Filling in a DLA form ? ? ?

Ok here is a good one just had an email from a mate who says...........

"spoke to DLA Unit at Blackpool, before xmas they said ..........

we can arrange for someone to complete the form with you over the telephone or alternatively arrange a home visit to do the form with you if you would not be able to manage over the phone."

Do they do this ? I knew they would take the form down over the phone.

The government website says "They can also arrange for someone to help you fill out the form if required." www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/Fina...llowance/DG_10011925 This would suggest that they could visit at home.

My gut feeling is that under equality law they would have to do this for people unable to use a telephone as a reasonable adjustment, although they might argue that it was sufficient to supply a printed form.

Hi

This is one thing i wouldnt fall for again!! They helped me fill out my 1st form over the phone and surprise, surprise i failed it!! So i had them send me the form and completed it myself and failed that. I sent for a 3rd pack at my consultants request and failed once more so i appealled!!! My consultant was prepared to attend my tribunal and wrote a very supportive letter advising this, though it wasnt needed as i was awarded DLAMRC a unnanimous decision.

This was all before joining B&W since then i have had my award increased to HRC on my renewal. I really wish i had found this site much earlier. How long has B&W been going?

Mm xx

millymoo wrote:

Hi

This is one thing i wouldnt fall for again!! They helped me fill out my 1st form over the phone and surprise, surprise i failed it!! So i had them send me the form and completed it myself and failed that. I sent for a 3rd pack at my consultants request and failed once more so i appealled!!! My consultant was prepared to attend my tribunal and wrote a very supportive letter advising this, though it wasnt needed as i was awarded DLAMRC a unnanimous decision.

This was all before joining B&W since then i have had my award increased to HRC on my renewal. I really wish i had found this site much earlier. How long has B&W been going?

Mm xx

Its not filling the form in on the phone its sending someone around to fill it in for them, the use of the telephone to fill the form in is clear they will only write what you say, and you check it before signing so did you check what they had wrote against what you had said ? had you kept notes ? there was nothing to fall for as you claim IMO

Dave wrote:

Its not filling the form in on the phone its sending someone around to fill it in for them, the use of the telephone to fill the form in is clear they will only write what you say, and you check it before signing so did you check what they had wrote against what you had said ? had you kept notes ? there was nothing to fall for as you claim IMO

I think that what there is to fall for is the implication when someone says that they will help you to fill a form in that they are going to do more than just write down what you say.

I think that the language here is ambiguous, and whilst helping someone to fill a form in can be taken as just transcribing what they say (i.e. offering physical help) I think that an everyday understanding of being helped to fill a form in is being given help with what to put on the form, i.e. the sort of help that one might expect from an advice centre.

This sort of confusion is compounded by the fact that much of the help people get with filling in forms in the sense of help with what to put on them is provided by services that are funded largely or in whole by the state. An example would be welfare advisers employed by local authorities, CABx relying mainly on public funding etc.

So I think that if you're offered help with filling in a form, it would be entirely natural to suppose that that would mean more than just someone transcribing what you say.

Survivor wrote:

Dave wrote:

Its not filling the form in on the phone its sending someone around to fill it in for them, the use of the telephone to fill the form in is clear they will only write what you say, and you check it before signing so did you check what they had wrote against what you had said ? had you kept notes ? there was nothing to fall for as you claim IMO

I think that what there is to fall for is the implication when someone says that they will help you to fill a form in that they are going to do more than just write down what you say.

I think that the language here is ambiguous, and whilst helping someone to fill a form in can be taken as just transcribing what they say (i.e. offering physical help) I think that an everyday understanding of being helped to fill a form in is being given help with what to put on the form, i.e. the sort of help that one might expect from an advice centre.

This sort of confusion is compounded by the fact that much of the help people get with filling in forms in the sense of help with what to put on them is provided by services that are funded largely or in whole by the state. An example would be welfare advisers employed by local authorities, CABx relying mainly on public funding etc.

So I think that if you're offered help with filling in a form, it would be entirely natural to suppose that that would mean more than just someone transcribing what you say.

This is what DLA wrote to him word for word

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If you do not have anyone to assist you with the form then we can arrange for someone to complete the form with you over the telephone or alternatively arrange a home visit to do the form with you if you would not be able to manage over the phone.