Disability turned down - Letter not arrived!!!!

[shrimp]

hi all

i applied for disabilty allowance - someone from benefits office helped me fill it in - it was turned down because as usual they focus on what u can do and not what u cant - like u tessa they said i could cook for 1 (somedays cant get out of bed let alone cook )- anyway i appealed - they said no on 19th august at enfield tribunal and said had 1 month to ask for reasons why - sent a letter to nottingham 24th aug and heard nothing so phoned today and surprise - my letter not on file - told to send another recorded delivery as have to be there by 20th sept -
makes u wonder if they have so much to deal with they just say letter not arrived hoping u will give up??..... i also looked up the doc at the hearing and it was just a gp from enfield....why dont they get specialists in at these things?
does anyone know if i can appeal again? if so can u do it straight away or leave it for so many months?
thanks
shrimp xx

[mollymo]

Hi Shrimp,
I can feel your frustration, they say they haven't got your letter, typical.
I dont know anything about appeals so i'm not much use, but I feel for you and what you must be going through.

They should have specialists not gp's !?! dont understand why they dont have specialists.

all the best, let us know how you get on, do send another letter by recorded delivery. I bet you've had enough of appeals and letter writing, but keep at it. They should also be looking at what you cant do and how this effects your life, its disabilitating!!

good luck hun

molly

[tessa36]

I was turned down on my claim for many reasons that hopefully will soon be resolved.
I'm not sure which is best- GP or specialist as both fields in my case were hopeless in giving vital details.
I sent a letter to the people who organised the reports that were sent to the people in concern- and the letter was six pages long describing what information was missing.
A friend of mine took five years to get her DLA claim case won in the end.
It could take many of us quite a long time before any of us get anywhere with our claims-
however, I also have my local MP on my side as the campaign dossier I gave him about endo included the DLA problems and he has told me has had words with the DLA people about this-
I've yet to hear what the chiefs of the DLA dept have to say to him about my case that would give my MP a satisfactory answer...........

[shrimp]

just an update - the letter i sent recorded delivery to the tribunal office asking for statement of reasons as to why my claim have now received the letter as i telephoned them today - as you have to write to them within 30 days asking for the statement - now that they have received my request if WILL TAKE THEM UPTO 5 WEEKS TO ANSWER !!!!
it beggars belief doesn't it????....

dont you just love the system ..
shrimp
xxx

[tessa36]

My reports statements appeal was given 11 weeks

[shrimp]

11 weeks !!!....and i bet all we will get is a letter saying the board read between the lines and once a year you can cook a meal and twice a year you can walk half a mile and wipe your own ass !!!!!....
soory but i have to laugh about it all really - i also asked the guy on the phone how long you have to leave it before you reapply and he said wait till you have your statement and then ring again !!!!......
shrimp
xxxx

[Moonchildhippy71]

I know I was turned down as I said that I was unable to cook, due to pain or tiredness, I find standing for long periods too much alot of the time (i forget how many days of the week) , but at least 4, the days when I can't cook, I just about manage to make a sandwich or heat a ready meal (or something I've made on a better day and frozen) and nuke it in the microwave. On the clam form it did say that sandwiches or microwave ready meals don't count as cooking. As I'm currently living by myself I have no one who could cook for me.

[goldang]

I was refused dla i just dont no if i have the strength sometimes to fight and because i have been through this process on my own whether i can get help ,first of all i thought my problems with my bowel going to see a gynae spec monday i am sure its my endo again have had touns of tests on bowel ,(i had a hysterectomy but kept my cervix to sticky to come out)sorry for going on, like all of you advice needed thanks ang

[tessa36]

hey moonchild
I don't think that they would care if anybody was living with a family or not -
I was told I should be able to cook or make a meal for one person....despite being married and having a 13 yr old son.
My DH does nightshifts so they either expect my son to put himself at risk of burning himself or expect him and DH to starve......
Funny shrimp should say what she said about what she expects the lettters to say-
my refusal letter more or less did say that I am expected to be able to cook a meal for one (yeh right- that didnt go down well in my house), and that because I was able to walk about 50 metres (tho I never quoted that) with limitations ( I am limited) and that my needs vary because I was not unable or virtually unable to walk they denied me the mobility component.
Yet I can barely get about without an escort, collapsed after attending a hospital appointment and ned a walking stick to help me get about when outside and when I had a meeting at my workplace I lost my balance at one point and almost fell onto the floor!

[shrimp]

update

on 12th sept i phoned tribunal office and asked if letter i sent arrived - said yes and it will take them 5 weeks to respond - received a letter yesterday and they now say it has been passed to chairman to reply,....another 5 weeks maybe??

hahahahahahha........

[tessa36]

here's a tip to try:
speak to your gp about it all- if he/she is as supportive as they are supposed to be they will back you up totally when speaking to the CAB about going for a tribunal appeal.
I will be speaking to the CAB very soon and will be going for the tribunal appeal myself.