Am I disabled?

moonseed

How bad does it have to be before you are considered disabled and who determines whether you are or not please?

Someone from the Council/Pension Service came to see me to fill out some forms for missing funds (pension) for over £3,000.00.from a few years back and although it was not related, I asked her about attendance allowance as I am now 66 years of age.

She told me that it was up to me to decide whether I was disabled or not.

As I have spent some time reading posts on this forum where it has been mentioned that some of you have to see doctors to get their benefits etc., what she said, does not seem to make any sense to me.

If anyone can throw any light on this, I would be most grateful.
Thanks very much,
Steph

chile168

Hi Steph xxxxxx

Firstly Im glad to hear that you will be getting money back - good for you hun.

I think the lady asked you as to whether you consider yourself disabled. Meaning have you noticed changes in your daily activities that are difficult like walking up and down stair, opening bottles, jars, turning taps on, getting dressed, putting on shoes, walking, planning meals etc.

I have difficulties with all those and others and I had to stop and think real hard because the more ill I became the more my body naturally adapted and it wasn't until I asked people to tell me the changes they had seen, I had not acknowledged my disabilities as I just asked for help. I knew I wasn't the same energetic active person that I once was but probably trying to deny that I had changed.

If you have difficulties with any of those or others which are due to your condition(s) then you should be entitled to Attendance Allowance. You can also contact your council as they sometimes provide you with an OT (Occupational Therapist) who will come to your home and assess your needs. They can help with adaptations, support your application for the allowance. Your consultant may also refer you if your GP is not supportive and doesn't want to refer you to an OT.

Hope the info helps. xxxxxxxx Good Luck hun - thinking of you.

Lots of love and hugs.

Eve

lindalegs

I think you have to ask yourself one simple question Steph, can you live on your own without any help whatsoever from anyone else?

Luv Legs

frogmorton

Hi Steph
Are you - are any of us??
not sure, but you can download the disability living allowance forms and take a look?
Would it help if you could get nearer to the shops?? do you need a blue badge?
Gosh so many different defenitions of 'disabled' eh?
Love
Toni x

livinglegend

There is an self assessment leaflet that you can download and print out at: http://www.samh.org.uk/assets/files/18.pdf

Go through the checklist and see how many points you score. If you exceed 15 points then you are disabled. If less then partly. It is always useful to be able to refer to the list if you need any assistance.

Joseph 8)

moonseed

chile168 wrote:

Hi Steph xxxxxx

Firstly Im glad to hear that you will be getting money back - good for you hun.

I think the lady asked you as to whether you consider yourself disabled. Meaning have you noticed changes in your daily activities that are difficult like walking up and down stair, opening bottles, jars, turning taps on, getting dressed, putting on shoes, walking, planning meals etc.

I have difficulties with all those and others and I had to stop and think real hard because the more ill I became the more my body naturally adapted and it wasn't until I asked people to tell me the changes they had seen, I had not acknowledged my disabilities as I just asked for help. I knew I wasn't the same energetic active person that I once was but probably trying to deny that I had changed.

If you have difficulties with any of those or others which are due to your condition(s) then you should be entitled to Attendance Allowance. You can also contact your council as they sometimes provide you with an OT (Occupational Therapist) who will come to your home and assess your needs. They can help with adaptations, support your application for the allowance. Your consultant may also refer you if your GP is not supportive and doesn't want to refer you to an OT.

Hope the info helps. xxxxxxxx Good Luck hun - thinking of you.

Lots of love and hugs.

Eve

HI Eve,
Thanks for your detailed response to my question. Very helpful indeed but I think I probably should re-write the question.
What I actually meant was who decides whether someone is disabled or not. Is it the person themselves or is it down to a doctor.

As for the money, I have obviously sent the wrong message with this too. I am not going to get any money owed to me. In fact, I have been deleted from their computer.
She told me that I would never get it back.

In fact she was a nasty bit of work altogether and has upset me quite a bit. That is why I posted the question on here.

