Anxiety: Understanding and Coping with a Common Emotional Disorder
Anxiety is a common emotional disorder that affects millions of people around the world.
It is characterized by feelings of worry, nervousness, and fear, and it can have a significant impact on an individual’s quality of life. Despite its prevalence, many people still do not understand what anxiety is, how it develops, and how it can be treated.
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a normal response to stress and danger. It prepares us to face a challenge or respond to an emergency by increasing our heart rate, sweating, and tensing our muscles. However, anxiety becomes a problem when it interferes with our daily activities and causes significant distress.
There are several types of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and specific phobias. Each type of anxiety disorder has unique symptoms, but all share the common theme of excessive, persistent worry and fear.
What Causes Anxiety?
The exact cause of anxiety is not well understood, but it is thought to be a combination of genetic, environmental, and psychological factors. People with a family history of anxiety are more likely to develop the disorder, and traumatic life events, such as abuse, neglect, or loss, can trigger anxiety symptoms. Additionally, chronic stress, substance abuse, and certain medical conditions can also contribute to the development of anxiety.
How to Manage Anxiety
Fortunately, anxiety is a treatable condition, and there are several effective strategies for managing its symptoms. Some of the most commonly used strategies include:
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT is a type of therapy that helps individuals understand and change negative thoughts and behaviors that contribute to anxiety.
Medication: Antidepressant and anti-anxiety medications, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and benzodiazepines, can be effective in reducing anxiety symptoms.
Exercise: Regular exercise has been shown to have a positive impact on anxiety by reducing stress and improving mood.
Relaxation techniques: Techniques such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and mindfulness can help reduce physical symptoms of anxiety and promote a sense of calm.
Lifestyle changes: Simple lifestyle changes, such as getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, and reducing caffeine and alcohol consumption, can also help reduce anxiety symptoms.
How Anxiety Affects Me
From a personal perspective anxiety comes and goes. It is the fear of the unknown that can spiral into stress, panic attacks, depression, and procrastination. For example, bearing in mind it is a Sunday so you would not expect any businesses to call you today, yet I noticed a missed call. Not knowing who it was that was calling me, I withheld my number and proceeded to call the number back and I was put through to the DWP.
Update Monday 13th February 2023. I had another missed call today and this time they left a message that they will phone me between 11 -12 despite me telling the PIP assessor I am in University Mon, Tue & Fri. I did accept the call when they rang and they said they are increasing my PIP payments as they needed some more information about my mobility. So it looks like they work Sundays as well.
Stress & Anxiety impact on a sufferer of multiple sclerosis.
Considering I have voice mail activated you would think the person that was trying to reach me would leave a message, but unfortunately, they didn’t which has now made me feel anxious and on edge. Stress and anxiety can cause a person suffering from multiple sclerosis to relapse.Relapsing remitting MS (RRMS) | Multiple Sclerosis Society UK (mssociety.org.uk)
Fortunately, I have my mum as my rock and she tried reassuring me that they will write to you if they cannot get in touch and that I needn’t worry as she will take care of things for me.
Conclusion
Anxiety is a common and treatable emotional disorder through medication, CBT therapy, and hypnosis. It can have a significant impact on an individual’s quality of life. By understanding its causes and learning how to manage its symptoms, people with anxiety can take back control of their lives and improve their overall well-being. If you are experiencing symptoms of anxiety, it is important to seek help from a mental health professional who can provide an accurate diagnosis and develop an effective treatment plan.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Telephone Assessment
Written by the Editor Renata M Barnes.
Today my daughter had her PIP assessment over the phone. My daughter told me she had four reminder text messages saying that her phone call appointment was scheduled for 09.15 hrs yet the assessor phoned at 08.45 am and when my daughter did not pick up phoned again at 09.10 am (where is that 09.15 may I ask, did the assessor have cognitive impairment to not phone at the scheduled time)?
The assessor was made aware I was listening in as the call was on loudspeaker.
The duration of the call lasted one hour and ten minutes and in that time my daughter was asked the same questions which were on the questionnaire she submitted.
Breach of GDPR
The caller never said the call was being recorded even though by law they have to say. Furthermore, the assessor did not offer a copy of the call recording which means that the assessor may have been working from home or the call was not recorded at all.
My daughter suffers from Multiple Sclerosis which is a progressive disorder that there is no cure.
