Being messed around again part 2 - result (of sorts)

You might possibly remember me going on about assessments recently and in particular the Personal Independence Payment that I was more or less forced to apply for in February as I was informed if I did not my existing Disability Living Allowance would stop.
This is because they decided to scrap the benefit for new claimants and force everyone to reapply from scratch rather than just migrating over, reviewing as necessary.
The process was and is long-winded with having to apply by phone, complete a form within a month and then wait for an assessment which for most people would of been at a premises rented for it but for me was a home assessment.
Well eventually I received a letter from Department of Works and Pensions who in the almost fictional separation of hired out assessors and their decision makers making them, they have decided to award me enhanced Daily Living and enhanced Mobility in a massive well stuffed envelope which has been made 'ongoing' which is way of not expressly saying indefinitely or for life but really means "we can't see you improving but we will  play to  the notion of Lazarus style recoveries for the public by giving you a date we'll check on it (but we won't do much other than confirm you're the same or worse) in ten years time.
This is significantly better than my original DLA award more inline with how I'd assess my needs although looking at the scoring they put nothing down for communication, stress, anxiety and making my own plans.
I could argue with that easily but in reality had they of put them in it would not altered the awards by the scoring points system because I knew I was at least standard Daily Living and potentially crossing into advanced and while they missed out things around help with every day life activities such as  planning, getting out which really would of given me around 4 or more points at least, they give me top points on Physical Disabilities such as getting up from a sat position and how far I could walk without needing to break off ordinarily  and so on and which were observed.
Given the overall result I feel just accepting it faults an all works as large chunks are covered and in the end the kind of support I may get to deal with these things will be down to me so I can always build in in the missing bits.

Stuff on my mind

There is much that is on my mind like sorting some of my things out since having a few new clothes and books that have to be fitted in some how into this room otherwise their could be ouchie trouble.
We have that election thing this Thursday taking place that I'll need to make a point of walking down to to vote but the biggest thing on my mind has been that Personal Independence Payment business which resulted in a letter last week to say they'll be coming out to do a personal face to face assessment next Wednesday.
This means Mum needs to be with me to try to answer whatever it is the so-called Health Professional might ask questions about  while we try to remove things like the grump from the scene as he really doesn't know that much but has the tendency to interfere saying things that that either not wholly true or  doesn't  actually know  which you'd then need to correct in front of them.
But then we don't know what they'll be saying or if they are either telling the truth or got it wrong cos they don't say as they pretend to gather evidence someone in DWP looks at to make a decision.
Still whatever happens it'll be fought.

Easter hols edition

Just getting back in the swing of things as we're off for Easter Hols here not that would ever stop me from engaging in a pillow fight if I had anyone over and certainly after school resumes in our dorm.
The week saw the latest phase in the long running business around the ending of my INDEFINITE Disability Living Allowance claim (never ever trust anything set up by politicians to mean what it says) and having to apply for Personal Independence Payment a kind of the same but different social insurance program to meet the extra costs of being disabled that assumed by raising the bar on how you may be effected by your disabilities you'd reduce the bill but actually has cost more.
Having tried to tell me they had not received my completed form on a letter with a date on a Sunday that no government department works on we now had a letter from an assessment provider in the WRONG region to say they are in the process of either having or going to write to a health specialist you advised them of - for me my own Doctor - for further information which may be a report.
This may prove interesting as on two occasions in connection with the social insurance program called Employment and Support Allowance for being unable to work that report was sufficient to not require me to attend a so-called medical which isn't actually an physical/mental examination of you to see how your conditions affect you but rather to go through a tick box of questions and controversially write any observation about you from the moment you enter the assessment centre such as if you look 'well groomed' or appear to able to carry a shoulder bag and decide on that basis if you could undertake tasks.
Obviously, don't have your hair brushed and make up done!
We shall see how this works out but when they say it could take up to sixteen weeks aka FOUR MONTHS (!!!!) for this to be resolved adding the start date of my claim could potentially take it into FIVE months.
It's amazing to think any one in government seriously thinks this constitutes good practice when it comes to customer service but having seen on the Countryfile program on tv farmers are waiting four years for payments from another department well the mind boggles!

Being messed about again

Sometimes it can seem that you're surround by a Government run merry-go-round as having eventually got my money sorted for being unable to work even if felt up to it, we have another hoop to go through because the money that's supposed to help meet my personal needs has had a change.
In Britain, we have for a longish period of time given by assessment money to people to help meet the costs of disability such as adaptions, equipment, services or support outside of social services through a variety of differing schemes.
The last expansion of this came in 1992 with the replacement of Attendence Allowance and Mobility payments for under 65's by a broader mainly self certified scheme called Disability Living Allowance where you set out what your needs were and why, doctors and consultants would be asked  to verify the accuracy of you said and so you'd be given an award for varying periods depending on likelihood of it improving or not.
I remember applying for it in November of 1994 and because of my own situation was given an 'indefinite' award because mine cannot improve, quite the opposite actually so when in response to some concern about the potential for fraud, many people were sent to 'medicals' periodically effectively I was exempted not that much fraud really existed but it satisfied the man at the pub who thought so and so believed they shouldn't be getting it.
It is worthwhile considering what actually is the criteria to be considered because to simply have a condition of itself isn't sufficient, you normally need to show how that effects you, what you may need and how that help.
The example people tend to quote against automatic condition as qualifier is a person has a eye deficiency - let's say they are short-sighted - and while without correction they are impacted supplying a (inexpensive) pair of glasses enables them to get around so they don't *need* extra payments.
Two things I'd say from that is this presumes people have sufficient money after regular spending to buy a pair since free glasses ended for most people over eighteen in the mid 1980's and some eye conditions don't lend themselves to simple correction and are grounds to such as severe impairment or actual blindness.
Fuelled by what was seen as increased costs and the idea some with low care needs didn't really need financial help the then coalition government  in 2010 decided to change the system to something that had less provision for lower rate care needs and radically reduced distances  for showing a person was unable or virtually unable to walk with face to face assessments by people called health care professionals who aren't and don't consider anything from specialists to decide if you do.
This is called Personal Independence Payments (P.I.P's)
To date the governments own National Audit Office Report has shown this change has actually allowing for inflation resulted in more spending on disability payments not the anticipated reduction, more cases are won on appeal at expense and many reports from the health care professionals contain errors sometimes even whole falsehoods.
I received a letter late last week informing my INDEFINITE award was stopping soon and I'd have to make a fresh application for PIP so I now have to get a form and fill it out like I did for the Work Capability Assessment eighteen months ago and like I ended up to sort out my main income replacement benefit just before Christmas.
I finally after a long wait and a twenty-two minute phone call got the form coming to me soon.
Will this ever end as with me at least nothing can change for the better and to be honest they might as well of just passported me over as they all the information they need as I'm not getting any better as my body ages.