But thanks again Eve for your response. It is still helpful.

Steph x

moonseed

frogmorton wrote:

Hi Steph
Are you - are any of us??
not sure, but you can download the disability living allowance forms and take a look?
Would it help if you could get nearer to the shops?? do you need a blue badge?
Gosh so many different defenitions of 'disabled' eh?
Love
Toni x

Hi Toni,

Thanks for your reply. I just wanted to know who actually determines whether you are disabled or not for the purposes of receiving attendance allowance.

Steph x

chile168

Hi Steph xxxxxxxx

It's not you hun, it's probably me as to how I read it and got hold of the wrong end of the stick. Sorry to hear that you won't be getting money back hun and that she was a nasty to you. Not on!

To be honest I don't know who decides, whether it's you, doctors or OT's. I had to think hard about things I could no longer cope with and what I needed and need help with. It can be from the slightest to the biggest change. I think it's a combination between what help you require in daily basis, what is difficult and doctors acknowledging how your condition(s) affect your ability to carry out daily tasks and how they affect your daily life.

Citizen's Advice Bureaux can advise you and assist you with form(s) for Attendance Allowance. I think it's better to speak to someone and get them to guide you. CAB can also represent you if need be.

I sincerely hope you get it hun. xxxxxxx

keep us posted.

Lots of love and hugs

Eve

moonseed

livinglegend wrote:

There is an self assessment leaflet that you can download and print out at: http://www.samh.org.uk/assets/files/18.pdf

Go through the checklist and see how many points you score. If you exceed 15 points then you are disabled. If less then partly. It is always useful to be able to refer to the list if you need any assistance.

Joseph 8)

Hello Joseph,
Brilliant!
Thank you very much. I am sure your post will help other people on this forum too.
I am much obliged.
Steph

moonseed

frogmorton wrote:

Hi Steph
Are you - are any of us??
not sure, but you can download the disability living allowance forms and take a look?
Would it help if you could get nearer to the shops?? do you need a blue badge?
Gosh so many different defenitions of 'disabled' eh?
Love
Toni x

Hello Toni,

Are these forms the same as the one's that Joseph is referring to in this post?

Steph

moonseed

lindalegs wrote:

I think you have to ask yourself one simple question Steph, can you live on your own without any help whatsoever from anyone else?

Luv Legs

Hello Legs,

Thanks for your message. And the answer is "No" but that doesn't necessarily qualify me for Attendance Allowance does it.

Regards,
Steph

moonseed

chile168 wrote:

Hi Steph xxxxxxxx

It's not you hun, it's probably me as to how I read it and got hold of the wrong end of the stick. Sorry to hear that you won't be getting money back hun and that she was a nasty to you. Not on!

To be honest I don't know who decides, whether it's you, doctors or OT's. I had to think hard about things I could no longer cope with and what I needed and need help with. It can be from the slightest to the biggest change. I think it's a combination between what help you require in daily basis, what is difficult and doctors acknowledging how your condition(s) affect your ability to carry out daily tasks and how they affect your daily life.

Citizen's Advice Bureaux can advise you and assist you with form(s) for Attendance Allowance. I think it's better to speak to someone and get them to guide you. CAB can also represent you if need be.

I sincerely hope you get it hun. xxxxxxx

keep us posted.

Lots of love and hugs

Eve

Thanks Eve, Steph x

chile168

Steph,

I asked my sister as my mother gets Attendance Allowance and she said that my mother got assistance with the form who is very clued up on benefits. My sister thinks it may also go on how often you have appointments at hospital as well as disability and what help you need as mentioned before.

I have looked it up for you and visit www.direct.gov.uk more info for you. They also have a national number which you can call for more advice.

Eve xxxxxxxxxx

lindalegs

moonseed wrote:

lindalegs wrote:

I think you have to ask yourself one simple question Steph, can you live on your own without any help whatsoever from anyone else?

Luv Legs

Hello Legs,

Thanks for your message. And the answer is "No" but that doesn't necessarily qualify me for Attendance Allowance does it.