There is (HSCT) hematopoietic stem cell transplantation currently not available on the NHS, which aims to wipe out and regrow the immune system similar to Lemtrada Alemtuzumab treatment which my daughter had last year.
Sensitive Questions
The assessor asked the same questions as what was on the form but went into some very alarming questions, some of which were so sensitive that could have caused a trigger in mental health patients, like have you ever had any suicidal thoughts or wanting to self-harm.
No one should be in a position to answer such a question because:
It can cause a trigger and the person may not have had those thoughts before, but may now have a seed planted in their head to do it sometime in the future. When asking such a question you should not put those words directly into a person’s thoughts. It should be handled in a way of “how low do you feel on any given day” and “how do you feel when you are feeling low“? You should not say “have you had suicidal thoughts”?This is a TRIGGER. This type of questioning should only be done by a qualified professional, face-to-face (not over the phone).
Secondly, the person being interviewed may not be truthful if there are many people present. Perhaps the person may not want to admit those thoughts in front of their carer, parent, or a total stranger. Someone who is feeling low and that question is asked, could theoretically not tell the truth to the person asking, yet the option would be there in their minds. One should never plant a seed in someone’s head. Only a professional psychologist or psychotherapist would assess a person’s mental health, not a complete stranger.
The assessor should go by the medical evidence from the doctor’s reports and not ask these questions directly (by asking this question it is deemed as reversed psychology). Only a mental health professional should ask these questions. Talking about suicide is a taboo topic that is very sensitive, one needs to build trust between the person asking and the patient. People with suicidal thoughts may sometimes never admit to having them, so it is best to ask “how low a person is feeling” or “has ever felt” and open up a dialogue, rather than ask that question directly.
Asking the person if they can wipe their posterior is degradingespecially when admitting if one can or can’t to a stranger.
What has that got to do with my daughter’s condition she is not in a wheelchair which was made clear at the beginning and is on her medical records. I understand that these questions may be asked but should be directed to the clinician and not the patient.
Work & Studying
PIP is a non-means tested benefit and when deciding a person’s eligibility for support their disability or condition and how it affects their life is taken into account. So what with the twenty questions such as “what is content marketing” etc? (what I have written now is called content).
When my daughter was asked how she gets to university she said she takes a taxi. I noticed a pause from the assessor. So unless she was thinking that would cost an arm and leg, don’t tell me because I already know that is why I help my daughter pay for transportation. So despite telling the assessor my daughter does not walk far, why in the next line of questioning does the assessor ask how far can she walk in terms of a length of a bus? (I thought these questions were not relevant and were no longer being asked).
When asked what work she does my daughter said marketing and how many hours per week. My daughter is the assistant editor of this website so she may work two hours one week or 16 hours the next. It depends on the assignments I give her. My daughter is not self-employed unlike myself. The assessor continued so what is my daughter’s role which she replied writing blog posts. Blog posts can take an hour or can take a whole day to do and it all depends on how many words are written and for what purpose. I have more than one website www.irenata.com I use a link wheel of websites to drive traffic from multiple directions. www.mrketingcardiff.com and www.ukcontentwriters.com to name a few.
My daughter then was asked a question if there was a fire at the university how long would it take her to get out of the building? (How would she know that if she has never had a fire evacuation? The assessor continued to say this was a hypothetical question. This is ridiculous as how would my daughter know where she was at any given point in a worst-case scenario if the lifts did not work it would take her longer? How long is a piece of string? She could be on the top floor. (So does that mean if you escape a fire you have no problem with mobility).
Stress
My daughter was never asked about her stress levels although she did mention the frustration of her disability. Stress and frustration can coincide together but they can also have different meanings. The assessor did not go into too much detail other than how my daughter remembers to take her medication and who feeds the cat (yes that was asked). https://disabledentrepreneur.uk/stress-cognitive-function/
Stress is a complicated disorder in itself. Stress can be prolonged whilst frustration is short-term. The stress of rewriting a blog post or assignment due to a lack of concentration or increased fatigue can cause frustration.
Medication
My daughter was asked what medication she was on and the one medication the assessor said and I quote “Hold on I need to Google it“, this is no word of a lie and I can prove this was said, just don’t ask me how.
Irrelevant Questions
. Who lives with you (why is that relevant)?
How many bedrooms have you got? (and the point is what)?
I am really looking forward to my assessment because it will open a can of worms regarding the GP support I have not had.
