How many of us are scared of the dwp?
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Nobody transfered, it was a completely new benefit with the idea of making cut backs. I was indefinite on DLA, but lost the care as they decided my condition could improve.
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I like this forum as any misinformation is corrected. Elsewhere it can be outdated and not moderated. I have got things incorrect.
What is plain to see is how complex the benefit system is and it's no wonder that the staff at the dwp make mistakes and the claimants have no clues either.
I read about benefits going unclaimed, but I don't read about the letters that get sent out that say you maybe entitled to this. (apart from the migration from esa to uc and dla to pip)
If they know the benefit is unclaimed, surely they must know how qualifies for it. Maybe putting the legacy benefits together will help with that/stop fraud for those playing the system.
I have a new diagnosis, but it's nothing to do with my pip claim. It hasn't made my existing one worse, so it won't make any difference to the original award.
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nothing of the kind….
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no no and no….
That should explain the reality of the situation?
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It would be impossible for DWP to send out letters telling anyone their entitlement to any benefits because how would their know anyone’s circumstances?
For means tested benefits they first have to meet the criteria and there’s a lot of things to consider, such as do you work, have capital, live alone, with a partner, have dependent children, receiving any pensions etc. it’s not as simple as one size fits all.
There’s no automatic entitlement to any means tested benefits. Same applies to disability benefits such as PIP, DLA, ADP and AA, unless you have a terminal diagnosis of 12 months or less left to live.
I will come back later to respond to the title of the thread.
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Having seen this subject under “New conversation” I thought I’d join to see if I could help or encourage. 5 pages later, I hadn’t realised there was so much fear and anger out there. I, like most of you, get anxious until the letter arrives saying if you’ve been successful or not with your claim. During my life (I’m 71) I’ve had to claim just about every benefit because I cared for my mum for 10 years until she died and am still looking after my grandson who I brought up from birth and is now 23.😀. I’m now disabled with about 10 different illnesses and disabilities which I won’t bother you with. My advice to you all is don’t worry. I know from experience that worry doesn’t change anything. Try to live at peace with yourself and the world and do something that makes you happy every day. I think it’s probably safe to say we’ve all got mobile phones and it costs nothing to phone the benefits enquiry line. I’ve always found them most helpful. I’ve even filled in forms with them over the phone. The golden rule when filling out PIP forms and similar forms relating to disability is “how do I feel/cope on my worst days”. I found that works. I do forget to tell people of changes in my personal circumstances but as soon as I remember I dash off a letter or email. When my grandson was unemployed for a couple of months. He had to claim UC. I sat with him while he did it and helped him generally. Find someone to help you - this place is a good start. There are organisations that will help you fill in benefits forms. Another golden rule - don’t go through applying for anything on your own. Get help unless you are confident you’ll get it right. Another golden rule - don’t try and fill out those 40 page benefit forms in one go. It took 2 weeks recently for me to help my relatives when filling out a DLA form- and they’re both highly paid professionals used to this sort of thing. They were overwhelmed and I was able to help them do some research about how to fill in the form and they ended up getting high rate for their autistic son. I hope this helps. The benefits people are humans like us and they do make mistakes and sometimes don’t treat you in the best possible way but you will get what you’re entitled to in the end. It just takes patience and perseverance. Hope this helps and encourages you.
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I found this on the government website. It looks like they've not long added this to their guidance list. 14March 2024.
Seems to be a lot of updates looking through the documents.
- Added that if you are entitled to either the limited capability for work (LCW) payment or the limited capability for work and work-related activity (LCWRA) payment, and the carer’s amount, you will not receive both amounts. Instead you will receive the larger of those 2 amounts.
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I'm not scared of them, just mightily sick that successive governments change the names & rules of the benefits to fit their next agenda. They have control of my life, if things end up too bad, I have my plan & they will then save a bit of money. I live by 'don't waste a worry', no point worsening the life you have. So, I will plod on & wait until any announcements are made. I don't bother with opinions & what might happen, as the media like to put out, but will await the actual plans & timings.
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There's been no changes here, these laws have always been same. What it means exactly for LCWRA is the same person can't receive both elements at the same time, only the higher element is paid. (same applies to those that receive extra money for the LCW element)
IF you're claiming UC with a partner and you both have LCWRA and at least one of you is claiming a qualifying disability benefit, one person can claim LCWRA element, while the other claims carers element.
For LCW, those that started their claim after April 2017 will not receive any extra money for this element anyway.
