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Monday 3 February 2014

disability benefits

Sorry I haven't written a blog since October, I've been having a really bad pot stays lately and was also recovering from my heart procedure which I had my atrial fibrillation. My procedure went well and I'm hoping that it has now cleared up my heart arrhythmia and I will not require another one.

I have decided to write a blog about my experience of accessing disability benefits  which people with pots can access. I feel that not enough information is given by doctors about which benefits we can receive. I was made aware that I was able to claim any benefits to help me live with my illness. I actually found out through my Facebook friends that I was able to claim disability benefits. I feel that in the UK there is a stigma about people who claim benefits. I was worried that I would be judged by others.But after speaking to family I realized that I really am sick and that receiving disability benefit could help improve my quality of life.

In the UK disability benefits has now become PIP allowance with 2 different aspects one is a care aspects and the second is a mobility aspects. Both the care and mobility aspects have to levels of payments that can be awarded. I was awarded the higher mobility aspects but not the care aspects.
PIP Allowance
The process of claiming PIP took me four months. The first step was to phone up DWP for a application pack. When you receive the pack  It will contain a questionnaire which asks a number of questions about how your illness affects your life and what things your illness restricts you from doing . After I submitted my questionnaire and evidence from my doctor I was sent to a face- to-face interview with the nurse. This again took around the two months to  get  an appointment with  but the appointment was close to my house. When I saw the nurse I told her how an average day of my life is and I explained my symptoms of collapsing chest pain and dizziness to name  a few and had to tell her that when we have really bad pot  days they are very bad and can leave me  bed bound for days . It is really important that you express how bad the symptoms can get. I actually found the nurse to be very well trained and really understanding.
After  I had the appointment with the nurse I waited another 2 months to receive a decision that the fund DWP which I do think is too long.  As I mentioned I was awarded the higher mobility allowance which has really helped improve my quality of life. I now realize that I deserve to get help I really am sick and right now am really struggling with pots.
I have all so recently applied for carers allowance as my pots has started to get worse and am finding it difficult to do things around the house by myself and get out by myself. I feel that soon I will be needing a wheelchair or a walker to help get around as my dizziness is getting worse. I  feel  like I am losing my independence which is hard as I am finding it more and more harder to look after myself and do normal things that  I took for guaranteed.
For any parents who have children who have pots you are able to claim the benefit on behalf of your child and the process is the same but you will fill out the forms for them.

To all my American readers you are entailed to claim disability it is a much longer process than In Uk from what I understand and you may have to get a solicitor involved but if you feel you  need it, do it because you deserve  help.


I would also like to add that for people who live in the uk and have children there are clubs for young carers run by your local council that your children can go to. My children attend and love going as it give them time away from having to help look after me and also get them playing with  other children whose parents have illness my children go on trips with the group in the holiday as well s more thano it helps me not feel so guilty when I am too ill to go out.