Moving from DLA to PIP

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Grumpy1954
Grumpy1954 Online Community Member Posts: 46 Contributor
edited May 2018 in PIP, DLA, ADP and AA
Hi, I'm 64 in November,happily married, my wife is also disabled and we're both on indefinite high rate DLA and low rate care - though the latter needed reassessing years back and we were advised not to as we could lose all we had.
PiP sent me the letter stating I needed to claim mid Feb, I had till March to reply, so they sent me weekly reminders. I made the call filled in the claim they kept pestering me bi weekly as to why I hadn't returned it till I did.
Now I'm due assessment, which is in the most awkward place in Telford for disabled to get to, alternatives offered were Stoke on Trent or Birmingham. 
I have osteoarthritus in my knees, lower back and coming in hands, also loose ligaments in knees (both can revolve 360 degrees) very high BP, asthma and various other ailments that cause me to need the toilet frequently. Dreading this assessment and I dare say my wife's will be soon. If they take my motobility car away I'm housebound, getting very stressed.

Comments

  • JennysDad
    JennysDad Online Community Member Posts: 2,290 Championing
    Hello @Grumpy1954 and a warm welcome to the community. Glad to have you, but sorry you're facing such issues.
    I think the best thing I can do personally is to refer you to our PIP FAQ pages. These include the helpline phone number if you feel you need it and also includes a PIP self test which you might like to try out (you'll find it and other things on the page I linked to.
    No point my saying 'don't worry', I know, because we all do. Worth keeping in mind, though, that we only (largely) get to know about things that go wrong, about the bad experiences of assessment. Otherwise it would not be news. For all we know the vast majority go swimmingly.
    I will keep my fingers crossed for you,
    Don't hesitate to ask us any further questions or to tell us more about yourselves. The better we get to know each other, the more easily we may support each other.
    Warmest best wishes to you and to your good lady,
    Richard
    @JennysDad
  • Grumpy1954
    Grumpy1954 Online Community Member Posts: 46 Contributor
    Thanks Richard, Need to talk to Capita as they put my date off while I had a severe diahorrea and vomiting bug, I'll look at the FAQ's and if I think of anything else, I'll ask.
  • steve51
    steve51 Online Community Member Posts: 7,121 Championing
    Hi @Grumpy1954

    Welcome aboard my friend.

    I’m very sorry to hear about your current problems.

    We have got many members in the same situation as you.

    Sorry for a silly question!!!!

    Have you asked for a “home visit”

    We have got some “Benefit Advisors”

    I would be more than happy in forwarding your post onto them if that would be better for you???
  • Grumpy1954
    Grumpy1954 Online Community Member Posts: 46 Contributor
    Hi,no problem, I daresay there are many people in the same boat as I am at present. Yes, I knew of Home Visits, but we are in a very small disabled adapted bungalow along with 2 border collies. I wasn't sure there would physically be room for whatever the assessment involve - some years back in another house, we had one for DLA, the doctor they send wanted me to do all sorts of strange things, one was stand in the middle of the room, touch my nose with my finger and at the same time balance on one leg while raising the other to hip height. I refused to attempt that on the grounds I'd fall over, he asked how I got up the stairs to go to bed. I pointed out we had a ground floor bedroom and only the teenagers went upstairs. he shut up and left.
    If I go to Telford Centre for it, I roughly know the area, I have a small folding motobility scooter I can use to get from the car park to the office, my wife has similar ailments as me plus she had 3 strokes in 2016, she has a 4 wheel walker with a seat. It will all take time but we could cope.
  • steve51
    steve51 Online Community Member Posts: 7,121 Championing
    Hi @Grumpy1954

    That sounds great to me!!!!

    If you would be happier in doing things that way.

    Yes I had a Stroke in 1998 so if there’s anything that I can help you with there please please let me know???


  • Grumpy1954
    Grumpy1954 Online Community Member Posts: 46 Contributor
    It will likely come up when my wife gets assessed, it does also affect me as he short term memory is now poor. Our disabilities are not exactly the same, so we're listed as each other's Carers. The last council Carer's assessment noted that we are so co-dependent we can no longer be assessed seperately. My comment was we can't make one fit person combined lol

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