Disablity living allowence.

After being advised to I have now finished and sent off the DLA forms with the letters and stuff from the hospital.
Now I have to wait and see what the poor souls in the DLA office make of it.

Next up will be asking the neurologist to send a treatment plan to the GP for the really bad ones instead of me seeing the GP the Go looking phased admitting they have not a clue what to do and telling me to call the neurology dept for advice. The neurology clinic suggests drugs but without a letter stating drug and dose its up to A&E. Time to behave like an expert patient and sort this out next as when I feel that ill sitting in A&E and clogging up the system with my head in a bucket waiting for a nerve block and stuff to make me sleep is not my idea of fun.

Fab Katie - you sound like you are taking control

I hope the DLA is sorted for you quickly - that will cut the stress down I know others have been down the DLA route so if you need help - please do shout

All I want is the blue badge for the car. But my GP said she didnt think they would even look at my claim...

Anyone had any luck with this please?

Do you get DLA? if you get the higher rate mobility then you can get a blue badge without a letter from your GP.

Without higher rate mobility it is difficult to get a blue badge due to recent crackdowns on fraudulent use. This does not been it is impossible just much harder.

You will need the support of your GP and preferably your neurologist in providing evidence of your need for such a badge. You will need to show you can barely walk or that to walk would cause you extreme pain and difficulty. Your unlikley to get it on the grounds you need someone with you unless you also have a severe learning disability.

I have to be honest, I am not sure how to even start, but I think the time has come. I can walk, but it hurts as it jars me.

How does one start this please?

Fron- 'jarring' is unlikely to meet any of the criteria for the mobility component. Its not about the effect it has upon you that is considered- its the help you need from others.

Fron - This site has a great section on what DLA is and how to apply for it.

http://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/help-with-money/benefits-a-tax-credits/dla-and-aa/making-a-claim-for-dla-or-aa

And this is the Governments site which explains who is eligible.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Disabledpeople/DG_10011816

Hope they help

Tee

Ok then the help I need is I cant drive myself, but I can walk, but not without pain.

Who with migraine can get this if that is the criteria?
I know people have, they have posted on MAA.

There must be another way they do it.
I thought the help bit was for mobility allowance....

I only wanted a badge so that I could park closer.
My GP has already said she will support me.

Will check out the link thanks Tee.

There are a number of people on here who have got this. But they all have hemiplegic migraine, where of course reversible paralysis occurs,

And in most cases have been banned from driving - I will email a few to get them to post / help you.

I have HM and also a few other issue including fibromyalgia. I am still awaiting my DLA claim results so to speak but I would alway advise to make sure you take help filling in the forms by the people who are used to filling them in. It has been almost 8 weeks since I applied and just got a letter to say they are sorry they haven't gven me a decision yet but not to worry as I will not lose money and they will contact me soon with they decision? I have been told this is a standard letter as they are so behind with claims. I have had a blue badge since 2010 due to fibromyalgia and the paralysis down my left side though I wasn't officially diagnosed with HM until after that. All councils are different. I have just on 31st August 2011 had to surrender my driving licence due to hemiplegic migraine.

Ridsy- I can beleive that as I have also had the same letter. I think I may be some 10 weeks ahead of you in the process but as yet I have had no decision. I can beleive they are behind with claims.

It may be of help to send as much supporting evidence that you have with the claim and to give permission for them to contact everyone who knows you to get the best idea of how this affects you. Please note- DLA is based on the care you need as a result of your disability rather than just having a disability. ESA is based on how your disability affects your ability to work. Its all a bit complicated so it might be worth seeking advice. There may be groups local to you who could do so so check Yellcom or with the local library- they can normally signpost you to local support.

I will go for the fibro I think. To be honest it is pushing the migraines and as it has a daily effect (so do migraines but it seems they dont realise that), and they seem to accept that. Might be my best bet.
As I said, I only want the badge....they can keep their money.

Just got this via email:

I have DLA at highest level for both mobility and care but NOT because of HM. However the principals still apply. Expect to get rejected on first application - it seems to be a ploy to get you to 'drop out'. DON'T! Gather further info and support in the form of letters etc from health professionals. What swung it for me was they sent out a doctor to make an assessment and bingo success. The important thing is DON'T GIVE UP - some little tin pot clerk in the DWP office is not going to beat you!!

