A 'Brief' Intro...

[BillK]

Hello. I have been a consumer forum user/contributor for about 15 years - starting with bank charge reclaiming around 2005/6. A lot of water has passed under the bridge after all that time, and I now find myself having to deal with the DWP & HMRC on behalf of members of my own family with regard to disability benefits and other associated matters.

Disability by its very nature is a highly personal thing, and dealing with disability benefits & support can be intrusive and uncomfortable for us. This seems to be an obstacle which the relevant authorities here in the UK are not just happy to leave in place - but often seem intent on making disability an even greater problem than it already is. Sure - benefit claims must be assessed, and fraudulent claims must be investigated - but for those of us who are claiming disability benefits, this can seem as though we are all looked upon as frauds !

Perhaps this is because benefit assessors have to work in a framework which must assume that 'every claim is fraudulent until proven otherwise,' and this goes against the presumption of innocence which is a mighty pillar of the UK justice system - that we are 'deemed to be innocent until proven guilty.' So benefit claimants have to fight for their 'innocence' when claiming - which can seem as though they are victims of prejudice. Claimants of disability benefits in particular already have to deal with various levels & forms of prejudice - and so when it comes to claiming benefits, the apparent 'presumption of fraudulence' can really seem as though they are considered to be 'scroungers.'

I have visited a few forums & groups which deal with disability benefits and have been disappointed with the attitude of many claimants who - understandably - feel stigmatised or even criminalised by the benefit claiming procedures. Sure - I have also felt very angry at times - but it does not help anybody if the advice given in forums is rooted in anger and emotion.

So after chatting with a few of my old forum buddies, it seems that perhaps a smaller and less 'public' forum might be useful in providing an area where a few of us can support each other and discuss our various disability-related problems - and hopefully sort them out by non-violent means !!! Our forum Admin here has also noticed that there seems to be a need for more help & support for disability claimants in these difficult times - and has kindly allowed us to use the 'Legal Loopholes' forum as a base.

Well - that's my explanation of what I hope we might find useful here. Perhaps each of us who joins in could start off with just a brief description of who we are - I think that would be good, so that we each have some idea of who we are and why we're here. So here's me:

Hi - I'm Bill and I'm probably an alcoholic ! But seriously, I count my blessings in that I'm an old geezer, but so far my disabilities haven't been such that I need to claim disability benefits for myself. But my wife now receives PIP for her fibromyalgia, our youngest daughter receives PIP for her learning disabilities - and our elder daughter is considering claiming for her son, who has now been diagnosed as autistic. This is what keeps me busy these days - and is why I'm here.

[Revenge]

Hello. I have been a consumer forum user/contributor for about 15 years - starting with bank charge reclaiming around 2005/6. A lot of water has passed under the bridge after all that time, and I now find myself having to deal with the DWP & HMRC on behalf of members of my own family with regard to disability benefits and other associated matters.

Disability by its very nature is a highly personal thing, and dealing with disability benefits & support can be intrusive and uncomfortable for us. This seems to be an obstacle which the relevant authorities here in the UK are not just happy to leave in place - but often seem intent on making disability an even greater problem than it already is. Sure - benefit claims must be assessed, and fraudulent claims must be investigated - but for those of us who are claiming disability benefits, this can seem as though we are all looked upon as frauds !

Perhaps this is because benefit assessors have to work in a framework which must assume that 'every claim is fraudulent until proven otherwise,' and this goes against the presumption of innocence which is a mighty pillar of the UK justice system - that we are 'deemed to be innocent until proven guilty.' So benefit claimants have to fight for their 'innocence' when claiming - which can seem as though they are victims of prejudice. Claimants of disability benefits in particular already have to deal with various levels & forms of prejudice - and so when it comes to claiming benefits, the apparent 'presumption of fraudulence' can really seem as though they are considered to be 'scroungers.'

I have visited a few forums & groups which deal with disability benefits and have been disappointed with the attitude of many claimants who - understandably - feel stigmatised or even criminalised by the benefit claiming procedures. Sure - I have also felt very angry at times - but it does not help anybody if the advice given in forums is rooted in anger and emotion.

So after chatting with a few of my old forum buddies, it seems that perhaps a smaller and less 'public' forum might be useful in providing an area where a few of us can support each other and discuss our various disability-related problems - and hopefully sort them out by non-violent means !!! Our forum Admin here has also noticed that there seems to be a need for more help & support for disability claimants in these difficult times - and has kindly allowed us to use the 'Legal Loopholes' forum as a base.

Well - that's my explanation of what I hope we might find useful here. Perhaps each of us who joins in could start off with just a brief description of who we are - I think that would be good, so that we each have some idea of who we are and why we're here. So here's me:

Hi - I'm Bill and I'm probably an alcoholic ! But seriously, I count my blessings in that I'm an old geezer, but so far my disabilities haven't been such that I need to claim disability benefits for myself. But my wife now receives PIP for her fibromyalgia, our youngest daughter receives PIP for her learning disabilities - and our elder daughter is considering claiming for her son, who has now been diagnosed as autistic. This is what keeps me busy these days - and is why I'm here.

Well done BillK, This is the only way in which I can post. I am an ultra vulnerable person and can help on COPD & Multiple Myeloma (cancer of the blood) I have had this condition for the last 8 years and now I am having Chemo once a month. Thank god my numbers have now gone down on my light chains from over 2000 to 118, so I am getting there. If anybody needs any help with this please contact me.

[Revenge]

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  • Well done BillK, This is the only way in which I can post. I am an ultra vulnerable person and can help on COPD & Multiple Myeloma (cancer of the blood) I have had this condition for the last 8 years and now I am having Chemo once a month. Thank god my numbers have now gone down on my light chains from over 2000 to 118, so I am getting there. If anybody needs any help with this please contact me.

[BillK]

Hello to you, Revenge - and thank you for joining me. I'm pleased that you are able & willing to post here. I have been privy to many of your trials & tribulations over the years, so I'm sure you can speak from a wealth of bitter experience !!!

I don't know enough about 'light chain numbers' - but I know that this has been something you have constantly needed to keep an eye on. Going from over 2000 down to just 118 looks to me like a massive achievement - so, well done to you and to those looking after you !

[Revenge]

Hi BillK, the light chain numbers I believe are the readings going down to the kidneys. Yes the Hammersmith hospital have been terrific in looking after me. When I was 2000 plus I was almost dead so yes it is an achievement.