given the anxiety I am under mainly caused by this appeal, and the way my family is suffering because of it, I have recently told them to cancel the appeal.

 

I am trying to find some work at present but not being lucky with the search. I have claimed JSA but that is short lived as the claim only lasts for 6 months. Hopefully something will drop in my lap within the next 5 months or so.

 

I do hope things go right for you.

[ErikaPNP]

Hi Rob, I can see where you might be going wrong:

 

 

In short I am 60 and I had a severe heart attack in 2001 which reduced my pulmonary efficiency to 40% with all the resultant drawbacks that has left me with (Angina and severe breathlessness).I am a type 1 diabetic.I have high blood pressure.I have high cholesterol.I receive complex medication for all of the latter ailments.I am currently undergoing tests for Prostate cancer and am being treated for Prostatitus...... Earlier this month (August 2010) I suffered a small stroke which has left me debilitated and frightened.I am unable to drive for 1 month.

 

 

This all refers to your health conditions in themselves, but it doesn't say enough about your mobility or ability to care for yourself is affected by them. All we know about how your condition affects you is that is that it has left you debilitated (but to what extent) and frightened (but to what extent) and that you were unable to drive for one month. With DLA, think more, more and more!

 

DLA is awarded based upon the care and mobility needs which arise from the condition, not the condition in itself. People often find when they write on the form what their conditions are but don't say enough on how it affects their basic day to day activities, they are refused DLA.

 

Think about your day, from start to finish. When you wake up in the morning, do you need help to get out of bed? To get to the bathroom? To wash? To dress? To make your breakfast? To eat? And so fourth - think about the entire day - keep a diary if it helps. Include night time too, for example, if you need help to turn in bed to avoid bedsores and are unable to turn independently, or need help with continence needs at night. If you do need help with these things, detail the kind of help you need, and how often you need it. Are some days worse than others? Tell them that.

 

I'll pop some links to this post which might help too.

 

DLA Disability handbook

 

A-Z of medical conditions

 

A-Z Sources of evidence

AA and DLA DMG