DLA - forms and medicals?
Derek
for almost 10 years, during which I was almost housebound because I
couldn't afford a car, and was refused DLA because I could walk 101
yards on a good day. The nearest bus-stop is half a mile away.
With the help of my GP I eventually got it, just over a year ago. A
couple of weeks ago, I got a form in the post asking me to confirm my
disability, and asking me how much DLA I receive.
Some of the questions on the form made sense. Was I better, worse,
etc. But some simply asked me to re-state facts which they must have
in their own records. Is it normal to have the DLA re-checking after
so short a period? Is there any good reason why they should ask me
things they _must_ already know, like the amount I receive?
Anyway, I returned the completed form, and now I have a letter saying
someone will call to interview me next week, in my home. The
interview will take between 1 and 2 hours.
What on earth is going on? I've only had the DLA a year. Am I going
to have to jump through hoops every 12 months to keep it?
And there are two more problems arising from the interview.
First of all 1 to 2 hours seems a hell of a long time for an interview
- I can't think of anything I might have to tell them that can't be
said in half an hour. More seriously, I have a problem with chronic
fatigue - I might manage an hour, but I seriously doubt I could hack a
2 hour interview. I often find my head swimming after just 10 minutes
of conversation, even on the phone. I have a perceptual problem
arising from the vertigo, and often cannot talk to two people at once,
or to make sense of conversation from people I'm not looking at.
Should I be getting advice from my GP or somebody?
The letter also states a medical checkup might be necessary. It's
only just over a year since my last one, when they confirmed advanced
osteo-arthritis and chronic vertigo. I can't believe any serious
person could imagine I'd recovered from either in such a short period
of time.
Also - have I any choices when it comes to a medical? They say it
will be in their closest convenient centre. I live in the country,
and the closest location might well be 50 miles away. I have a _very_
serious problem travelling - sometimes I'm not even up to travelling
the 20-mile round trip when the wife does the shopping. Could I
request that the examination be held in my home, or in the local
medical centre?
Sorry - I seem to have gone on a lot about this. But I have to admit
I'm a little concerned and upset about all this. After I finally got
through all the DLA checks last year, my doctor had to treat me for
stress, but at least we both thought that was that. I'm dreading
having to go through all this again. Am I worrying about nothing, or
could I conceivably lose my DLA? Just don't know how I could manage
now without it.
Derek
MickDude
Definitely
"Derek" <der...@i12nospam.com> wrote in message
news:m4b87ucffl58i2ojj...@4ax.com...
You should contact the C.A.B before your interview, and take advice....
Definitely
"Derek" <der...@i12nospam.com> wrote in message
news:m4b87ucffl58i2ojj...@4ax.com...
wisywig
der...@i12nospam.com says...
> Subject: DLA - forms and medicals?
> From: Derek <der...@i12nospam.com>
> Newsgroups: uk.gov.social-security
>
> I qualified for higher grade DLA last year. I'd been fighting for it
> for almost 10 years, during which I was almost housebound because I
> couldn't afford a car, and was refused DLA because I could walk 101
> yards on a good day. The nearest bus-stop is half a mile away.
>
> With the help of my GP I eventually got it, just over a year ago. A
> couple of weeks ago, I got a form in the post asking me to confirm my
> disability, and asking me how much DLA I receive.
>
> Some of the questions on the form made sense. Was I better, worse,
> etc. But some simply asked me to re-state facts which they must have
> in their own records. Is it normal to have the DLA re-checking after
> so short a period? Is there any good reason why they should ask me
> things they _must_ already know, like the amount I receive?
>
>
Are you sure this form was about renewing your DLA entitlement... and
not about confirming/renewing entitlement some other benefit you may be
getting or have applied for... Incapacity Benefit for instance or a
means-tested benefit like Income Support... or even Housing Benefit?
Why would the people in the department/section adminstering the DLA
payments you receive ask you how much you get from *them*? Are you sure
this wasn't another section of the overall DSS/BA/DWP, or even the
Inland Revenue that deals with a different benefit and needing to know
what income you had that they don't directly deal with?
--
Pat
Frog3
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wisywig <ng_...@yahoo.co.uk> writes:
This sounds to me like they are assessing him again Pat, he getting
letters about medicals etc, that dont sound like routine check up,
from what I see they can call you in for a medical whenever they like
mine is usualy 18 months, in this case its about a year, they could
request more frequent check ups if they want. Just get as much
medical evidence together as he can, and when they come for the
interview/interogation make sure you got a witness with you, it will
put them off if not you as well!!.
Darklady
>
> --
> Pat
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wisywig
FrogRe...@bigfoot.com says...
Well obviously... but assessing him with regard to which benefit? Is it
DLA? Or is it some other thing?
--
Pat
Derek
wrote:
>Are you sure this form was about renewing your DLA entitlement... and
>not about confirming/renewing entitlement some other benefit you may be
>getting or have applied for... Incapacity Benefit for instance or a
>means-tested benefit like Income Support... or even Housing Benefit?
>
>Why would the people in the department/section adminstering the DLA
>payments you receive ask you how much you get from *them*? Are you sure
>this wasn't another section of the overall DSS/BA/DWP, or even the
>Inland Revenue that deals with a different benefit and needing to know
>what income you had that they don't directly deal with?
The first form was about benefits in general - wanted me to list what
both myself and my wife get in benefit. Surely a matter of record, I
would have thought. Gave a list of BA benefits to check against, then
the last item in the list was "Any other Benefit", which seemed to me
to make the list redundant. Had a section for reporting any changes.
