General Chat

My husband filled one in about 6 months ago. He hasn't been able to work since a bike accident in 1995 and has been on IB since then. He heard nothing more until last week when he had 2 identical letters in the same post inviting him to an exhibition/open day at the Job Centre which was to show poeple how they could return to work. He'd love to return to work, but that's never going to happen, unfortunately. Because his disability, on paper, just consists of a broken leg (for 11 years!!) the Job Centre invites him to interviews about once a year and he used to struggle to attend them. Now he has copies of a letter from our GP which he sends to the Job Centre and they are always full of apologies and say they will alter his file. They obviously haven't yet! Maybe next year! LOL Good luck with your form, and as others have said, fill it in with your worst days in mind and don't feel guilty. :o)) Sue xx

Just to add that although you may say that they have had all the information before the person looking at your case will not normally have read all the forms that you ever filled in as these are usually kept in remote storage. Some items are only required to be kept for 18 months rather than the life of the claim. Where possible try to keep your own copies of things that you have sent in for reference. Just do what your asked to do whether it seems daft or not. The new in thing is to try and help people on IB back to work and this will be the new government focus. Apparently if you have been on IB for a year it is likely that you will be on it for the next 8 years. I appreciate that some people genuinely will never be able to work again however there are many others with support can get back to work.

Hi Gillie I used to work in an Incapacity Benefit department, so although the rules have changed, the basics are still there. You must do as already advised and complete the form as if it was a bad day. This will indeed help you to score the points you need. What people dont seem to realise is that the staff who process and maintain Incapacity claims are not medically qualified. They have a small list of illness that are exempt from the medical, and if your illness is not listed, then you're sent an IB50 which when returned is sent to the doctors at the medical centre. The doctor may pass you from the information you have provided or they may ask to see you, in which case you are sent an appointment. Most Incapacity Benefit staff will try to help (I know there are some jobsworths though), so if you are at all unsure, give them a ring HTH Bacardi X

You'll be fine Gillie. You are a genuine case, and have been for years. Its just procedure, brought about by those who don't have a genuine need, and there are some about! They make it bad for the rest of us.

Thanks, Joan and Teresa, its such a worry to have to prove your unfit for work when its blatently obvious, I hope my claim goes ok too or i dont know what I will do, I suppose it will be back to square one and seeing the doc every week. Gillie

I've jsut claimed IB, I won't have to go for a medical, its for arthritis and have been signed off by the doctor. My OH claimed as he has had two heart attacks and a stroke and now has blocked arteries, he has had to attend two medicals, in spite of being seen by the consultants at the hospital, and regular visits to the GP, and 11 different pills a day that he has to take. I think they need to clarify exactly what calims need medicals and what don't.

Hi Joan, I think in the old way of claiming IB if you went regularly for check ups at a GP and, or saw a hospital Consultants you didn't need to have the medical to claim, but now like you say its all changed, I will have to see whats going to happen once I've sent the form off. Gillie

It's defininately no fun having FM, if I could go back to feeling like I did at 39 I would, I'd gladly go back to work and be fit enough to do all I should be doing, but I have no choice, there is no cure for FM. Gillie

Gillie, its on your worst days that you need the most help, and you need it to be there for those days. That's why you need to tell them the worst, not the good bits. Your doctor will back you up anyway. A former colleague of mine had FM, most of the time she was fine, chirpy, cheerful, bouncy and active, then suddenly she would have a massive attack, would hardly be able to move, and would hobble in to work, slowly and painfully with two sticks, bent up like an old woman. She invariably had to be taken home again but she refused to give in to it. Hydrotherapy was the only thing that really worked for her, but after that, she would be back to her bubbly self again. Some people thought she was putting it all on for attention.

Thanks Teresa, I am really worried that I will mess up and not answer things correctly,I see what you mean now, I can do things just not how I did 10 years ago, I have constant pain all over me but sometimes its worse than other times, I feel like a bit of a fraud some days as I feel okish, other days I feel like death and don't want to do anything, I am constantly tired and yawn about all day long. Its so difficult when people can't see anything physically wrong with you, I shan't go into the depression bit as thats beyond putting on here. Gillie

Gillie, just remember that they are not asking how you have adapted, they are asking if you can do things in the 'normal' way. If you can't, the answer is no. simple. Can I walk 30 yards without pain? No (some days I can, some days I can't, but the answer is no) Can I walk 30 yards without pain if I use a stick? No Can I climb the stairs on my own? No (I can, one step at a time, but thats not the normal way to get up stairs, so the answer is no) Get the drift? As someone else said, give them the worst case scenario, tell them what its like on your worst days, don't mention the good days.

Thanks everyone, I started to fill out just the front page but I think i may take it with me to my GP on Monday, she will help if I need it, I have read through the lot, they don't give you much of an option on there replies to the questions they ask, it seems you either have to be totally unable to do anything or if you say you can manage to do things that your lose benefit. Monica I think your right, I have addapted to my circumstances and manage ok with a lot of things, some days though I hardly want to venture out of bed so it makes form filling so difficult. Gillie xx

I help run a support group for people with ME and we advise people never to fill in these forms by themselves - always get an advisor to do it with you - or else you run a high risk of having your IB stopped. There are particular ways to answer questions that get you the points you need which the advisors know about. Also we find most people underestimate how unwell they are because they adapt their life to their state of health. Our members have used CAB (Citizens Advice Bureau) and DIAL (Disability Advice and Information Line) but make sure the advisor knows something about your particular illness. Good luck Monica

they do them every now and then so they can keep it on the records and show that they have been checknig up on people. With there being so much freud these days they do it mainly to cover their own backs i would'nt worry about it lisa xxxx

Gillie had one ages ago think they have to send them to keep their records correct???????? Work on what you are like on your worst days thats what they tell you to do on the DLA forms

I received a form today IB50 to fill out, it's the first questionnaire I've had to do in probably 5 years.I've never had to have a medical for claiming IB before as I see my GP and Consultant regularly so I don't think i will have to have one for this form, having fibromyalgia, it's difficult to say how bad I feel some days when I look fine. Gillie xx