PDA

View Full Version : Agoraphobia and DLA



helen2203
29-09-08, 10:30
Hello Everyone,

I am new here, I am so happy to have found this website, I am very surprised to see how many people suffer from Agoraphobia, you always think you are the only one that suffer with this and that. I have suffered with panic attacks and phobias for 25 years now and four years ago I developed Agoraphobia. It has been suggested to me by the my adviser at Job Centre to claim DLA, I've never heard of or know anything about DLA and wondered if anyone here are claiming DLA for having panic attacks, phobias or Agoraphobia.

Any reply would be much appreciated.

Many thanks in advance. I am sorry for my shift post, but I am having an attack just writing this and feel the need to get away quick, sorry guys.




helen :weep:

leeg
29-09-08, 10:33
hey yes you can get disability living allowance (DLA) get a claim pack from your local job centre i recieved this a few yrs ago while i was suffering badly from anxiety and agrophobia and welcome to the site there is lots of good tips on how to cope and read the success stories they give you hope and help you see there is light at the end of the tunnel:hugs:


leexxxx

jacq
29-09-08, 14:51
Hi Helen, i am also getting DLA for my agoraphobia and i also never realised you could till reading the posts on here. My hubbie fetched me a form from the local benefits office and they date stamp it and you have a month to send it back, look on the web for help filling it in as there are loads of sites advicing you how to word it in your best interest. I get the lower rate of care and mobility which is about £140 a month and at least it makes me feel that i am contributing to the household budget and not a burden. I also applied for incapacity benefit and though i haven't worked for so long and haven't paid enough national insurance to recieve money, they do make national insurance contributions so that i will still be eligible for a pension in the future.
Jacq xxx

Piglet
29-09-08, 17:54
Definately worth applying for - remember to fill the form in to reflect your worst days not your best days.

Advice on how to fill the forms out can be found on www.benefitsandwork.co.uk (http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk)

Piglet :flowers:

helen2203
29-09-08, 19:10
hey yes you can get disability living allowance (DLA) get a claim pack from your local job centre i recieved this a few yrs ago while i was suffering badly from anxiety and agrophobia and welcome to the site there is lots of good tips on how to cope and read the success stories they give you hope and help you see there is light at the end of the tunnel:hugs:


leexxxx

Hi leeg,

Many thanks for your reply, I am glad I can claim it, I have been googling for DLA for the past four days and read so many horror stories about the stress and hassle people go through to claim dla and been refused, I am glad I came across this site with people having similar problem to myself, if anybody don't mind to help or give me some tips on how to fill in this dreadful form, I've downloaded the form from the DWP Govt website, my god my brain is so pickled at the moment by just looking at it, good job I have some weeks before i send in the form, I am housebound and it's difficult to go and get help, I am in search for a Social Worker.

Many thanks again for your reply, it is much appreciated.


regards


helen:hugs:

helen2203
29-09-08, 19:20
Hi Helen, i am also getting DLA for my agoraphobia and i also never realised you could till reading the posts on here. My hubbie fetched me a form from the local benefits office and they date stamp it and you have a month to send it back, look on the web for help filling it in as there are loads of sites advicing you how to word it in your best interest. I get the lower rate of care and mobility which is about £140 a month and at least it makes me feel that i am contributing to the household budget and not a burden. I also applied for incapacity benefit and though i haven't worked for so long and haven't paid enough national insurance to recieve money, they do make national insurance contributions so that i will still be eligible for a pension in the future.
Jacq xxx

Hi Jacq,


Thank you very much for your reply, it is much appreciated, I have download the form and I am already scare by just looking at it, would you mind giving me any tips or links of the help you got with filling your forms, I hope you don't think I am being cheeky, any help I get would be great.

Many thanks



regards



helen:hugs:

helen2203
29-09-08, 19:23
Definately worth applying for - remember to fill the form in to reflect your worst days not your best days.

Advice on how to fill the forms out can be found on www.benefitsandwork.co.uk (http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk)

Piglet :flowers:


Hi Piglet,

Many thanks for your reply and for the links, it is much appreciated. Apart from not knowing about DLA, I didn't know I could apply with Agoraphobia, but I can see from this forum that I can. I shall check out this link, I am googling like mad at the moment about dla just to familiarize myself with it.

many thanks


regards


helen :hugs:

belle
29-09-08, 21:02
JACQ..

£140??? I got lower rate @ £25 a month, i was housebound at the time of doing the form, hadn't left the house in years!!!!

I think i was done.

amandaj
30-09-08, 10:07
i get the lower rate but its not 140 a month wish it was , not sure how its worked out really but i guess difference circumstances ,hope you get it good luck

jacq
30-09-08, 12:27
I actually get £142 a month - £17.10 a week for lower rate care component and £17.10 a week for lower rate mobility component, though they have both just gone up to £17.75 i think, but the benefit isn't different for different people, if you are awarded it the set rates for everyone are:

Care component

Higher rate £67.00 a week
Middle rate £44.85 a week
Lower rate £17.75 a week

Mobility component

Higher rate £46.75
Lower rate £17.75

The only thing that differs is if they think you are entitled to high middle or low rate, i am on the lower rate for both but i have spoken to others on here who are on the middle rates for the same problems so it is just luck of the draw if you get a sympathetic assesor i guess. You can re-claim at any time if you think your situation has changed or got worse lately so it is worth having a look at your old form. (glad i copied the original aplication as iv'e just been sent a re-assesment form and it took a lot of the stress out of filling it in this time).