I think 1 point I was trying to make was that I got my blue badge in 2010 & I have only just applied for DLA so you do not have to have DLA to get a blue badge!! I am living proof!! So fill in the for for a blue badge anyway and tell them you have applied for DLA but do make sure you show them just how affected you are because they do not see you every day. We all have a 'good day' but most have more bad ones. I hate to admit that I am affected so bad as I have always been so independant but twice this week I have left the gas on the cooker....once when I thought I had turned it doen & gas was off but coming out and just today when I made just beans & left it on the hob flame lit! Besides the phisycal side of my probs....these are the other issues they do not see. Luckily I noticed the smell after nearly an hr an got me & dogs out and opened all doors & windows the other day & today my partner noticed the gas after about half an hour. I still work and I am sot a 'numpty' as some put it. I am an intelligent person with A levels. I don't know what will happen next and it is frightening. I hope DLA will come through for me so I can reduce my hours. One thing I do know is.....I should not use the cooker? The dla forms are so hard to work out. I got help filling them out. x Dawn

Hi
Just had a letter from ATOS to say they will contact me for a medical examination. I already have a blue badge. I have applied for dla for Fibro & HM. I know its not 'means tested' but as im trying to hold my job down as I need help with money before I can reduce my hrs Im worried this will go against me. I can't remember things and struggling hiding my issues at work too. I just need to cust my hrs a bit. Now Im stressed over this. Ive already had a bad do today before I got the letter but I just think Im tired of fighting. Does anyone else feel like me. I just have nothing in my head apart from I want to laay down aand stare at the sky until Ive finished staring. I couldnt be less interested in anything at all if I tried. Like my head 'isn't bothered'! My left arm constantly aches and iff it wasn't for me letting my partner down I don't think i would go to work tomorrow or the next day or the day after. We would lose everything though. Im so tired I don't feel anymore. I can't read or spell without spell check and Ive had a friend look over this who now thinks ive lost my mind. I have told him to return it once found. ...Then deep down there is me who doesn't want to be beaten by my brain. I also wasted money on my kindle as I cant make sense of books right now. I work and sleep. Thats my life. Ive had a chest inf so more tired this last week so knock on for all this. I just dont want to go over it again and be proded & questioned. Sick of it. They quick to say Im too ill to drive. x

Oh sweetie - its so hard when you are at this state. But I have found the medical people pretty good and understanding - just tell them what you have just said there - they will see the confusion, pain and slowness in thinking. Take consultant letters, migraine diary, all your medication and a friend

I hate there medicals, and the stress they cause. But if this goes well and I am sure it will - then you can take some more time for you to rest and heal.

A period of just laying there and resting, is great, I have done it for a while - just to switch the brain off and think nothing

Big Big Big hugs- try not to fret about it.

Tee x

Hi guys sorry I have not been on line for while
I have been either having hemiplegic attacks
Or been busy at work I have found a new job. Just to
Let you guys know that I receive middle rate of DLA for care
And low rate for mobility ... XXX

That is good news Nad - so many are fighting for it now,,,,,,,,,,,, even better news you have managed to get back to work....

If you have any tips in how to get through the DLA (Is it called something else now?) Please do share them

Hello everyone just updating you to let you know that I have recently been awarded ESA and placed in the support group for my Chronic Migraine. I am very hopeful that with treatment and time I will be able to return to some kind of work in the future. If anyone has any questions please PM me

So pleased you got this - I am sure there will be questions - we get a lot of people trying to sort this out and it is such a fight x

Tee wrote: So pleased you got this - I am sure there will be questions - we get a lot of people trying to sort this out and it is such a fight x

It was such a relief but a shock too as I know how hard it is to get. I am happy to help but I think the main reason I was successful is that the HCP who did my medical from ATOS had a background in neurology so they actually understood migraine. So I guess my number one tip would be to ask to see an HCP with a neuro background if your atos medical centre has one.

I get the feeling that social welfare is more generous in the UK than here in NZ. I'm not eligible for any assistance as I have a partner who is able to work and we don't have dependent children. Even though she is not able to fork full time due to the stress my condition causes her, we are left to our own devices.

If I could prove my migraines were due to an accident, then it would be a totally different story as we have a good accident compensation scheme here (although it is being watered down little by little).

pīwakawaka wrote:I get the feeling that social welfare is more generous in the UK than here in NZ. I'm not eligible for any assistance as I have a partner who is able to work and we don't have dependent children. Even though she is not able to fork full time due to the stress my condition causes her, we are left to our own devices.

If I could prove my migraines were due to an accident, then it would be a totally different story as we have a good accident compensation scheme here (although it is being watered down little by little).

Well I must say that I don't think I will get this benefit for long without being reassesed and I do hope to improve although it is just all hope at the moment as there is no guarantee things will improve. The uk used to be generous but they are getting much tougher and while in the past if you had been awarded disability benefits you would go years between assessments now 6 months to a year is the norm and the will try to move you out of benefits into whatever work the think they can do. While I was applying for ESA i came into contact with people who had very serious long term illness and disability under tremendous pressure to return to work when they were not really capable of doing so.

I am sorry that you cannot get any support I have learned so much about migraine over the past few months about how disabling it can be, how much it costs governments and businesses in terms of sickness but then it is so poorly funded in terms of research and so poorly understood. I really hope this will change in the future!

I'm hoping to be able to apply for something at some point, its currently taking me an excessively long time to fill out the form however. When I can hardly write to begin with its taking me a while, at one point they asked me to prove that I am prone to falls... The hypermobility, dyspraxia and side affects isn't enough lol!

Still have to finish filling out my ESA form by April too... Oh the fun of forms!