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Disability living allowance

I have NEVER joined a forum before for ANYTHING but I have read a few posts, without commenting, from the diabetes.co.uk website.

I find it quite discouraging that we, like the press, continue to see "diabetes" as ONE condition, it is NOT. When I was diagnosed when I was 16 I was the same height 5'9" but was 7st 12lbs after 31 years I am now 16st purely and simply because we have been continually advised, incorrectly, that we need carbs. Such weight gain means I have less & less insulin recognition by my body. I could go on and on with the additional conditions I have, not all diabetic recognised, but ultimately being a IDDM means your body IS weakened what ever you do!

I am extremely disappointed that some on this site fail to pay attention to many of the other posts which show quite clearly the difficulties IDDM have (I am sure NIDDM have there own although, my father seems to have none). We should NOT therefore be quoting the erroneous details provided by the "Sun" & "Daily Mail" which provide no background to the statistics they quote.

Diabetes IS a disability (if you choose to believe otherwise - good on you!) - end of:

having to change bedding every time you have hypo; having to ensure you have you "manbag" with your "spare" equipment (never mind the ones you are using); your fruit juice; uploading your meter/pump records for you DSN; attending Hospital/GP every 6 months; you annual or more frequent eye tests; ditto for feet; your "reminder" sessions; your erectile dysfunction treatment; your check ups for various other auto-immune conditions; your retinopathy check ups; your feet check ups; your neuropathy check ups (I suffer from this around my mid-section NOT my legs) etc etc etc (to quote Yul Bryner as King of Siam)

A disability is NOT loosing a limb or sense - it is anything that makes your life more complex or demanding - NOT all disabilities are PHYSICAL or NOTICEABLE. The quicker we ALL recognise and accept this the better off we shall all be!

IDDM is still a HIGH risk of death.
IDDM patients are more likely to suffer depression & other mental health issues (check the forum if you don't believe my own personal experience!)
IDDM is a lifelong condition that only gets harder to treat as your body starts to reject treament

I hope we can all stop implying it is N T a disability -it IS and always will be until cured!
 
@kndjy if there was a dislike button I would use it for your post Diabetes is not a disability, it's a condition that you have to make a couple of allowances for. You obviously have complications that are obviously affecting you, but diabetes on it's own is not a disability.
I've been type 1 for over 50 years and have never been told to stuff my face on carbs either.
 

Sorry to read such a discouraging post. Type 1 diabetes is hard at times, I'm sure we have all gone through some kind of hate, why me? injections,hypo's, hypers, finger pricking, carrying the meds about, with a life time of many up's and downs. But 26 years ago, I weighed 8 1/2 stone, after being diagnosed, and now weigh, at 57 years old, just under 9 stone. I had my daughter at 42 1/2 years and a single parent for a lot of her 14 years, but that, was one of my most wonderful diabetes moments. Diabetes is a condition, and a big pain in the backside for sure. Try not to let it burden you, bring you down or take over your life, we can do anything if we set our minds to it, but sometimes, the life can get kicked out of us and I do hope you can find a way to get it back.
There is a thread on the forum called Diabetes Burnout, please have a read if it, it maybe of help to you.
All the best RRB.
 
Anyway it's no longer DLA, it is PIP which means Personal Independence Payment. Anyone who has extra costs because of a disability or chronic illness are entitled to payments for Daily Living or Mobility. Most people with long-term complications due to neuropathy, retinopathy or kidney problems etc are entitled to claim. Any other diabetic who can manage their condition does not need it.
 
I have been trying to keep out of this post but here goes..
Diabetes (or any other diagnosed permenant health condition is NOT a disability. It is an impairment.
Disability is the EFFECT of the impairment which impedes the individuals ability to maintain an independent life.
Sue xx
 
In case anyone has missed it, this thread was started in 2012, revived in 2014 and is now back in action (July 2015), so only the recent posts are going to have any relevance to current benefits (PIPs, etc.)
 
I am sorry the 31 one years of MY experiences with IDDM upsets people but we are all different.

I am extremely pleased a couple of you have had a "normal" but no doubt REGIMENTED life and deal with your "condition" so well.

That however, does not NEGATE my experiences or anyone else's. When I was younger I was seen less than yearly quite quickly, as my bloods were so good, 10 years later my younger brother had the same experience. We were, at that point seen to be, exemplary diabetics. Then just after two & half years of diagnosis my brother hypo'd, went into a coma & was "brain dead" when we took the decision to switch off his life support.

I am fully aware different people have different needs & experiences BUT I do NOT think we should decry ANYONE who needs DLA, now PIP, considering the evidence you seem to have to supply, only those in need will get them.

Three DIFFERENT medical professionals accepted on their own account that I would never work again due to my diabetes and I received Ill Health pensions from my two pension providers. Noting ALL three, one being my GP, stated:

"type one diabetes was a debilitating condition";
"being recognised more & more as a long term disability" &
"although there are type 1 diabetics who have healthy lifestyle, as time with the condition increases, so do the appearance of complications & susceptibility to infection unfortunately the patient is in this latter category & will likely become more ill as time passes"


But in passing, by eating less carbs, you need less insulin & hence less fat is retained in your body.

In any event, if making passing comments to try and offer support to those in need, leads to such feedback - we are only talking semantics here after all - I think my time on this forum is probably best ended. Less than 24 hours of use must be a record.

I wish you all well in your future lives & hope you can be a bit more supportive of others less fortunate than you...