Regards,
Steph

No Steph it doesn't .....I think the forms ask one or two more questions than that :roll: .....in fact they're horrendous.

You have to get the forms from DWP or from the website Eve's suggested, fill them in and 'they' decide whether you're eligible for Attendance Allowance, or not. You don't have to go and ask your doctor, that's what the lady who visited you was suggesting, once you've decided you're disabled (which Joseph's questionnaire will help you decide) then you go down the forms route..... and as Eve suggested it's best to get help with filling them in.

Luv Legs

moonseed

for you help and suggestion on what to do regarding attendance allowance etc. It's all very interesting but it's a bloody joke aint it!!!!

Not only have the NHS tried killing me off three time, but the pension so-called "service" deleted me from their computer and I didn't get any money for a year (still haven't got it).

Between them all, they have made me so ill I can't even claim attendance allowance without jumping through thousands of hoops.

I've paid in for such help via National Insurance stamps all my working life.
Trying to get what I'm OWED seems to have been designed to NOT make me claim.
I think I'll wait until I'm on my last legs (sorry, joke), before I jump through any more hoops.

Thanks again, take good care of yourselves, 'cos no one else will.

Kind regards,
Steph x

valval

hi go for it do not give up get cab to fill it in for you do not let them put you off it what they want my auntie and uncle live down south they have lovely lady calls in every so often to make sure they getting all they can claim not sure where she from but every visit she finds something else they can claim

chile168

Steph,

Im so glad that everyone is supportive and giving you good advice

Just wanted to ask as to whether the woman who came to see you gave you copies of the form you filled in? It may be good to request a copy.

CAB can also help you with the money that is owed to you and they will chase them. I think is good to get someone on your side to help you fight your corner. Besides they are at fault and definitely should give you your money back.

It really angers me that if it was their money they would be chasing you - trust me. I recently got a letter from DWP about some money I owed them approx 350. I had docs to prove I paid it 2004 and sent them the proof then I requested the £10 I overpaid them lol - I received the £10

It's worth keeping copies and you can request copies of forms you have completed.

Don't give up on the Attendance Allowance or the Money owed to you.

We are supporting you ALL THE WAY xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lots of love xxxxxx

Eve

moonseed

valval wrote:

hi go for it do not give up get cab to fill it in for you do not let them put you off it what they want my auntie and uncle live down south they have lovely lady calls in every so often to make sure they getting all they can claim not sure where she from but every visit she finds something else they can claim

Sounds like you live in a nice place Val. Where is it, I'll move there.
London is for tourists, scam artists and other sorts of nasties. I really had enough of it.

Thanks for the encouragement Val.
Steph

moonseed

chile168 wrote:

Steph,

Im so glad that everyone is supportive and giving you good advice

Just wanted to ask as to whether the woman who came to see you gave you copies of the form you filled in? It may be good to request a copy.

CAB can also help you with the money that is owed to you and they will chase them. I think is good to get someone on your side to help you fight your corner. Besides they are at fault and definitely should give you your money back.

It really angers me that if it was their money they would be chasing you - trust me. I recently got a letter from DWP about some money I owed them approx 350. I had docs to prove I paid it 2004 and sent them the proof then I requested the £10 I overpaid them lol - I received the £10

It's worth keeping copies and you can request copies of forms you have completed.

Don't give up on the Attendance Allowance or the Money owed to you.

We are supporting you ALL THE WAY xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lots of love xxxxxx

Eve

Cheers Eve. I wasn't given a copy of the form she ("the bitch"), sat there and filled in on my behalf and I completely forgot to ask. Usually I'm pretty good at things, but just wanted her out of my house.
Thank you for reminding me.
Love Steph x

cutieclaire

Hi,

I thought this might help!!!

1
Meaning of “disability” and “disabled person” .(1)
Subject to the provisions of Schedule 1, a person has a disability for the purposes of this Act if he has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. .
(2)
In this Act “disabled person” means a person who has a disability. .


