Am I disabled?

PollySid

This seems to be a bit of a grey area. :?

How do you be classed as disabled? Who can actually say that you are disabled? - your GP? - your Specialist? - an OH Doctor? - DWP? - the ones that dish out the ESA? - or can you declare yourself disabled? :?:

I put this question to the lady from DWP when they rang yesterday. She was very nice and helpful, but didn't know. She said she had been asked it before.

I know to get DLA should mean that you would definately be able to tell the other benefits people that you are disabled, and their thresholds are then higher, but is it just DWP who can say?

Does anyone know :?:

stickywicket

I was registered disabled so far back in the mists of time I can't remember how it came about - probably when I first got Mobility Allowance or DLA's antecedent. This is what NHS site says now.

http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/2571.aspx?CategoryID=155&SubCategoryID=155

pinkbritishstars

As we have arthritis we are disabled Pollysid.

Being on DLA confirms this.

Pink x

MrDJ

i was registered disabled by my local council. it was also many moons ago so i cant remember who or how i was sent there. it could well of been on advise from my gp.
i had to have an interview on a one to one basis at one of the councils one stop shops and i received my little yellow card in the post within a couple of weeks.
i only applied for this as i was told it would help towards getting a disabled badge for car.

Emily

Can you still get registered as disabled. I thought that was done away with now with the Equality Act 2010. Apparently now if you are working and you take employer to tribunal for not making adjustments, it does not matter if you are getting DLA or not as it will be up to the tribunal to say whether you are disabled

I think the equality act is making it more difficult for disabled employees.

MrDJ

this might help > http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/2571.aspx?CategoryID=155&SubCategoryID=155

teresagrove

My only input is from my OH interview - when I was told that I now had to be considered disabled in the workplace.

resusjan

Good God!!!

Have just looked at the website with the link above - one of the links on here is "am I entitled to a free eye test". Only looked at this because I had to have an eye test last week, at GP's request, because had been have bleeds in my eye due to medications for RA.

Well ---- Am I entitled???? NO. But...... if I was a prisoner, on leave from prison I would be!!!!!!

Enough said!

MrDJ

as far as i know its still free at tesco's as long as youve got an opticians at your branch.

suncatcher

I prefer the word enabled i more interested for people to see me for what i can do rather than what i cannot.

jillyb1

I don't care what label I am given ; provided I'm treated with respect , kindness and dignity ; ie. the same as everyone else should be . Jillyb

PollySid

teresagrove wrote:

My only input is from my OH interview - when I was told that I now had to be considered disabled in the workplace.

Me too - he said that I came under the Disability Discrimination Act.

PollySid

suncatcher wrote:

I prefer the word enabled i more interested for people to see me for what i can do rather than what i cannot.

jillyb1 wrote:

I don't care what label I am given ; provided I'm treated with respect , kindness and dignity ; ie. the same as everyone else should be . Jillyb

I don't particularly want to be labelled as disabled either, but it's the questions on the benefits forms that say 'Are you, or is there someone who lives with you that is disabled?' I never know whether to answer yes or no. :?

suncatcher

I know of someone who was told u don't have to mention to work about that. He keeps his secret as no one can tell at moment. his doc told him when you drop things make a joke of it say oh butter fingers etc. He wishes to keep his job and has avoided staff redundancies and is still working. He is positive he would have gone long ago if they found out. this puts an enormous strain on him i am sure.

Emily

MrDJ wrote:

as far as i know its still free at tesco's as long as youve got an opticians at your branch.

With all that free labour tesco's are getting from young people stacking their stock it is the very least they can do is give free eye tests.

There is also free eye test from some of the high street optician that I seen a couple of times, I think test are not expensive as they make their money on the frames that opticians flog to customers. :x :x

MrDJ

only started going to opticians 3 years ago as was advised i needed glasses for reading.
was totally ripped of. £520 for 2 pairs of glasses which looked nice but werent brilliant.
ended up trying tescos and got 2 pairs for £120 and theyve been perfect.

dachshund

Hi PollySid.
my sister and i were born disabled we have cerebral palsy
our parents said to us you were born like this do as best as you can and enjoy life.
we ran our own riding school for over 30 years.
used to work making record players.
now we are 70 my sister cannot walk anymore she uses a wheelchair and she goes to the gym.
i have arther i have problems standing and walking to far we have mobility scoota's we take are dogs for walks and go shopping.
its every day people you meet who say what have you got wrong i thought people who had that were do lally.
i read in the paper to day about a man who claimed 48 thousand and said he could not lift a tooth brush he was caught playing golf.
sorry to go on. take care
joan xx

frogmorton

Now isn't this an interesting one??

