Benefits, I don't understand them

[timwilky]

Well, due to the wife's current condition. We applied for disability living allowance for her. She has just got a letter from the department of work and pensions.

She is entitled to a full mobility allowance as:-
She can walk less than 50 metres
Very slowly
in an adequate manner.

However she is only entitled to the lower level for care as:-

she needs help to
use a cooker
use kitchen tools
carry and lift safely
she needs help to prepare and cook a meal for one


But because she can
get in and out of bed
get up and down stairs
take part in social activities
get in and out of a chair
and is not at risk of falling
can manage her toilet needs
manage her treatment and medication

She is classed as not needing help with personal care from another person repeatedly or for a prolonged period during the night.


I find some of this at odds with itself. They say she has difficulty walking and is incapable of cooking a meal for herself. Yet they say she does not need help with personal care repeatedly. What do they expect, that she will starve until such time as somebody will come in to cook her a meal.

Now don't get me wrong, I am not complaining about her award as it is a bonus. Generally there is a family member present to help her. However, my concern would be for somebody in her condition without family support. The ?17.10 for additional personal care would hardly cover the help they need for a day never mind a week.

Lynne's salary has now halved as a result of being long term sick. This extra help is welcome. Annoyingly we never knew of her entitlement until we talked to a support group and therefore missed out on 6 months of benefits

I know the system has a duty to protect from fraud, but the claim form was a nightmare. I guess it is a lottery to answer the right questions with the right manner as they seem to repeat themselves with a slight nuance.

Still I just glad they awarded her something. When her sister had a brain tumor removed and is now deaf, unstable and disfigured as a result, they insisted she attend a medical exam.

[Jayneflakes]

You have my empathy.

As a partially disabled woman, I know how hard it is to get help from the system when you are most in need of it.

[G]

Sorry to hear about your wife. The benefits system is a funny little mine field which never seems to help the right people as its intended for. Instead you get people claiming £20k a year incapacity yet are capable to run trialathalons (A story in my local papaer last year)

I once saw an add in the post office window.

'Expert Benefits Advice'

'We know the system and can complete your forms for you to be sure that you get the most money possible regardless of your personal circumstances'

To me that shouted out we will fill in your forms fraudulently, its illegal, but will get you more money that you would if you filled it out honestly.

The entire process and granting for those genuinely deserving might be less stringent if there were not so many lying,cheating b+st+rds taking the money that could be better allocated.

I'm guessing its a way for the government to save money... reason they have to do this is probably because of the hangers on that don't need the help The people who need it suffer. Shocking!

Originally Posted by Pedrosa

The entire process and granting for those genuinely deserving might be less stringent if there were not so many lying,cheating b+st+rds taking the money that could be better allocated.

Sad fact is that its those same people who seem to know how to manipulate the system to their best advantage!!

timwilky - it sux - its just a good job she has the support of you and your family but as you say, how would a person by themselves cope

Right - friend very close to me case here

His dad has diabetes and decides to start claiming from the Gov he's been paying taxes to. Soooo he fills in the app form and sends it off - response was yeah right, sod off and have a few pennys.

He then goes to his doctor and HE fills the app form for him with facts and figures sort to speak - RESULT he is on full disability now!!

I suggest you get your doctor to help you out if you haven't done so already

[timwilky]

TBH, we are quite glad to get what we have been allowed. Lynnes brother applied for benefits in September last year and was told no. They assumed initially he was looking for some sort of sick pay, but being self employed they said not entitled.

The advisor's eventually got it right and applied on his behalf for Disability Living Allowance which is not means tested. He eventually got it On the highest rates in November and was dead 6 weeks later.


Because of my salary and Lynne still receiving half pay, we would not be entitled to anything more in terms of benefits anyway. It is just as I say, I don't understand how they assess the care need. Yes, she can get in and out of bed, go to the loo. but at present she does needs constant help. We hope this will not always be the case and she will recover her abilities over time and go back to work etc.

the forms are a nightmare ,and they keep repeating themselves to try and catch you out.
we gave our forms to Aidans ( my son) specialist to fill in.But you just cant tell what the result will be.
loads of checks were made on us and him,even down to visiting his school ,and then the result....................here you go ,full benefit for 5 yrs

We have had issues with getting disability allowance for Jo and her ankle too.

She applied for it but because she has not paid enough NI contributions she doesn't qualify.

When she left the RAF due to her ankle she had an operation that until recently put her out of work. During that time (over 2 years) she never claimed a thing but also didn't pay any NI.

Now she is registered over 40% disabled she applied for the disability allowance only to be told about the lack of NI contributions. She contested this and found out that had she claimed benefits as soon as she finished her military service she would have qualified. So in essence, had she been sponging from the government (and not paying NI contributions) for the past two years she would have qualified for the benefit, but because she did not sponge from them but also didn't pay NI, she can go to hell.

Who the f**k makes up these rules.