To be taken aback this woman is getting DLA?

[lesley33]

Was talking at work with the receptionist about the changes to DLA and the move to PIP. I am worried about how this will negatively affect some people. However I was taken aback when the receptionist said that she would lose lower rate DLA which she got for depression.

I know she had depression a couple of years ago. But since then she has been in work every day and always seemed fine at work. I know people can be depressed and seem fine, but really if you can manage to work with depression then surely you shouldn't be getting DLA?

Just to say she is a very honest type of person and I am sure wouldn't have lied to get DLA. She hasn't been off sick. And what sticks in the throat a bit is I know there are other colleagues on low wages who have honestly struggled with mental health problems during this time such as anxiety and depression.

And I know you can work and get DLA. I just think if your disability is depression and you can work fine then you shouldn't get DLA. I am her manager so I know she has had no sick leave and there are no special measures in place to support her.

This woman would have had to demonstrate that she needs this money. It's not easy to get.

If someone with FMS, EDSIII, hearing and renal problems and cardiac problems doesn't get it (I know of such a case) doesn't that demonstrate it's tough to get?

Lesley33 maybe she doesn't want to divulge her full range of mental health issues to you. "Depression" is a handy catchall that people can use to explain their illness without going into too much detail. I certainly don't list all of DS's problems when I am talking about him to someone. I am also sure that someone meeting him and talking to him would wonder why the hell I get DLA for him, but they just see a snapshot of him and don't have to deal with all of the rest.

Lower rate DLA is £19.55. Thats a taxi if she has a panic attack in public, a meal one night if she's too ill to cook, someone coming in and helping her in the house, so she can still work. Its very likely that she pays more in Tax working than she gets back in the DLA that allows her to work.

HungryHelga Generally disabled people are disabled whichever country they live in. I'm personally happy that in the country I live in they are given help to access work and services where in other countries they may end up on the street begging, in an asylum or dead. Funny that.

Silverbay the maximum DLA you can get without being wheelchair bound or missing limbs etc if £375pcm. You, or your friend is lying. One or the other.

OP how long have you been her manager?

I am wondering if the DLA was awarded for a fixed period,if not then she is well entitled to it, depression is the hardest condition toclaim for. I work voluntarily in a welfare rights organisation.

It may be that she struggles with leisure persuits, that she needs tolift her mood,or she went through a period were travel was difficult and she needed transport to get her to work. Take her DLA off her and she may not have been able to continue working, that would cost a lot more than £20 a week, it pays tokeep people in work.

Malibustacy- drug addicts don't get DLA for any condition related to their drug use. People with MH problems etc, do self medicate with drugs, though.

OP also, i doubt you 'were chatting' i have seen you regulary on these boards 'benefit bashing', or are you a completely different person in RL?

Actually, your OP made it about this woman, who you can't possibly know enough about to make that judgement.

Thankfully, it's not your decision, as you are obviously biased, even though you claim you are not. You say you are not questioning that she is genuinely entitled to DLA, then say that you don't think she should be entitled to DLA. errr... okaaaay...

I also question your statement that she has no extra support measures in place. I've worked in a supervisory/managerial capacity, and I have had employees that have had extra support measures in place, and in many of those cases their coworkers had no idea what was going on in that regard. That's because I didn't discuss it with anyone other than that particular employee and up the chain of command higher than me, and only when appropriate. It didn't become "office gossip" or "known" to other employees as it was none of their business. As you are not her manager, you can't possibly know.

YABU and highly judgemental.

I am no benefits basher but I don't think shouting and raving at the OP helps. She has raised a question which she is entitled to do.

I hadn't thought about this before, but if DLA is intended in certain cases to pay for activities or therapy to help the person's condition, is it paid directly to them and they are supposed to arrange it themselves? That in itself doesn't seem helpful - surely a depressed person might not feel up to ringing round and booking therapy sessions, finding swimming classes etc?

yabu
unless you are this ladies GP or a professional that is treating her you have no idea what you are talking about.
how about minding your own business.
this thread proves people on DLA cannot win.
if they work, they are judged as not needing it.
if they don't work they are judged as scroungers.

I am questioning that someone who can work full time in a stressful job has severe enough depression that should be entitled to DLA.

Have you considered that its the help she can get with her DLA that allows her to work full time? It costs less to give someone that help than it does for them not to work.

Look, I'm sure you don't meant to come across as mean and foolish, but its getting a bit awkward now. Particularly as the only people I've seen agree with you are either liars of horrible not very well informed.

