Refused benefits

I didn't appeal Misadventure. I was made to apply for PIP. I can't afford to waste the energy and make myself worse. I prefer to concentrate on making the most of good days. I can manage without. I will apply for the disabled parking badge again as its really helpful. Its unfair though.
An interesting point I discovered when investigating benefits. Over 65s are discriminated against. There is no mobility component for over 65s. Are they not meant to go out? Also those under 65 get allowed for anything that will help them to lead a normal life hence the name Personal Independence Payment. Over 65 you don't! You only get benefits for needing help with personal care ie washing dressing etc. So as long as over 65s can sit in the house dressed; they are ok? No need to eat food or see other people. Strange system.

I spent more than half an hour on the phone today trying to sort out his benefits for a man who has had a learning disability from birth. Why, oh why, does he have to go through the rigmarole of filling out a 35 page form every two years when he is NEVER going to 'get better/recover/improve' from a condition he was born with!! Aaaargh! At the end of the long call the woman on the other end has to read from a script then the applicant has to 'agree' to what she's just said. My poor man was saying 'I agree, I agree' before she'd read a word, but when she got to the end of it and asked if he'd understood he said 'no, not really, but I agree'. By then he was in such a state of agitation that I had to spend a further thirty minutes with him just trying to alleviate his anxiety.

Did you appeal, Annep?
Its ruddy annoying!

Tweedle24 get advice from someone like CAB.

I have fibromyalgia and M.E. and was turned down. I would be lost without my car and my husband does so much and gets really tired. What really annoys me is two of my friends get DLA and one flies all over the world while the other goes on long boat trips in her partners cruiser They are much more active than I am. How do they get it? I spend at least half my life resting and dread a short flight next week to see my daughter. I am so resentful. I think its because as one person says neither condition has a definitive diagnostic test. The non-recognition annoys me more than not getting the allowance. Its like no one believes me.

Thank you for the tips and good wishes,
Lucky girl. Yes, we had no problem getting blue badge and AA for OH who had PD but, fibromyalgia can be just as debilitating. It does not seem to be recognised as an illness. The woman who did the original assessment for my DD did not know what fibromyalgia is.

It is very hard to find accurate ways of measuring people's need and the ways that their disability impinges on their lives. We had no trouble at all getting a blue badge or higher rate AA for my OH and I honestly think that the label PD just triggered the benefit. The blue badge was agreed over the phone the same day as I applied and arrived 2 days later.

I am glad that your DD is beginning to get through the system OP.

annesixty. I used to work for Age UK as a home visitor, mainly filling in benefit forms. It not that we knew how to put a spin on someone's disability to get benefit they might not really be entitled to. We were constantly told to be scrupulously accurate. But we knew the words and phrases the assessors were looking for. We also knew how to ask the applicants the questions that brought out just how their disability affected their everyday life.

On the other side the DSS assessors were a law to themselves. They are not highly qualified, highly knowledgeable people, but clerks on a low grade. They find it easier to 'mark' forms from people which are simple and understandable and really struggle with those from people with many medical problems and complex needs.

It was quite common for me to complete a form for a client and tell them that I thought the chances of them getting AA was marginal, only to find they got it almost by return of post, while clients with far worse and more complex conditions were turned down and only got it on appeal, because the clerks either did not understand or believe the form and found it easier to turn it down than make a real effort to read and assess it.

Oh ok I'm with you now, that sounds like a nightmare. I get lower rate living allowance pip and higher rate mobility. I can't stand up because my knees need replacing and my right arm doesn't work because my elbow needs replacing. Hopefully once all that's done I won't need to claim any more. I just hope the rest of my joints hold out but I have an auto immune condition that is destroying my joints one at a time.I will say if you're honest about your abilities it's hard to get more than the lower rate living component. I really struggle with hair washing and upper body washing in the shower but because I can just about do it I'm expected to get on with it. In all honesty I would be lost without my son and his GF as they do a lot of the everyday stuff for me as just keeping myself clean and presentable takes forever. I like most people have good days and bad but it's best not to mention your good days because that's all they'll hear. I struggle because I have a sunny disposition and see the funny side of most things, to them that means their can't be much wrong with me or I wouldn't be smiling, but I can't help who I am and I refuse to be a moaning minnie.

Attendance Allowance FlexibleFriend my H has dementia and needs a lot of care.
We get the higher rate of just over £80 a week as he needs 24 hour care, he hardly sleeps and I havetosleep with one ear open all the time as one does with a baby.

Don't mean to be dim but what's AA? annsixty

Good news. Let's hope she is successful ?

That's great news and I hope all is soon sorted out now

Good news Tweedle x

I have just been told personally by the people involved of a successful application for AA , higher level, when it is totally unjustified, this is not me not knowing all the facts, I do know them.
This was all down to the person from Age UK filling in the forms and putting a spin on the answers.
Not sour grapes on my part, we do get AA for my H, but were turned down the first time.
I am pleased your D can apply for a new assessment and hope very sincerely that is is successful.
Good luck.

Great news - best wishes to you and your daughter .

Thank you for that. I shall tell her in case she does not already know, I do know that the people at the Job Centre have been extremely helpful and given her useful advice.

Applying for Pip is no walk in the park so hope it goes well. If you go on the work and benefits website you can take trial tests and get pointers on how to fill the form in for the best results. good luck.