Fibromyalgia, My Fiancé and working Full Time

Replies

By Tricia

Re: Fibromyalgia, My Fiancé and working Full Time
Thu 29 Nov 2007 14:38

if you have not started the appeal process yet you could ask for the reasons for rejection. Then you can work from that in a reply letter.

I had my son's DLA rejected a few years ago and I had repeatly said in the application form that I was up through the night because he had an obsession with fire and also I had to keep him quiet so he would not disturb his brother and siste through the night.

Their reply was: We understand that your son is up through the night, however your home is safer at nights than through the day.

I could not believe what I was reading, I replied with a question to just about every paragraph which they put in their reasons for refusal letter. I rang the DLA the following week. What a coincident they had not received it. So I sent another one in this time recorded delivery.

I rang two days later to confirm that they had received it. Within the next 48 hours I got a letter saying he had been awarded the high rate for four years.

In talking to other Carers who have had to appeal due to rejection of genuine claims who have appealed it has taken them many months to sort out. Wirtting to ask for a letter of decision I had it sorted in a fraction of the time.

I hope this is of some use to you.

ALSO even if you are working you are still a carer and you need to get your Carers assessment done. No matter how subborn your fiance is you still have to look after your health because if you start to suffer any more you won't be there to care for him and he must love you to be engaged to you.

Contact your local carers centre to see if you are accessing all that you can in your area. i.e. direct payments to help you with cleaning the house is an example, supportive outtings,

By Tricia

Re: Fibromyalgia, My Fiancé and working Full Time
Thu 29 Nov 2007 14:39

if you have not started the appeal process yet you could ask for the reasons for rejection. Then you can work from that in a reply letter.

I had my son's DLA rejected a few years ago and I had repeatly said in the application form that I was up through the night because he had an obsession with fire and also I had to keep him quiet so he would not disturb his brother and siste through the night.

Their reply was: We understand that your son is up through the night, however your home is safer at nights than through the day.

I could not believe what I was reading, I replied with a question to just about every paragraph which they put in their reasons for refusal letter. I rang the DLA the following week. What a coincident they had not received it. So I sent another one in this time recorded delivery.

I rang two days later to confirm that they had received it. Within the next 48 hours I got a letter saying he had been awarded the high rate for four years.

In talking to other Carers who have had to appeal due to rejection of genuine claims who have appealed it has taken them many months to sort out. Wirtting to ask for a letter of decision I had it sorted in a fraction of the time.

I hope this is of some use to you.

ALSO even if you are working you are still a carer and you need to get your Carers assessment done. No matter how subborn your fiance is you still have to look after your health because if you start to suffer any more you won't be there to care for him and he must love you to be engaged to you.

Contact your local carers centre to see if you are accessing all that you can in your area. i.e. direct payments to help you with cleaning the house is an example

By ians1

Re: Fibromyalgia, My Fiancé and working Full Time
Sun 2 Dec 2007 16:16

DLA for Fibromyalgia is noted to be a problem, mainly because some DWP staff who make the decision to grant or deny benefits read different things into the available data. The old Disability Handbook, which some still refer to, describes FMS as little more than Fibrositis in the neck and back. So its hardly surprising that many claims for DLA because of FMS fail.

If the appeal process is taking too long, then your OH should apply again, they can't stop him doing that. You would be very unlucky to get the same DM twice in a row.

If you stop work you will only get Jobseekers Allowance because you are not able to claim Carers Allowance because your OH is not in receipt of DLA Middle or High rate Care Allowance, one of the qualifying conditions for CA.
If you make yourself voluntarily unemployed you will also incur a penalty.

You should wait, if you can, until your OHs DLA is sorted out one way or another.

Have you tried contacting your local Welfare Rights Officer at Social Services? They would be able to advise you better face to face and with all your documents to hand.

You could also contact CLS for a local adviser
www.clsdirect.org.uk
0845 345 4 345

For (anonymous) benefits advice call BEL

Benefit Enquiry Line (BEL)

Benefit Enquiry Line
Victoria House
9th Floor
Ormskirk Road
Preston
Lancashire
PR1 2QP

Tel: 0800 88 22 00
Fax: 01772 23 89 53
Email: Bel-Customer-Services@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

and finally, you can contact us if you need specific help with your OHs app

dlahelpgroup.com
Tel 07031 908502 calls cost 50p per min

ian

By ians1

Re: Fibromyalgia, My Fiancé and working Full Time
Sun 2 Dec 2007 16:19

Another source of could advice/data for DLA claimants, essential reading really, is Steve Donnison's website at www.benefitsandwork.co.uk its £16.50 per year to obtain the full DLA and Incapacity Benefit claim guides, but they are the best on the web in my opinion.

ian