Silver bay- my DD had UTI's, (we don't claim any benefits), a have to take regular samples to the doctors,she has hospital appointments,if i ddn't have my mum to rely on, i would have to work part time, she misses out on her education because of her health problems 'PCOS' and has not achieved the GCSE results she could have. Disabled people over their life time,suffer a lot more poverty than their counter part peers, this is why disability benefits were put inplace. The girl seems fine to you? Do you go around commenting on all medical conditions? What are your qualifications todo this? A UTI isn't "a bit of pain when you wee".

People in other countries commit suicide, or die through lack of treatment.

If we saved the money it wouldn't go to the woman whoneeds talking books, we would probably spend it building extra prisons, law and order etc (as the last Tory government did).

Eighties- if the person cannot arrange swimming lessons,then they have certainly had help toget DLA, the forms are complex (i do these in my work and voluntary work), so the person has support. They can be signposted to support groups, whobecause of funding will only often support people on DLA.

The form asks if you need support, groups run days out etc, but they are not free. I have worked in disability before direct payments, this is the best system.

Sigh. As someone with severe depression and anxiety, I really think you don't really understand the different ways mental illness can affect people. Some people struggle at home, but are fine at work. Some people are brilliant at acting as if everything is fine, even when it's not.

Honestly, I could be your coworker. I am disabled by my MH problems to the extent that I cannot cook a meal for myself due to anxiety. This means we spend a fortune on food to cover those times when DH can't cook for me. I also struggle to get up, washed and dressed in the morning and most days can only do it with DH's help. I also have a job, and am damn good at it. 99% of the time, people at work cannot tell that I am actually severely mentally ill (they know, though.)

My disability due to 'just' depression means that I qualify for DLA, even though I can work. There is nothing wrong with the system because of that, because an award of DLA would recognise the care needs that I have that are invisible to someone who only knows me from work.

Ironically, I don't actually claim DLA- because the application process is so stressful and difficult I am afraid that claiming would further damage my already fragile mental health. DLA is not an easy benefit to get, so if this lady is receiving it, you can be 99.5% sure she's entitled to receive it.

''But in this instance I was taken aback that she was entitled to DLA.
I am questioning that someone who can work full time in a stressful job has severe enough depression that should be entitled to DLA''

It's got naff all to do with you OP. God forbid that you one day might need help of some kind.

Ridiculous.

It scares me that the OP works with vulnerable families, yet holds the views that she does.

Hunty- i take back some of what i have said, you are right, there are some right twats working in social care.

This particular OP seems to have a very cavalier attitude with regards to confidentiality.

Yes none of is know every detail of her exact situation, but we - and the authorities - must make judgements on who deserves assistance in this society.

There are sure to be higher rate taxpayers who need every penny of their child benefit for legitimate reasons but the judgement has been made that on average they don't.

Women working and functioning in their lives probably don't need dla.

The argument that theft op is heartless andd has no clue is weak and meaningless.

Dh's job was as transport manager on possibly one of the most demanding contracts (newspapers: miss a delivery and they're hardly any use tomorrow)

he held that job down

Shame about the effect that ahd on the rest of his life however and the demands it palced upon us as a family. The fact we are still together has only to do with sheer dogged determinartion on his p[art- I was ready to off.

this is my friend who works and gets HR care and mobility

I doubt anyone would say he need not receive it; without it he would literally not function

Ban DLA for people working and he loses.

(Also in terms of what we could pay for instead- I have 2 kids with autism, one being assessed but obviously ahs autism and one beinga ssessed for ADD. this week we lost our summer playscheme, a scheme every non disabled child here gets a free place at but they can't manage the keyworkers the boys rely on, the austistic duo who attend specialist schools. I am a victim of the cuts, yet I still don't think I should receive at the sacrifice of the woman in the OP)

yanbu

its a fucking mess

I think the fact people who work get it, muddies the water (and reduces pool) for people who cant work, who have SN children etc

'is it paid directly to them and they are supposed to arrange it themselves?'

Yes, unless the eprson is so severe that smeone else receives it on their behalf.

Often someone willa ssist them with spending it- eg a volunteer from a charity- and it's not just for therapy, it's for more mundane stuff as well- eg we use ds1's to help provide a car so I can access the SN unit / activities for him, etc.

however absolutely it's a valid concern, I know a few people whoa re given their DLA directly despite their carer's objections who ahve spent it on binging and harmful behaviour within 24 hours.

the replacement PIP is supposed to help with that but really that is just a cover for cuts and severely reducing who will receive help.

Porca did you read my link?

Without DLA he would not work; his DLA paid for a decent wheelchair, his speech (literally) and towards his 24/7 1-1.

OP do you realise how many people out there look at MN?

I hope for your sake nobody in your company, or who knows you or this woman reads this