**Personal remarks removed by Moderator.**
 
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I think they're tightening up rules all over the world for disability benefits. I am not on government benefits but what I'm on is a partial invalidity pension which is paid through my superannuation fund. I still work part time hours and just get subsidised for the hours I don't work basically. I have to get regular reviews by their doc and mine which happens every 1-2 years. I have spoken to people here in the past who have diabetes and hypertension and claim money from the government. I had one mouth off at me about it and he asked me if I'd know what it's like to be in their position. I had to bite my tongue and stay professional as they were a customer but I'm thinking in my head you silly person I have 15 diagnoses and I'm still working and there you are whinging... oh by the way I'm also diabetes insulin dependant just like you with hypertension too plus all my other stuff and I'm not sitting here whinging. Of course I had to be polite and basically respond with oh so sorry to hear that, it must be hard for you. But I think these benefits should be based on your capacity to hold a job of any sort or not. Well that's what I think makes sense. Everyone is different of course. For me personally I'll keep fighting to work as long as I possibly can.
 
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I am type 2 diabetic, on insulin, and tablets, I have tried to get a job, but as soon as they know your diabetic they don't want to know, I also have UC, I don't stand a chance in hell of getting a job, I have just started suffering neuropathy in my arms and legs/feet, was walking round on a screw inside my trainer for 4 days, which developed into an ulcer, very scary as I couldn't feel a thing.
What I would like to know is would I be able to get benefits?
I would love to work, but from bitter experience I know that as soon as they find out I have diabetes and UC, it's a no no.
This shouldn't happen in the workplace but it does.
 

Hi, I have been in work for many years and never knowingly been discriminated ( but the 'sorry you were unsuccessful this time' ) maybe due to other factors, and not diabetes, but I don't know, I'm type 1. Can I ask what UC is please ?
Best wishes RRB
 
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I would have thought there is a good chance you can, you can apply for ESA and PIP. The ulcerative colitis is a difficult condition and of course, the diabetes can be too - if you are having these symptoms, it sounds like your diabetes isn't well controlled. Are you managing your diet well enough? It can make a very real difference, lower carb foods can help to lower blood sugars.
What I will say is that you can certainly apply (nobody can tell you for definite that you will be successful), but you will need evidence to back it up, from medical professionals etc. Claims that are made with just a list of medications taken and how they are affected by the illness tend to come up against a brick wall, the claims process is tightening up all the time and if there is no proof, the claim will often be rejected. This is particularly common in conditions such as diabetes unfortunately. Supporting letters giving details of how you are affected need to be obtained from your diabetic nurse, or GP, or Endocrinologist, also the info re your UC needs to be obtained.

Hope you get the help you need.
 
Robin redbreast I'm type 2 and I'm one of the lucky ones because I found the DCUK forum very early after diagnosis and it helps keep me on track .
Ulcerative Collitis if bad has to be one of the most debilitating conditions ever and sadly people have no idea how bad it gets . My daughter had flare ups from 12 years old and almost died a couple of times because of a toxic mega colon. She had a large bowel removed , ileostomy formed and last February at 21 years old had a J loop formed so the bags away . She was turned down for benefits at young age and we stupidly didn't appeal .
She's great now and has recently got a job
. I agree with you about the discrimination . She stopped mentioning it to prospective employers . She volunteered for 18 months in a charity shop , even on days when she wasn't well . I am so proud of her . Good luck hope the UC is under control.
 
Ladybird64 Thankyou for sharing your knowledge , I'm sure lots of people will find in very helpful .
 
Thank you to both ladies, I now know what UC is. Saying that, I had suspected Colitis after my ex left, I was so ill and my stomach. bowel area was awful, couldn't function properly at times and had the area was examined with a tube, at my hospital, not a pleasant experience at all, but thankfully, it did eventually go away. I think it was the shock of my Ex leaving and then I was diagnosed with Type 1.
 

That is a such a positive story about your daughter, well done her for getting through it, no wonder you are so proud of her, she sounds a trooper
 
She was really ill at points and bled heavily from her bowel.
UC is an autoimmune disease like Diabetes, Thyroid etc
 
ZACNEMMA said:
Hi
Does anyone know about claiming the above mentioned benefit for type 1 or 2 diabetes?
Emma
Click to expand...

Pip and dla is just government way of cheap labour. What if you could not manage and they had to employ a nurse it would be very expensive.
 
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lespender said:
Pip and dla is just government way of cheap labour. What if you could not manage and they had to employ a nurse it would be very expensive.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I'm not clear what you mean by cheap labour?
 
Carer's Allowance could be considered cheap labour, but a carer can only claim CA if a relative gets DLA care or PIP daily living at appropriate level, provides enough hours of care and doesn't earn enough from other work. So, lespender's statement is incorrect.
 
Carers allowance :- 2016

Carer's Allowance is paid at £62.10 a week (2016/17 rate). The amount paid is reviewed each year in April, but isn’t necessarily increased.

Carer’s Allowance is not based on your National Insurance record. It is also not a means tested benefit based on your and any partner’s income and capital. However, there is a cap on how much you can earn and still be entitled to claim Carer’s Allowance.

Carer’s Allowance is taxable. However, carers will only have to pay tax if they have other sources of taxable income such as an occupational pension or earnings. Carer’s Allowance on its own is below thethreshold for paying tax.

Who can claim Carer's Allowance?
Not every carer can get Carer's Allowance. You may be eligible if you meet all the following conditions:

  • you look after someone who gets a qualifying disability benefit
  • you look after that person for at least 35 hours a week
  • you are aged 16 or over
  • you are not in full-time education
  • you earn £110 a week (after deductions) or less
  • you satisfy UK presence and residence conditions
 
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