As my condition is (seriously) clubbed feet aggravated by advanced
arthritis, a condition which can never improve, only deteriorate (all
of which they've been told before, again and again) - I was tempted to
say "Yes - I've just grown two new feet".
The letter advising of the interview and possible medical check seems
to be specifically about DLA.
And there's more...
Apparently, my wife received last week a 20-page form to re-apply for
the £60-odd incapacity benefit she's been receiving since she had
major internal surgery a year ago (GP warned both her and the BA that
she could never work again). I've only just now got to know of this -
she didn't tell me in case it depressed me even further.
I'm beginning to wonder if I should be thinking of Legal Aid.
I should perhaps add that both my and my wife's disabilities are so
visible and obvious, even to a non-medical person, that any suggestion
that we might return to work, or that we're claiming anything we're
not entitled to, would be ludicrous. Takes the pair of us all our time
to get by on a day to day basis. If our son didn't visit weekends to
do some of the more active chores, we'd be right up the creek.
Derek
Clive Martin
<der...@i12nospam.com> writes
<SNIP>
>
>The letter advising of the interview and possible medical check seems
>to be specifically about DLA.
I suspect it's a DLA "periodic enquiry".
See http://www.disabilityalliance.org/periodic.htm
>And there's more...
>
>Apparently, my wife received last week a 20-page form to re-apply for
>the £60-odd incapacity benefit she's been receiving since she had
>major internal surgery a year ago (GP warned both her and the BA that
>she could never work again). I've only just now got to know of this -
>she didn't tell me in case it depressed me even further.
Standard procedure. Fill it in and send it back.
>I'm beginning to wonder if I should be thinking of Legal Aid.
What for? A certain amount of help with benefits problems can be
provided by solicitors under the Legal Aid scheme, but if you have a
problem with your benefits you'd be better off going elsewhere.
Local authority welfare rights advisers are usually very good but not
all local authorities have them and some of them don't take on much
front-line work. They are usually, but not always, based in the social
services department of the authority.
CAB advisers vary from the excellent to the poor.
http://www.nacab.org.uk
contains a searchable directory of all CABs
>I should perhaps add that both my and my wife's disabilities are so
>visible and obvious, even to a non-medical person, that any suggestion
>that we might return to work, or that we're claiming anything we're
>not entitled to, would be ludicrous. Takes the pair of us all our time
>to get by on a day to day basis. If our son didn't visit weekends to
>do some of the more active chores, we'd be right up the creek.
Well in that case you should be unlikely to have any problems with
either your DLA or your wife's ICB.
Clive
--
|Clive Martin (my email address is cliveatcmartindotdemondotcodotuk).|
|Half of all known knowledge about social security and child support:|
|www.ferret.co.uk/sscdad.htm ...... but is it the right half? |
Johnny2
----------
In article <m4b87ucffl58i2ojj...@4ax.com>, Derek
<der...@i12nospam.com> wrote:
> I qualified for higher grade DLA last year. I'd been fighting for it
> for almost 10 years, during which I was almost housebound because I
> couldn't afford a car, and was refused DLA because I could walk 101
> yards on a good day. The nearest bus-stop is half a mile away.
It is rather difficult to comment on all this - obviously you are
familiar with *all* the facts.
It does seem odd. These things often do. How lone were you awarded
the benefit for? Perhaps it was for a year and you have claimed again
you are being reviewed in this way. (I make it clear this is not
something I am closely familiar with.
If you have *any* reason to think the validity of your claim is being
questioned *with reason* (for example because you are not as ill
as you say you are) I would be wary of persisting with this.
If your situation is basically as you say, you have nothing to worry
about at all.
Often these sort of visits amount to nothing at all. Incidentally
if your benefit was stopped you could appeal to a Disability
Appeals Tribunal. These are very fair and half of all appeals to
them are granted. As your benefits has also been granted a tribunal
would typically have to see very good evidence to stop the benefit.
They are totally independent bodies.
Incidentally, you would not have to attend a tribunal yourself, but
you would ideally need to send medical evidence from your
doctors. Doctors tend to be very idle in this sort of regard - you
must persist politely. If you are unhappy about your doctor get
another one.
By the way, if you are unable to attend for a medical in person,
it is my experience that you would be visited. I happen to know
by chance two people who have been in such situations as yourself.
You can always ring up where you get letters from and ask further.
And don't worry needlessly -- life's too short!!
best
Derek
Must admit I was getting my knickers in a bit of a twist (part of my
problem).
I didn't particularly object to an interview, but I was (and I'm
still) concerned about their warning about the likely length of the
interview - up to 2 hours. I can't imagine how even a detailed
interview could take so long, and I certainly can't see me lasting
that long - after just half an hour's conversation, my head is usually
spinning.
Also the medical. Don't know where it might be, but they made it sound
like I'd be travelling, which is a major problem. I wouldn't object to
a home visit - though I hope it wouldn't be any of the openly
unsympathetic medics that held up my DLA for so long.
My own GP supports me, but as he reckoned I should have been getting
DLA for years before I was awarded it, I presume local GPs aren't
listened to all that much. He was openly furious each time I was
turned down - just couldn't see how it could happen, given my
condition.
A local nurse has very kindly agreed to sit in on the interview - she
knows me well enough, and has seen me 'at my worst'. If they do
proceed with a medical, I may ask her to attend then as well, if at
all possible.
Just have to see how things go I suppose. Saw my GP the other day,
just a periodic checkup. He asked if I was making sure I took things
easy!!
Derek