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.

Under PI{ there is a lower level of mobility, but no lower level of care. I tried a PIP test on my more severe the other day and it came out as LRM for him (can walk but needs a 1-1)

I have worked in psych care in the past and the variation of needs within one single diagnostic label is immense. One of the few positives about DLA is that it allows for that variation, picking up the need for DLA (supposedly anyway) in the severe / complex ends of diagnoses that may not mormally qualify.

For example, I now of a child who gets it for eczma; I have eczma, it's a PITA and has left scarring but that's about it; this child is in need of high level care, hospitalised regularly and frankly a world away from the skin disorder I have.

peoples MH problems cover a wide range of things. The NHS is not exactly handing out counselling appointments. My DH has been suffering from clinical depression for two years. He has been on meds, but what he really needs in order to improve (and he was point blank told this by the doctor) is CBT, however, he was then told that it's not covered. All he could get was over-the-phone counselling, who took his name and phone number, then told him not to call them as they would call him in a few months when they had an opening for him. Then they sent him a letter a few months later saying that since he hadn't called them, he was taken off their waiting list. It's been two years, and no counselling yet. We finally gave up and went private, and even then there's a waiting list, although hopefully he will be starting counselling at the end of this month.

He's not getting DLA, and we don't plan on applying for it, as we'll budget carefully to pay for it. Others, however, may not have that option and NEED that DLA to pay for much needed counselling. I don't begrudge them that for a moment. It's really a shame that others do.

I know I'm a bit late but yabvfu.

When you get DLA it is awarded for three years. So when she initially got it she may well have been in the worse place possible depression wise, I know I was, when I got it I could not leave the house, panic attacks, been in my house for three years wouldn't go out the door. Every day spent wishing to die, in a big black pit waiting to swallow me up.

I get DLA when I got it I was entitled to it, it runs for three years, since I have got it I have got a job.

When it comes up for renewal in 2013 I won't be entitled to it. But when I got it I was.

Yours is not to reason why, you have no idea how bad depression can be and if you want to know I can give you prime examples of what it feels like and you can sit there imagining it, but honey I have lived it.

Not always Fabby; it varies between people. My friend who is permanently paralysed from the waist down has been given a year.

Ah sorry thought everyones lasted three years.

Everybody will only get it until 2013 anyway then they bring in the new shit, so it would only be a year if they just got it.

Fabby you are wrong on two counts.
Firstly DLA is not awarded for a set amount of time, be it three years or any other amount. My last award was for 4 years, some are for 3, 2 or 'indefinite.

Secondly, you are required to inform the DWP if your circumstances change; if you get better or worse for example. You are not still entitled to the DLA if the care or mobility needs are no longer there.

It's agrdual sign over Fabby.

The one year thing is a con; it tkaes two years to get a motability car so they offer a year and someone desperately in need can;t get that essential transport.

DS1 and ds3 both got a year initially, ds3's went up after that until he is 16, DS1 got 5 years and if he gets it in December (am assuming he will as attends a SN school but expecting them to try and drop level) will be 3 years as he will be 13 then.

not read all the replies but this does irritate me.. people get DLA for depression yet people like my mum, who has COPD is in and out of hospital and on oxygen 24/7 get turned down for it!

My FIL has COPD, he uses oxygen and is often in hospital. He doesn't have the care and mobility needs that result in an award of DLA. It's not about the diagnosis, really it's not. Never has been. (winds me up, this, can you tell?)

So we should all suffer because your mother isn't getting the help she needs?

DLA isn't given easily to people with depression, I cannot stress that enough.

I am sorry to hear about your mum though, It isn't right.

Pinko - that's crap isn't it? Do they think that your friend will suddenly gain the use of her legs?

Sorry I mean't in my previous post that the criteria under which dd currently gets her LRM will be gone under PIP. She gets it for supervision to ensure her physical condition doesn't deteriorate (or however they word it) and the stumble/falling thing. Under PIP it seems to be focus on deterioration of psychological condition with no mention of physical. And the local authority want to scrap free bus transport before 9.30am too (she has a disabled bus pass) they obviously think that people with disabilities don't use the bus to get to work or college and can choose to go out after 9.30am.

Fair do's Pinko, I concede. It's just genuinely never occured to me that it would qualify for DLA.

And on that note, I'm off to claim myself.

'god, i think the poor OP raised a perfectly valid question! She's talking about someone she sees at work, who gets this benefit and is wondering..She is a taxpayer and has that right!'

