DLA given then taken away 23 days later

Hi there

I am new to this Forum and I am looking for help. I followed all the advice given in the literature supplied and on 1 September 2010 I was awarded high mobility and medium care DLA. This was after they received reports from my GP, my consultant and the medical examiner that they sent to my house (he was with me for 2 hours).

I suffer badly from fibromyalgia and also have R.A. There are many days when I find it difficult to do anything - migraines and fatigue can completely incapacitate me.

I have today received another letter from DWP, dated 23 September 2010. This contradicts everything that the previous letters stated and says that I do not need any help at all and I am awarded nothing. All the things I can't do, they say I can!

How can they go from one decision to the other in a matter of 23 days? Has anybody else had any experience of this?

I have, in the meantime, got a free tax disc for my car and have applied for a refund and have applied for a blue badge, which I desparately need.

All thoughts gratefully received.

Thanks
Poohbear

Hi Poohbear

I have never heard of anything like this!! Have you spoken to them at all. My advice to you is to get advice from wefare right,CAB or DIAL. It makes you wonder if files have been mixed up and you may have been sent the letter in error. Please,please get advice asap. Let us know how you get on!!

Mm a smile costs nothing

Hi Poohbear
Ihave just read your post I am so sorry that this has happend to you I myself suffer
with the same conditions as your self and know how much pain you are going through how you can be given an award and then have it snatched away like this is not only wrong but very wrong please dont give up as soon as you can find the strength put an appeal in the guides on this site and support from other people will i am sure will help you
Take care
jellybean xxx

poohbear wrote:

Hi there

I am new to this Forum and I am looking for help. I followed all the advice given in the literature supplied and on 1 September 2010 I was awarded high mobility and medium care DLA. This was after they received reports from my GP, my consultant and the medical examiner that they sent to my house (he was with me for 2 hours).

I suffer badly from fibromyalgia and also have R.A. There are many days when I find it difficult to do anything - migraines and fatigue can completely incapacitate me.

I have today received another letter from DWP, dated 23 September 2010. This contradicts everything that the previous letters stated and says that I do not need any help at all and I am awarded nothing. All the things I can't do, they say I can!

How can they go from one decision to the other in a matter of 23 days? Has anybody else had any experience of this?

I have, in the meantime, got a free tax disc for my car and have applied for a refund and have applied for a blue badge, which I desparately need.

All thoughts gratefully received.

Thanks
Poohbear

Hi,
I think firstly you need to know if this is a clerical error or why a supersession of the award dated 1st September has been carried out.

As others have intimated, obtaining face to face help from Welfare Rights/CAB etc should be obtained.

I take it, if it is a supersession, you will wish to appeal the superseded award, in which case it is important that an Appeal Form, GL24 is sent in within one month of the date of the non award letter. You can download a GL24 form here:

www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/gl24dwp.pdf

or ask the DWP to send you one. Either way you are time limited on returning it, so if a CAB/Welfare Rights appointment cannot be arranged asap, in the interim at least make sure a GL24 is returned.

Technically if you no longer have the award, the Disabled Free Excise licence is invalid as is the application for the Blue badge if made on the ‘automatic’ criteria based on the DLA award.

Pete

Thank you for your replies. I am feeling a bit gutted at the moment but I am sure I will pick myself up.

I have called DWP. Reading between the lines it seems that when I requested copies of all the medical reports that had been used to assess my DLA, somebody looked at the ATOS doctor's report again and came to the decision that I should get nothing.

They are sending me the form to appeal the decision and I have again asked for copies of all the doctors' reports.

In the meantime I have seen a fibromyalgia specialist and have a copy of the report he sent to my GP. This will add further weight to my claim hopefully. That will be my three doctors against the ATOS one!

I am just waiting for DWP to ask for the money back that they sent to me just over 2 weeks ago!

I didn't want to go to a tribunal and I was so relieved when I got the award by just following the advice on this site. Now it seems that the fight must go on.

Thanks again for your posts.

Poohbear

pete17971 wrote:

poohbear wrote:

How can they go from one decision to the other in a matter of 23 days? Has anybody else had any experience of this?

I sure Hope it IS a clerical error , Lest this system is purely a waste of Time when at whim, for no logical reason they alter there decision - Fron what I keep reading, its doesnt instil many of us with much faith -