Jacqui xxx

Alabasterlyn
30-09-08, 13:47
I get the lower mobility rate of £17.10 a week. I did try to apply for the lower care element too but was turned down. It never seems to make any sense to me as to how they reach their decisions. I know a few people who have the same needs as me but are on different levels of this benefit.

jacq
30-09-08, 14:21
Hi Lyn, unfortunately it is totally hit and miss and relies on the assesors attitude to mental health, it is the same as in the medical profesion, i have had a few sympathetic understanding doctors but the majority have been it's all in your mind - pull yourself together types, and these could be the ones making the decision wether to award you the benefit or not. I also have a blue badge for parking and have been on the recieving end of loads of whispered comments and tutting on getting out of the car (even from family who know how the panic attacks affect me and should know better), just cause they can't see it they don't believe your are ill and i dread someone actually confronting me one day when we are parking and having to explain myself. Contrary to popular belief blue badges and benefits aren't easy to get and i wish the public would accept that if we have been assesed and awarded something there is a good reason for it.

Jacqui xxx

london
07-09-12, 00:04
remember dla is not so much the illness as the care you need at home and to get around
god bless

haz
07-09-12, 00:16
Hi Helen,

YES, you should definitely apply for DLA. As previous posters have said, answer the questions on your worst days. If possible get someone, like a medical professional or mental health charity to help you fill out the form. Don't be put off by the "difficult" questions and if you don't get awarded it first time, APPEAL.

Good Luck.

Haz. :)

diane07
07-09-12, 00:28
This thread is an old one so the DLA will have changed.

nomorepanic
07-09-12, 00:34
Yes 4 years old now lol

haz
08-09-12, 00:39
Lol! So it is, I never even noticed. :)

Haz. x

eddiep
02-11-15, 15:08
Hi im new here and just wanted to know if anybody can give me any advise ? back in feb i began to experience some really strange symptoms of derealisation and depersonalisaton and hallucinations / voices ? them from out of the blue very bag panic attacks that has now left me housebound ' at the moment the benefit i am getting is ESA, i am at the stage of sending my medical evidence to the DWP to try and claim for pip, would anybody be so kind as to tell me what my chances are - my panic disorder is so saveer i can have up to 5 or 6 a day,almost everything i do now has been limited, kind regards - eddie

mysterdee888
06-01-16, 21:19
TO EDDIEP:

Hi, i have had a very simular experience and i was put into support group for esa without a medical assesment requird as doctors notes and phsych reports where enough evidence for them to mae a decision...i am now applying for pip and i recieved a letter telling me that i dont have to have the face2face and i am now waiting for a decison. Cant say wat my chances are but because i was put straight into support group for esa without a face2face and now pip did a paper based report no face2face, it is looking good. And my illness is simlar to yours but i also have other issues. LiKe substance misuse and depression. But i suffer panic attacks, delusional (shitzophrania) and psychosis. I also have a clawed hand...so yea i would apply... And if u have let me know how it went, thanx...

ALSO I KNOW PANIC ATTACKS ARE HORRIBLE AND CANT REALLY BE HELPED, BUT YOU CAN CONTROL HOW BAD YOU REACT. I HAVE LEARNED MYSELF AFTER GOING THROUGH THEM FOR SO LONG THAT EVENTUALLY YOU GAIN MORE CONTROL OVER HOW YOU REACT TO THEM, AND EVENTUALLY YOU CAN CONTROL THEM ALLTOGETHER IF YOU PROGRAMME YOURSELF THROUGH REPETITION THERAPY...

I KNOW ITS DIFFICULT, BUT IT CAN BE DONE, AND MY PANIC ATACKS USED TO BE HORENDOUS AND I LITERELY PRAYED TO GOD FOR HELP DURING THEM BECAUSE THEY WHERE SO BAD...EVENTUALLY I STARTED MEDITATING INSTEAD OF PANICKING AND EVENTUALLY STARTED TO GAIN SOME CONTROL DURING THE ATTACKS RATHER THAN JUST GOING NUTS... I KNOW EVERYBODY IS DIFFERENT BUT MEDITATION WORKS FOR ME...JUST CLOSE YOUR EYES, BREATH AND RELAX AND TAKE BACK CONTROL OF THE MOMENT. THERE IS NOTHING TO FEAR WHEN YOU GET YOUR HEADS AROUND IT. AND THE MORE CONTROL U GAIN THE MORE CONFIDENT YOU BECOME AND THE MORE POWER OF CONTROL YOU AQUIRE IN THOSE MOMENTS...

HOPE U GET BETTER ,LET ME KNOW HOW YOUR PIP WENT...IV BEEN WAITING NEARLY 6 MONTHS AND ITS BEEN WITH A DM FOR NEARLY 3...GETTING A BIT PARAOID ABOUT IT TO BE HONEST BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS...