Am I a leper?

[JMU]

I posted a few weeks ago about the problems I was having getting my father's DLA looked at.
Ironically it was someone from the DWP who told me to do it.
They turned it down. Apparently my father is 'not a danger to himself or others, does not need constant attention, is perfectly capable of washing, dressing and managing his toilet needs, and is not at risk of harming himself'!
I'd love them to spend a weekend with him.
Anyway, I'm going off subject. Obviously I disagreed. A friend suggested I try the citizens advice bureau, so down I went, in work hours, to talk it through with them.
They refused to help, practically accusing me of fraud in the process.
They did give me Age UK's phone number though.
So this morning I rang Age UK. Guess what? They refused to help too. Apparently they will not get involved unless they made the original claim. Then the woman suggested I didn't need the money anyway as what dad gets now is about equivalent to AA. That's okay but my father is also physically disabled! I pointed out, firmly, that making the claim was not my idea in the first place, then I am afraid I hung up.
I am pretty much out of options now. Dad has no social worker, little monetary support from the council (as he is just over the limit), and no CPN, after they all disappeared in the last few months. What little paperwork and physical evidence of his condition I have is from last year and wildly out of date. We had a visit from a nurse a while back for his 6 month MMSE but she failed to even tell me the result of it. Dad went to the doctor's to have his Aricept prescription renewed a few months ago but there was no assessment, so even if I try and get evidence from the doctor's surgery it's not necessarily going to be in my favour.
I have put in a request for reconsideration with the DWP. I did that this morning before ringing Age UK, but I have no idea how I am going to change their mind. There seems to be some conspiracy between all the agencies to deny us help.

 

[meme]

you're not a leper..but if age uk/cab and dwp have told you your Fathers not entitled to this benefit as things stand, then that is that...

 

[Sue J]

I would get a second opinion from a different CAB if you feel it is wrong. Age UK are there to help the aged. If your Dad is entitled to get additional benefit then he should get it someone should not say he doesn't need the money because he gets XYZ. His needs are not going to get less after all are they?

I would get whatever evidence you can. The system is so complex you can speak to different people on different days who will tell you totally different things. Hope you get somewhere with it, don't give up

Best wishes
Sue

 

[Big Effort]

Hi there, and I am sure you are not a leper!

I have no advice at all because I live in France, except to say that the systems are there to facilitate some (the square pegs in square holes) and flummox others (the square pegs in round holes).

I am a fighter - systems are there to be challenged when they don't work. In this case, knowledge is power. If I were you, I would read everything I can to get my head around the nuts and bolts, I would phone people outside your district to get advice, which you can then apply in your own area.

I have just saved Mum €20,000 in back tax. The tax man told me she had to pay, and I knew that no system meant to remove the little savings a widow with Alzheimers has. She is self-funding, and won't be if they skim of this money in an unfair tax. To cut to the chase, she doesn't fall into the tax cagegory any more. Worth the energy, and I am damn glad, even if it means next to nothing to Mum now.

Don't you just hate the System? We live in a world gone mad, and yet 80% (my arbitrary figure) of the population just go along with it. Dementia and poverty don't mix. End of story. So no hanging up, just be better informed than they are, find others in similar situation, and beat the system.

Good luck. I know it can be done, you just have to discover how! Be well, BE

 

[meme]

Just knowing your Dad should get this benefit is not enough...you have to jump through the hoops..tick the right boxes and present the right evidence... as things stand, you need to re consider your claim and maybe make a new one, presenting more up to date information and evidence..The CAB will have told you why you do not qualify so far........

 

[JMU]

No, the CAB didn't tell me anything. They wouldn't even consider helping me. Just the mention of Power of Attorney freaked them out. The same goes for Age UK. Okay I would understand it if these people had allowed me to explain my situation, but as far as they were concerned I (and my father) did not qualify for their help so they didn't want to know!
The claim was turned down by the DWP on the basis of the little evidence I was able to present, which, as I said, is already out of date. I explained that on the form. I also explained that a DWP officer, who had visited my father, was the one who told me he should be eligible for further help.
I am sick of the inference from these people that I am doing something unnecessary, possibly even underhand. Why would I choose to put myself through this extra stress when I am already spending every spare moment of my life caring for my father?

 

[stanleypj]

No, the CAB didn't tell me anything. They wouldn't even consider helping me. Just the mention of Power of Attorney freaked them out. The same goes for Age UK. Okay I would understand it if these people had allowed me to explain my situation, but as far as they were concerned I (and my father) did not qualify for their help so they didn't want to know!
The claim was turned down by the DWP on the basis of the little evidence I was able to present, which, as I said, is already out of date. I explained that on the form. I also explained that a DWP officer, who had visited my father, was the one who told me he should be eligible for further help.
I am sick of the inference from these people that I am doing something unnecessary, possibly even underhand. Why would I choose to put myself through this extra stress when I am already spending every spare moment of my life caring for my father?

I can well understand your frustration. I had a very frustrating time trying to sort out the DLA.

Could you not contact the DWP officer? How about the Alzheimer's Society?

It's unclear why Citizens' Advice and Age UK would not help. Do you have any idea? I'm sure I've read about other people getting this sort of help from such organisations.

 

[Saffie]

I assume that your father is under 65 years of age.

 

[jan.s]

DEar JMU, it is so frustrating when you hit a situation like this.

Why not start the process again, i.e. fill out a new set of forms. It is like aiming at a moving goalpost, but tell it like it is on a bad day. Obviously being truthful, but being openly honest about the situations. When I completed the forms, I gave many examples of the situations that he could no longer cope with, and that I had to support him with.

Don't just give up! I cannot understand why the two agencies refused to help.

Good luck

Jan

 

[janma221]

Hi, sorry you are having such a tough time. I can only speak personally but I have found the Alzheimer's Society invaluable for providing all sorts of advice and assistance. You should have a local one and hopefully they can help.
Take care
Jan x