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No, I'm not scared of them at all. I have no reason to be because they've never done anything to me for me to be scared about.
I've never had issues claiming either my ESA or PIP. Same applies for my daughters UC and PIP, as her appointee, there's never been issues here either.
I haven't always had plenty of knowledge of benefits either. When I first claimed ESA in 2012 and PIP in 2013, I didn't have a single clue what I was doing. I didn't understand the forms, what I was supposed to write. Didn't have a clue what the descriptors were either. I just filled in the forms and hoped for the best.
I did have assessments up until 2016 for my claims but since then my reviews have been paper based. Yes, my knowledge has increased massively over the years and yes that does help with paper based assessments.
When I first joined scope way back in 2017 I came for benefits advice, which is quite funny now when I think about it. 😉
I totally get that many people have difficulties claiming benefits, going though many Tribunal hearings. Not forgetting those that are not claiming the benefits they are entitled to. Even those that do claim benefits, there are people out there where their entitlements are incorrect.
I know I've seen some really awful things on here over the years that make my eyes pop out of my head. I've advised potentially thousands of people that have been owed many thousands of pounds in unpaid benefits. The most significant one that I'll always remember is someone on here came for advice about their Universal Credit claim. Myself and another member advised them and guided them through the process with what they should have been entitled to. They returned some weeks later to thank us both because they had received every single penny they were owed… £40,000.
Sadly, the person that helped advise them with me is no longer with us. 😔 @calcotti you are very often in my thoughts.
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I am scared of the dwp, having had bad experiences with them in the past, I was refused esa at first and had to go to the tribunal where the dwp didn't send the right papers and it dragged on. So waiting for this esa review is worrying plus the move to uc is terrifying. I had to do a MR with pip as well.
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So that's one of the ways they are making cut backs? I think someone posting earlier was getting more money before they transferred.
Everyone's case is individual isn't it, and on the one hand having it all in one place for the legacy benefits makes sense.
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Poppy, that was a very insightful read, and I'm grateful for the advice you gave me for my 2022 PIP review. Without your guidance, I’m sure I would still be on the standard daily living rate, with no mobility support, and facing assessments at every review. By taking your advice and focusing on how my conditions affect me, rather than just the medical evidence as I had in past reviews, I received enhanced rates for both categories, with a paper-based assessment and the maximum award length.
I don't have personal experience with other benefits, but from reading members posts, it's clear the DWP system is complex and hard to navigate. The digital applications adds another layer of difficulty, especially with an estimated 8.5 million adults in the UK lacking the necessary digital skills to access online services, making an already complicated process even more challenging. While I would not be scared of the DWP, I do feel that understanding the system and knowing how to access the right support is key to overcoming its challenges.
I also fondly remember @calcotti, who, like you Poppy, dedicated much of their time to assisting many members.
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I think that's what I am noticing that every new government comes in and wants to change what the previous one has done, with the added making cuts thrown in.
As I see it they are going to get round to cutting money off everyone sooner or later. If you don't automatically get moved to a new benefit, it could be you. It was me with DLA to PIP, though it looks like with UC they are giving money back under lcwra. On paper, in theory I will be better off, but I dare not put in a claim before the letter arrives incase it messes it all up and then it's my fault I have no money or rent.
It is telling people to wait for the letter, it isn't telling people without the premiums to apply as you will be better off. In fact I could have applied five years ago, I guess there has always been the lcwra. But mentally I wasn't ready to add it to the esa or add anything online.
I still do not like the idea that there is a rent element. How has that been allowed to be taken off the council?
I don't do change and it takes me a while to start to get into the flow.
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Mself and I am sure I can speak for others when I say, we are very grateful for all the advice you give to everyone.
Thinking on what you said, I haven't actually had issues with the dwp. It's simply the stress that I might when I hear from them.
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I hope your OK
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My brother whose not working sees an advisor monthly who helps him with paperwork and helps him gets things. This is in France, not like the advisor here
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oops I read this wrong and I thought it asked how many of us are scared of dogs lol
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@whistles, the DLA to PIP was a biggie, so many folk went from awarded for life to being reviewed whenever. Absurd when for life means you are not going to get any better & in a lot of cases, worse as time goes on.
Thanks, @Catherine21, yes, I'm okay.
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Yes it was and it wasn't until 2018 that they started to include MH in the planning a journey and no face to face assessments.
That was never part of DLA I don't think.
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