Higher rate mobility PIP and exercise - Will I lose my car? — Scope | Disability forum
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Higher rate mobility PIP and exercise - Will I lose my car?

Ehit
Ehit Community member Posts: 24 Courageous
edited July 2017 in PIP, DLA, and AA
I'm on higher rate mobility and have a mobility car, which really helps. I've been told that exercise will help improve my pain levels. But if I exercise will I lose my car? I do struggle to walk most days, but I'd love to take my assistance dog for a nice walk rather than just tiring her out in the garden. What do you think?

Comments

  • wildlife
    wildlife Community member Posts: 1,293 Pioneering
    edited July 2017
    @Ehit Your post is interesting in that it reveals how the DWP, encouraged by the Government, are conditioning disabled people to live in fear of having any quality of life. Programmes about benefit scroungers don't help this state of mind. I think that PIP needs a massive overhaul if it makes people afraid to be seen attempting to walk outdoors. You're not the only one who feels that way. I've said all along that PIP requires us to be at our worst for the claim process and to remain that way or lose the benefit. I have a lot of difficulty walking, it's very painful and I stumble regularly, but sitting around causes my legs to go dead, muscles seize up and cramp sets in. Walking is painful because of conditions I have for life but without trying to move as much as possible things will get worse far more quickly than they would if I at least try to exercise. I'm sure other's will have their own thoughts on this as it's a question of do we just give in and sit indoors becoming more depressed and down trodden or do we stand up to the people making us feel this way? I know which I prefer to do...  
  • Matilda
    Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
    There is a Catch 22 with PIP.  If a disabled person's condition were to improve through exercise for example then they might become eligible for less PIP!

    It is Government policy to reduce disability benefits by means of PIP. The DWP civil servants administer this policy for Government. Not that I am excusing the DWP as they administer the policy incompetently and contract fraudulent private assessment companies. 
  • Nystagmite
    Nystagmite Community member Posts: 596 Pioneering
    it's how you are half the time. It also depends whether you can do the task in a timely and safe manner.

    Also, if you did walk and were in pain after, then I do believe it's reasonable to suggest you can't do the task.
  • Ehit
    Ehit Community member Posts: 24 Courageous
    Thank you!
    I would be in a lot of pain the following day if I did any exercise. But physios are wanting me off pain meds and doing exercises. I can do them some days, but others there's no chance. It's a lose-lose situation.

  • Matilda
    Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
    @Ehit

    Physios can't force you to do exercises and doctors not physios decide if you need painkillers.

     I am wary of physios.  An RA professor I used to see was very dismissive about physio for RA - said with physio for RA you just have to suck it and see!

    Later I did see a physio for fatigue. Told her I'd just recovered from a long and very painful episode of sciatica. She replied that she'd just do some 'gentle' exercises with me. After those 'gentle' exercises my sciatica returned for several days - not excruciatingly but painful enough.

    So no more physio for me, thank you very much.
  • Ehit
    Ehit Community member Posts: 24 Courageous
    That makes sense @Matilda. The physios are always calling GPs, but then I think about who has the higher training. But once I finish (tomorrow) I can tick a box to say I've tried that. 
  • bluelagoon
    bluelagoon Community member Posts: 2 Listener
    Hi Ehit I was on her rate mobile and have good days and bad days. My leg gets worse as the day goes on. Some kind person decided to notify the dwp that I was more mobile that I had stated. They filmed me for 6 weeks walking my dogs around a small area . The dwp then summoned me under caution into an office. Which they filmed the interview. Why I’ll agree that I walked my dogs the dwp said that why they cAnt deny I do have a medical condition they don’t think it was as bad as I make out. They cancelled the fraud case and said I would have to pay it a years worth of dla. Which I said I would take to a tribunal two years on I went to the tribunal to have it cancelled because the suveilance couldn’t be seen. So I am now again waiting for another tribunal hearing. The whole thing has made me very ill and Ian a self harmer that is fighting a battle not to do it at the moment. The judge told me to go get legal advice and to come back with someone that can help but I can’t afford it. I don’t think the dwp care if you have good days or bad days they are just wanting stats to be good 
  • Pippa_Alumni
    Pippa_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,793 Disability Gamechanger
    Welcome to the community, @bluelagoon.

    I'm so sorry to hear you've been subjected to this, I can only imagine how difficult it must have been on you over the last couple of years. Given the circumstances, I wonder if it would be best for you to talk to one of our helpline team? You can call them for free on 0808 800 3333 or find other ways of contacting them here.
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    [Deleted User] Posts: 1,741 Listener
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  • bluelagoon
    bluelagoon Community member Posts: 2 Listener
    Believe this has bed. A really bad experience I’m sat hear crying at a bus stop. With sunglasses on hoping people think it’s hayfever. The dwp say that the footage shows me waking at a normal gait... picking my dog poo up in one swoop and getting on and off buses, once I even speeded up to get the bus. They say they zoomed in a my fave and at no point did I show pain. It goes on and on. My point here is they only filmed me with my dogs for short periods so they clearly take dog walking as being helthy . I’m just so numb from it all. I have really bad thoughts in my head too. 
  • Pippa_Alumni
    Pippa_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,793 Disability Gamechanger
    I'm so sorry to hear this @bluelagoon, it sounds like an absolutely terrible ordeal to go through and I'm truly sorry to hear the distress it's caused. As I mentioned above, please do consider talking to the helpline team- they're a brilliant support service who will do their best to help and support you. 
  • Ehit
    Ehit Community member Posts: 24 Courageous
    I lost my car. I was awarded standard mobility and I lost all my living component. I have bought a banger, but as I have acrophobia I’ve only done 300 miles since October last year.  @Victoriad
  • wilko
    wilko Community member Posts: 2,458 Disability Gamechanger
    I had basic mobility, I am suffer from MS and have spaicity and balance problems so as to still walk my dog I bought my own mobility scooter using off road and bought a second which dismantles to live in car boot for shopping and trips out. With my mobility worsened I informed DWP refilled PIP form had F2F and awarded enhanced mobility, still got own car and walk my dog using mobility scooter three time a day. I can see where people think you or we are putting it on. I know of a lady who has full mobility yet can walk some days over a mile or more unaided, but other days cannot make it from one side of the room to the other,  had condition for over twenty years in  constant pain.

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    [Deleted User] Posts: 1,741 Listener
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