Do I don't I appeal (DLA)

I have been receiving for past 10 years DLA at middle care and higher mobililty.
I am partially sighted and have trapped nerves in my spine.
3 years ago when I had to renew my claim I did not get any award but appealed as they had not contacted any of my medical practiioners and I get my award back in full.
This time after a long long wait I have only been awarded the lower mobility. They have given their reasons on the letter. I am worried about appealing as they could remove the award I have got whereas three years ago I had no award so had nothing to lose.
I am speaking to my GP in a couple of days time to find out what he said on the form, he did have a copy of the dla form I had sent in and I know my GP is very much on his patients side.

Is it correct that the qualifying criteria have changed in last three years which would explain why I am no longer eligible for what I got before or is it a case of they are doing this to everyone unless they appeal?

As is the custom, members who have an existing award of DLA who may wish to challenge the level of their award are advised to consider this FAQ.

On the question of the DLA qualifying criteria having changed for claimants with sight problems, it has changed but perhaps in a positive way and for the better with this group of claimants, as explained in this section entitled "More Visually Impaired people to get Disability Living Allowance."

bumpkin wrote:

I have been receiving for past 10 years DLA at middle care and higher mobililty.
I am partially sighted and have trapped nerves in my spine.
3 years ago when I had to renew my claim I did not get any award but appealed as they had not contacted any of my medical practiioners and I get my award back in full.
This time after a long long wait I have only been awarded the lower mobility. They have given their reasons on the letter. I am worried about appealing as they could remove the award I have got whereas three years ago I had no award so had nothing to lose.
I am speaking to my GP in a couple of days time to find out what he said on the form, he did have a copy of the dla form I had sent in and I know my GP is very much on his patients side.

Is it correct that the qualifying criteria have changed in last three years which would explain why I am no longer eligible for what I got before or is it a case of they are doing this to everyone unless they appeal?

higher rate mobility for blind people changed in april and if you do not fit the new rules and have no other problems with your health that affect your walking then you wont get higher rate call the RNIB help they will be able to explain in detail

Crazydiamond wrote:

As is the custom, members who have an existing award of DLA who may wish to challenge the level of their award are advised to consider this FAQ.

On the question of the DLA qualifying criteria having changed for claimants with sight problems, it has changed but perhaps in a positive way and for the better with this group of claimants, as explained in this section entitled "More Visually Impaired people to get Disability Living Allowance."

its changed for the better if your blind ... people in the past who are partiliy sighted but for some reason managed to get higher rate even without other health problems ... if they did not have indef award are like this person loseing it on renewal ... and even blind people who where led to think they would get higher under new rules are not getting it, part the reason i waited for care review as i thought i would be prtoected on mobility under the new blind rules (i was not)

as you can see situation normal dwp mess

It is essentially down to the level of visual impairment suffered by the OP, which is why I made reference to the last link in my previous post.

Thanks everyone - I do have other health problems as well as being partially sighted as I said I have herniated spinal discs and bad arthritis in my spine with trapped nerves. In the reply letter they keep saying that they accept I have difficulty with xxx. For example they say I have limited walking ability but as I am not unable or virtually unable to walk this means I am not entitled to higher rate mobility but my condition is same as it was 9 years ago and up to now this has qualified me for higher rate mobiity which is why I asked if the criteria had changed in last 3 years. I actually agree that I not unable or virtually unable to walk but was told years ago that if you are in pain doing this then that means same but maybe it doesn't now if you see what I mean.

On balance I think that as I have been given lower moblity indef ( I know things will change from 2013) then I maybe should not risk going to appeal in case I lose what I already have. Then again this is what they want us to think. It would have been much easier if they had not awarded me anything as then I would def have appealed.