Are you? are we???

I think l prefer to say l am not, but others may say l am.

The old 'registered disabled' business....l can remember registering people disabled years ago when l worked for the council :roll:

Joan those people who reckon those with CP are doolally must be pretty ill-informed themselves :roll:

love

Toni xx

MrDJ

Joan, i would just like to say you and your sister are an inspiration to us all.
like you, im a fighter and been through the wars but i take my hat off to you both for all that youve acheived over the years with your condition.

barbara12

I have always said our Joan is an inspiration...she has gone through so much and still bounces back and supports everyone else
Has for being disabled...not sure who gives us the label...

frogmorton

barbara12 wrote:

I have always said our Joan is an inspiration...she has gone through so much and still bounces back and supports everyone else
Has for being disabled...not sure who gives us the label...

She is that Barbara and always so NICE! Shall we refuse to take the label

Love

Toni xx

dreamdaisy

I've been here since April 2010 and have 'known' our lovely Joan since then (including the CP bit) but I was unaware of her life-history (Sue's too). As usual the astonishing modesty shines through and I am a thoroughly humbled DD. :oops: Yes, I think I am disabled inasmuch as I do not lead my life as I would wish, I don't move as well as I want, stamina and energy are long-gone (did they ever exist? I have no idea) but then along comes our lovely with her quiet denial of being disabled. Joan is Joan, Sue is Sue, I am me and you are you. DD

ichabod6

You are only disabled if you consider yourself disabled.

Emily

Unfortunately if you are in employment you will have to prove employer that you got a disability otherwise they will not make adjustment for you. Even if they see you are struggling they will turn a blind eye to it. Employers do not care above people or how they are struggling with paid or disability all they are interested is profit and they cannot get enough of it. Staff are only tools and employer think of their staff as mechanical as well. :x :x

cthornley

It depends what you want the label for I guess
Disability as defined by the Equality act is
"In the Act, a person has a disability if:
•they have a physical or mental impairment
•the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to perform normal day-to-day activities

For the purposes of the Act, these words have the following meanings:
•'substantial' means more than minor or trivial
•'long-term' means that the effect of the impairment has lasted or is likely to last for at least twelve months (there are special rules covering recurring or fluctuating conditions)
•'normal day-to-day activities' include everyday things like eating, washing, walking and going shopping

People who have had a disability in the past that meets this definition are also protected by the Act.

Progressive conditions considered to be a disability:
There are additional provisions relating to people with progressive conditions. People with HIV, cancer or multiple sclerosis are protected by the Act from the point of diagnosis. People with some visual impairments are automatically deemed to be disabled.

Conditions that are specifically excluded:
Some conditions are specifically excluded from being covered by the disability definition, such as a tendency to set fires or addictions to non–prescribed substances.

'Registration' is not necessary neither is reciept of allowances or benefits

Disability Discrimination Act was replaced by the Equality Act in 2010 - it covers your employment & education rights as well as your rights to access goods and services and property rights. Unfortunatly it is a reactive piece of legislation meaning that enforcement is only effective after a complaint has been made. Most companies / public bodies are proactive as they are worried about the costs of being sued for non compliance however some gamble that the risk is worth it as the costs to make adjustments can be high (RBS did this and spectacularly lost )

Sorry for the waffle - I am an accessibility consultant as part of my job as well has having RA. I don't personally consider myself disabled but under the act I am defined as such.

Chrissie

clonsea

I have OA (one less then brilliant THR so far) and I'm retired - my husband still works - and the question of disability arises when I'm looking to buy myself something to enable me to carry on as best I can. The question of VAT then arises. Can I just declare, myself, that I qualify for relief?
Friends have suggested that my difficulties walking would surely entitle me to DLA but having looked at the forms, I set them aside as I get up each day thinking of what I CAN do rather than dwelling on what I can't.