Thus has come from the DDA 1995.

I have been thinking a lot about this question and I 2 took the little test on the here prior to my post and I got over 30. I would chat to your doctor or even call the JCP about the Attendence Allowence etc. If you ask the right questions they will help as much as they can.

Hope it goes ok and let us know. Tkae care. Love Claire xxxxxx

moonseed

csouthwood wrote:

Hi,

I thought this might help!!!

1
Meaning of “disability” and “disabled person” .(1)
Subject to the provisions of Schedule 1, a person has a disability for the purposes of this Act if he has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. .
(2)
In this Act “disabled person” means a person who has a disability. .


Thus has come from the DDA 1995.

I have been thinking a lot about this question and I 2 took the little test on the here prior to my post and I got over 30. I would chat to your doctor or even call the JCP about the Attendence Allowence etc. If you ask the right questions they will help as mu
ch as they can.

Hope it goes ok and let us know. Tkae care. Love Claire xxxxxx

Thanks Claire,

I will certainly take what you have said into consideration although not into Doctor's much I'm afraid.
Steph x

moonseed

moonseed wrote:

csouthwood wrote:

Hi,

I thought this might help!!!

1
Meaning of “disability” and “disabled person” .(1)
Subject to the provisions of Schedule 1, a person has a disability for the purposes of this Act if he has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. .
(2)
In this Act “disabled person” means a person who has a disability. .


Thus has come from the DDA 1995.

I have been thinking a lot about this question and I 2 took the little test on the here prior to my post and I got over 30. I would chat to your doctor or even call the JCP about the Attendence Allowence etc. If you ask the right questions they will help as mu
ch as they can.

Hope it goes ok and let us know. Tkae care. Love Claire xxxxxx

Thanks Claire,

I will certainly take what you have said into consideration although not into Doctor's much I'm afraid.
Steph x

P. S. Showing my ignorance here sorry but what is the DDA and JCP

chile168

Cheers Eve. I wasn't given a copy of the form she ("the bitch"), sat there and filled in on my behalf and I completely forgot to ask. Usually I'm pretty good at things, but just wanted her out of my house.
Thank you for reminding me.
Love Steph x

love your name for her - brilliant - that's the spirit - you go hun.


Wait - putting on serious head now lol:
DDA stands for Disability Discrimination Act - there are severals and last bill think it was 2006 but unsure. The website www.direct.gov.uk has info on this hun.

JCP????? don't know that one - maybe someone else can let you know. I know how I would brake the JCP down but I might get expelled for bad language lol.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx hugs too

Eve

livinglegend

JCP = JobCentrePlus

Joseph 8)

cutieclaire

moonseed wrote:

moonseed wrote:

csouthwood wrote:

Hi,

I thought this might help!!!

1
Meaning of “disability” and “disabled person” .(1)
Subject to the provisions of Schedule 1, a person has a disability for the purposes of this Act if he has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. .
(2)
In this Act “disabled person” means a person who has a disability. .


Thus has come from the DDA 1995.

I have been thinking a lot about this question and I 2 took the little test on the here prior to my post and I got over 30. I would chat to your doctor or even call the JCP about the Attendence Allowence etc. If you ask the right questions they will help as mu
ch as they can.

Hope it goes ok and let us know. Tkae care. Love Claire xxxxxx

Thanks Claire,

I will certainly take what you have said into consideration although not into Doctor's much I'm afraid.
Steph x

P. S. Showing my ignorance here sorry but what is the DDA and JCP

Sorry Steph,

Disability Discrimination Act and Job Centre Plus. Sorry hun, the jagon and abreviations are just natural to me. I forget others dont know what im on about ha ha, my hubby cant get me either at times ah haha lol.

Hope you are ok and hope things are well. Love Claire xxxxx

moonseed

livinglegend wrote:

JCP = JobCentrePlus

Joseph 8)

Thanks yet again Joseph. You are a mine of information.

Regards,
Steph