Need benefit advice if possible please

[madderbat]

Hi Shirl,
I've just pm'd you!

BW asked me to try and help with this thread, so I've logged on today for the first time in yonks.
I'm still not able to garden much, so leave all that sort of thing to him now,but golly I'm realising how much I've missed you folks!

Wishing you all a great growing season, sunshine and rain in the right proportions and a festival of crops.

Love
Jane

[Pootle]

Kirst

As someone with MS and its daily struggles, benefits are a minefield and I found the Citizens Advice brilliant also the MS Society, so therefore if you're family member has a recognisable disease see if it has a Society of sorts and contact them ASAP as they normally have forums etc that can help. Good Luck, it can be a long struggle and contrary to what others say it can be extremely hard to get the right benefits. Also if its MS please do not hesitate to PM me if you would like advice.

I'd like to second that - my Dad has MS and without the CAB he wouldn't get half of what he is entitled to. I'd go to them in the first instance if I were you, plus any charities who might support people with the particular condition your relative has - they usually have really excellent advice and it may be that your relative is unaware of the support they could receive. In Dad's case it was seemingly simple things like an accessible bathroom which improved his quality of life before he finally managed to get a house adapted to his changing levels of disability.

Hope you get the help you're looking for - keep us posted and good luck!

[quark1]

My son receives certain health-related benefits and when he had an outreach worker allied to his problems he took him to a free expert/consultant - run and supported by some charity who helped him make his initial claim.

Would suggest that if your relative has any kind of contact with a relevant organisation or outreach assistance that they may be able to help and guide towards the best package of claim/s. Good advice above to describe your worst days as the norm (don't forget the 'carer claim' if relevant) - especially as the condition apparently would seem to be getting steadily worse rather than better. If a big jump up from the lower or middle band to highest band is required later the whole claim might be subject to complete reassessment with all the associated stress and worry that might bring. Medical conditions - physical/mental - will be reviewed every few years as is only right.

And for the person receiving benefit - they have paid in all the time they have enjoyed better health and like many who do have problems go on far longer than perhaps they ought - now it is their time of need to have something back as it is the safety-net they would in better times never wish to touch.

Best of luck to your relative and I hope everything is as well as can be hoped for them.

[jackie j]

Hi kirsty I was my sisters carer and claimed carer's allowance, it wasnt much but it replaced about the same amount as i lost by giving up some of my hours at work, it took her four years to find out this as every time she asked for help to pay someone to do the housework she was told she wasnt ill enough. she was in fact given the wrong information by dhs, she found out when she was in a hospice, so for four years she struggled unessessarily. Get as much help for your mum as you can and ask questions if turned down.
Hope your mum gets it sorted soon.

[nelliegemini]

You don't give the age, but AgeConcern have helped loads of the over 50s claim what they are entitled to and can also advise on aids to help round the home etc.

[Alice]

KirstyB, take your relative to the Citizens Advice Bureau and ask for a benefits check. They can tell you everything she is entitled to and help you to make the claim.

[spennysaint]

HI

You could try martins money tips www.moneysavingexpert.com Once you get in there search disability and it comes up with a discussion forum - very intersting

Claire

[lyndap]

Madderbat,dont stay away just cos you dont garden anymore.Thats what I did and hadnt realised how much I missed being on here!i Have got very good at being forman though and now tell hubby how to plant my veg etc!kirstyB, CAB Are very helpfull,and I Also had help from hospital,and local disability service.When filled in forms myself was turned down,but on appeal with help it went through.As stated above have to put as for worse day,which I didnt do at first!

[kirsty b]

Going to see her Thurs, will be taking all of this advice with me! Thanks again all of you.
xx

[selfheal]

if you want to know anything about motability feel free to pm me, i have had my motability car for 4 weeks now and its brilliant, so much help. I got it within 3 weeks of being awarded higher rate mobility and 2 weeks of ordering it at the garage. it has already totally changed my mobility and independance.

DLA care can be quite a fight. i really struggle with some things but am not eligable for any care. The general rule is if you can't make yourself a meat and 2 veg type meal then you are eligable for lower rate care. i cannot often do this but was still refused it on intial application and my reconsideration, but as i got higher mobility i decided i wouldnt take it to appeal.

I would like to stress how much a botched Dr's report can effect your claims for benefits and blue badges and alike. i had a hopeless GP and surgery who despite supportng my need for benefits and assistance they messed up 3 different applications through witing incorrect things or providing a compelte lack of information. So if you find your mom is turned down for any benefit or similar application i would always recomend asking to see a copy of any reports the Dr filled in- if you can see a glaring omission or mistake or its just really lacking depth then ask for a reconsideration/appeal and ask the Dr to re-write their report or supply a letter of support. it worked for me.

I agree that it can be very difficult to apply for benefits and to understand what you are eligible for. I found it extremely difficult, at the age of 21 to understand what i was entitled to. After a long battle i am now on DLA and Incapacity benefit under the youth rules. Hardly any DWP employees know about IB youth rules and as a result i was refused any benefits for an entire year and wrongly told i wasnt 'eligable' for anything. I am still waiting to see how they will make up for this mistake. Now its all changing to Employment support allowance and i have no idea how that works....

The best way of going about things is to just keep trying, be truthful but dont downplay the realities of how ill you are. It is a very long and frustrating process (i have been very ill for almost 2 years now and i still havent got everything sorted out) but its worth sticking at things, getting help filling in forms and basically jumping through every single hoop they throw at you without complaining. Ive had 2 medicals, one of which was not needed and have been sent for pathways to work interviews which everyone i have attended ive been told they dont know why im beig sent for them when im way too ill to consider working. But i still go to them, with a smile on my face and a bit of curtesy and i feel like im slowly starting to benefit from it.

There will be set backs, mistakes and c**k-ups beyond your control (probably many) but try not to let them put your mom off, she will get there in the end and she has obviously earnt it working so hard all her life. I feel guilty claiming benefits at such a young age without having paid any NI, but im teaching myself to see it as a loan- i will spend the rest of my working life paying off the money i am recieving now with my NI payments (and probably much more to be honest). Most hard working people do not like being on benefits, but sometimes you just dont have a choice.

[kirsty b]

Motability - went today to dealership and test drove her car. Mother trusts my opinion (someone does at least!) as I will have a go at driving anything with wheels. Its a decent car, and all she has to do is put diesel in it. She has handed over relevant docs, man at Ford is going to order car and they will call her when it is in.

Care - it won't hurt to apply, she may get the lower component if any, but the worst that could happen is that they say no, so she loses nothing by trying.

Just got to sit tight now and wait to see what her employer does when he gets her GP letter. She has been told by an adviser at DWP not to voluntarily give up her job even though medical condition means she can't do it, because they can sometimes get funny about it.

She'll be alright in the end!