ExpatAgain - NO-ONE other than the decision makers for DLA at the DWP have a right to know who gets this benefit or why. You pay your tax. You don't get a say in how it's spent. Because if you did, a lot of people that ARE paying tax would chose to have every penny of it spent on supporting people with disabilities. You forget that the lady the OP is talking about IS WORKING AND THEREFORE PAYING TAX HERSELF. Maybe it is her OWN tax that she is receiving back in DLA?

Again, in case you didn't read it the first time : NO-ONE other than the decision makers for DLA at the DWP have a right to know who gets this benefit or why. You pay your tax. You don't get a say in how it's spent.

I have a few theories about the changes. They are all quite wild but I don't think entirely unbelievable.

1. They don't want disabled people to work, because that would open up jobs for mothers to go back to work when their children go to school. Especially single mothers.
2. They don't want to pay DLA or benefits that allow disabled people to go out and about in public and do things that enhance their lives, but mean other people have to see them which leads neatly into
3. The comments above about "passing the cyanide" - yep, that's what they're after. Making people who live with disability, whether their own or a family member, so fucking poor and miserable and trapped that they take their own lives rather than live like that any longer. Eugenics by stealth.
4. if disabled people and their carers don't choose to opt out of life, then by removing all means of earning money, they can force them into "workhouse" style situations - thus freeing up more housing stock.

Oh, and you can add in the loss of the NHS at some point, so that the medical help that disabled people of any category are more likely to need will become inaccessible because it will cost money - money that they won't have.

Sounds really far-fetched, doesn't it? But you wait.

I agree, Thumb. And it's what scares me the most.

I will just quickly add my " story ".
I am disabled with a chronic illness.
I have lost my job in the public sector through Ill health and sickness.
I keep applying for jobs but I am being rejected - why would any one employ somebody with a chronic illness when they can employ somebody without one ?
I do get DLA but wonder for how long .
We cannot afford to pay our mortgage .
We cannot afford to pay our bills .
We won't be eligible for ESA after the 12 months because my husbands income is outside of the threshold . We have 2 DC and we are supporting DHs DC from his previous marriage .
He is being disciplined at work for taking time off to care for me and our 2 DC when I am sick .
This could lead to him losing his job .
Ten years ago I blissfully thought we were both in a job for life . But now I lie awake and wonder where this will all end .
I have faced so much discrimation even in just the space of 1 month that I have cried and cried feeling so humiliated .
I desperately want to work and be independent but instead I just feel increasingly helpless and hopeless.

And I thank Thumbwitch for her post .

Up until a year ago I was that lady at work on DLA .

My Mam gets her DLA partly for depression, partly for osteoarthritis, partly for post -cancer op mobility probs. TBH, some days she's great, but when the lows hit she can't get out of bed and needs help. Any small domestic prob is always insurmountable to her, and the bit extra cash helps buffer her against worry which helps reduce the episodes. It also means she can afford to hire help when needed.

NannyPlum have you spoken to ACAS about the disciplinary? DH had to face one becuase he missed some time at one stage and ACAS helped

Ant Thumb I agree.

I also expect if they get in next time to see the loss of the vote for non-taxpayers.

My city is the city of the Chartists, their leader was reputedly taken and imprisoned in the boy's old school. I pray that was not in vain.

fabbychic - Thanks that makes sense. As I said she was very very ill a couple of years ago, soprobably was awarded DLA at that point but has got a lot better since. Thanks for explaining - instead of just calling me names like some posters

NannyPlum, under the DDA there should be a Disability equality scheme in the workplace, esp for public sector employers. they cannot (officially) discriminate against you, you also do not have to declare it.Of course, there may well be the hurdle of occupational health to get thro but you should be in with a good chance, they would need to put a plan in place to manage absence etc. this would all be AFTER you'd been offered the job. HTH

Huntycat - my point was that the OP has a right to wonder about this (which we all do!), I didn't say she/we had the right to know about a particular individual (thank you, yes, I did already know that!). I stand by that, I think it's good to debate (not to blame/scapegoat a la Daily Fail etc). Reading this thread it seems that there's huge disparity in terms of who gets and who doesn't which is why it's even more important to re-consider who gets what according to need, esp when demand exceeds the resources needed to meet it.

In which case as Fabby was told she has a legal duty to inform them of the changes in her circs as her DLA will then need to be reassessed.

The claim-span only applies to no change of circs.

So yet again a should they be entitled being used to disentitle all people with a non visible condition (NOT specifcally by you lesley: eman thread as a whole) based on a now fraudulent claim.