27 February 2007
If you think reading the Benefits and Work news is depressing, you should try having to write it.
So, as a bit of an antidote we asked people to email or post on the forums their good news about claims and appeals. Apart from correcting a few typos, the contributions below are just as they appeared in the public forums or in emails to us, though the names of email correspondents have been changed for obvious reasons. Some of them make us blush rather, but if you saw some of the vitriolic hate mail we get too you'd forgive us for enjoying the odd compliment.
Amid all the gloom about the Welfare Reform Bill, if you've got any good news you don't know how pleased we would be to hear it!
Passed the PCA
I went for my PCA two weeks ago, (having downloaded all your info, including your list of 60 questions I might be asked), the doctor virtually asked me word for word most of the questions on your list! I received the good news that I wont have to go for another PCA for 18 months and have now been able to put in a claim for Income Support to pay my mortgage interest
(after having to sell my car and borrowing money to keep up the payments).
I have downloaded all your info about claiming DLA, and sent off the forms a few weeks ago, so I will email you the (hopefully) goods news, and if things don't go well, I shall follow your info for appeals!
Trevor
DLA awarded
Id like to share some good news with you all!
I applied for DLA in Nov 06, the only help I had was from this site, and today I received my award letter.
I've received MRC and LRM, to say im chuffed to bits is an understatement, im grinning like a Cheshire Cat
Id just like to say many, many thanks for such a brilliant site.
Now just need to find out how much Income Support will be entitled to.
Natassa
DLA increased
I went to see my welfare rights adviser when I first became a member of benefits and Work. I did so because prior to this I had been given a very low DLA payment despite what I believed to be a very disabling syndrome. I followed the advice on your web site and made my appointment with a welfare advisor via my GP practice and the appointment was made for me within a week at the practice, which is apparently available if referred via a practice person such as your GP or other therapist/nurse. This meant I could attend at a place I knew well and made the whole process less nerve racking for me.
My wife attended with me so that If I forgot something or got too anxious she could take over and we made notes about everything we needed to know. I had left it to long to appeal the decision but as the DWP are always (it seems) asking if there have been any changes in my circumstances I took the opportunity to remake my claim the next time I was sent the changes form.
I followed all the advice I was given. I had a medical examination at home where my wife regularly stopped the assessment to explain and add information from the notes we had made. The doctor was very rude at times wanting to rush through the assessment but my wife was very insistent and we managed to get him to write most of what we were saying to him down.
I was awarded the higher component for the care component of DLA and the low mobility component DLA this was a much improved award! You have to be well informed and make sure you get everything said. Making notes helped and having someone there in the medical was a must for me as I get very anxious around doctors! So all in all I suppose this a good news story!
David
'Lottery' win
I don't know if it's relevant to the "Good News" but (here goes nothing)!. About 18 months ago I was talking to my son's mother-in-law, who has been disabled for about 19 years) and saying how much things have gone up and how benefits seem to never match the pace, when she informed me that she was told 19 years ago that she could claim nothing. I was a bit mad as this was totally untrue and told her to get everything with regards to claim forms and apply. Guess what, although it took a little time, she has got the full Disability Allowance, Care Allowance and Mobility. What did seem unfair was the person who told her originally she could get nothing was a Social worker in a hospital at that time!! She has missed out on all those year not claiming anything but you would think I had given her a "Lottery" winning number. She no longer has to sit in the winter with 24 jumpers on but can (just) afford to heat her house and live a better life.
The thing I am trying to say is that it seems a shame that this happened in the first place but more concern to how many more elderly people think they can get nothing. Good new is she follows all your information and passed your web site on to others.
Phil
DLA raised
I heard you on the radio last year. You might be interested to know that after listening to the programme I decided to appeal against the decision made for my son's DLA. When the papers came through it transpired that most of the medical reports and letters I had submitted to support the application were missing. The DWP had decided not to take them into account because they thought they were too old! I complained and the decision was looked ata agin and the award increased.
Julia
Incapacity restored
My appeal goes back to Oct 2004. Lost paperwork took up the first year. Then I had to cancel because of ill-health. Then I had a decision set aside as I did not receive the new appeal date.
Today I had my appeal without any representation. I was not looking forward to going it alone but my advice worker couldn't be with me.
To cut a long story short, the 2 men took 12 minutes to reach a decision. I was awarded another 9 points. Benefit backdated to Oct 2004 and advised to try a walking stick. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that DWP doesn't appeal against it.
I had no help from my GP and really thought I wouldn't win.
Thank you to Benefits & Work.
The best money I have ever spent!
Without your guides I couldn't have done it.
Justissimo
DLA increased
Steve you may remember my sons case for DLA RE Clubfeet
We were awarded lower rate, appealed for middle rate and then on the day of appeal were advised not to go ahead because of the statement the DLA assessor had applied to our case file. Remember that letter Steve we discussed it in an email couple of weeks ago when I couldn't access the forum.
Well his DLA is up for review in FEB and we filled in all forms etc got letters from Consultants both here and America, GP and health visitor etc, spent two weeks filling in forms and ...
got a letter yesterday the DLA has been extended and upped to higher rate until end of 2009.
"Unbelievable" we were expecting "hoping for" middle rate and are amazed its been upped to higher rate without even another appeal.
It is such a feeling of relief that this is finally over for a while. and I would like to say Thank you to everybody on here for their time and opinions/advice especially you Steve. You are truly an amazing Guy. So THANKYOU.
To everybody else, " don't give up, keep on fighting for your Right to DLA" it can be worth it in the end.
On a separate issue I have now been told By SSAFA/ British Legion and my Doctor I should be claiming a War pension/DLA "so let battle commence "
Once again THANKYOU
Shaun
PCA passed
Hi to Everyone.
Thought Iwould let you know my good news I received this morning . I went last week for the PCA assessment . I was told it would be at least 2/3wks before I heard about a decision .
This morning the dreaded Brown envelope dropped on the mat !!
I couldn't believe it when I read thru it ! I have been awarded Benefit until July 08 .
I would like to thank Steve and all you good people with the help and advice you have given me over the last few months , keep up the good work on this site .
I can now stop worrying for a while !!
Tilly
DLA awarded
I did have some good news and am happy to share it. It was during the run up to my last anticipated PCA (which i was found exempt from) - that was the first good news - I was 'free' for a further year and a half.
During the anticipation/dread I phoned the CLS for advice, who, during the conversation and my obvious problems, advised me to apply for DLA. I didn't apply for a further 5 months, as I honestly believed I had no chance. They sent me the forms anyway. Then later thought, why not? What have I got to lose? To be honest, it took me this long to face actually filling in all the forms. Anyway I did and I was awarded low rate mobility and middle rate care!! Backdated!!! I could not believe it when the letter came through. It was like a miracle. And obviously, the money helped and still does. What helped more though was being made to feel (I can't think of the word right now - and I know there is one!) that I was no longer overlooked and that my disability had a place. Hope that makes sense. Deserving too, which is something I very seldom feel. The money has helped enormously, and I have plans to go private to get to the root of at least one of my conditions.
This has all been made possible by being a member of this site. I can't stress that enough actually, without sounding like an actor in a crappy, sentimental yank film!! All the information I got to fill out the forms for the PCA and for the DLA application was from this site.
So there you go.
I've also made a really good 'cyber' friend and have felt less isolated and alone from being on here.
So thanks ENORMOUSLY for this site.
Tasha
