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.