My daughter’s call lasted over an hour, this is not going to happen with me as time is money and I already wasted one hour today listening in to a call that was pointless.
“The assessor insinuated because my daughter has a part-time job and is studying it may look like there is nothing wrong with her even though it is her physical well-beingthat is affected and not her mental health.
I did not think this should be used as a fit for work assessment, but more so as a health and well-being assessment and the prognosis of the ability to function from day to day.
I have disabilities but I still can work by managing my health in such a way it does not hinder me. It is the outside world I have a problem with, because of my OCD and social disconnection issues. However, if I was put in a situation where it was an emergency and had to leave my home, I would worry about the consequences of my disorder afterward. I have literally thrown away things I have not been able to salvage or disinfect. I am the happiest in my own company with my own surroundings.
I run several businesses online for my clients but that does not make me fit to work in the physical world. One should not draw conclusions about a person’s ability because from one day to the next the ability to function can be impaired.
For my own assessment, I have given them enough information, that I envisage my call will be halved. I most certainly will not answer questions like what my daughter was asked today, because they have enough evidence on file. I am not going to answer questions such as am I capable of wiping my own ar#e?
My daughter should have stated she documents her health online but for some reason omitted this. We will have to wait on the decision in 8 weeks’ time.
Multiple Sclerosis is an auto-immune disease that attacks healthy white cells. The lesions that can affect the brain and spinal cord can cause a wide range of potential symptoms, including problems with vision, arm or leg movement, sensation, or balance. It is an incurable disease with lifelong symptoms that can sometimes cause serious disability, although it can occasionally be mild. The average life expectancy is slightly reduced for people with MS and symptoms can be alleviated with different courses of treatments. In most cases, people get diagnosed in their 20s or 30s but it has been known that patients have shown symptoms as young as 15 years of age. In fact, it can develop at any age. It’s about 2 to 3 times more common in women than men.
MS is one of the most common causes of disability in younger adults.
relapses due to temperature, either too hot or too cold (and cost of living price rises –not discussed)
cognitive impairment (concentration, balance, losing grip in hands – not discussed)
Other than fatigue, vision, numbness, and pain nothing else was discussed in the above list or the fact that stress and anxiety can cause MS relapses.
So why is the government somehow wanting people with disabilities to jump through hoops (quite literally) to prove they are disabled when their medical records should suffice?
I would have put a stop to the questioning and said so what do you know about multiple sclerosis or in my case OCD & cerebellar atrophy. Secondly, I would have said… so I gave you access to my medical records but clearly, you have not read them.
I reckon these assessors have to do something to sift through the scammers in this world, but the people that genuinely need help, are made to feel belittled, degraded, and inadequate just to get the extra bit of help.
Therefore with the rise in the cost of living and keeping one’s home warm the extra bit of money helps. Yet this was not discussed, which tells me the assessor had no knowledge of Multiple Sclerosis.
The assessor said I quote so you are making an effort to work and let the disability stop you, sorry I am not being patronized even though it came across that way.
I did want to put my two penneth in, but I figured that it was best to keep my mouth shut and see what happens when the decision is made for my daughter.
The Assessor
The assessor should have:
Stuck to the given scheduled time and not rang half an hour earlier.
Said if the call was being recorded or not and asked the interviewee if they wanted a copy of the call recording.
The assessor should have also introduced herself properly (which she did not) and said what she was qualified in (which again she didn’t).
The assessor should have acknowledged the other person listening to the call but chose to ignore them (which was deemed unprofessional).
The assessor should not ask extremely sensitive questions to cause a trigger.
The assessor should have gone by the medical records to gain all the information she needed without humiliating the interviewee.
The assessor should not have asked irrelevant questions such as who feeds the cat and why?
The assessor should not have spoken about her own health issues as that is unprofessional.
Asked how long the household did online shopping (how is that relevant to the claimant when we were in lockdown which had nothing to do with the claimant’s illness).
Asked to explain what content was in my daughter’s job role.
Under normal circumstances a PIP assessment is an opportunity for you to talk about how your condition affects you – it’s not a diagnosis of your condition or a medical examination.
The DWP will use evidence from the assessment to help them decide if they need PIP.
Therefore it is best to make your own report and detail everything about your illness and how you manage your daily activities.
An in-depth report is evidence that can be used against the DWP if your claim is denied. Having a phone call you cannot record the conversation.
Concluding the call you should ask for a copy of the recording which you are entitled to have by law.
People have the right to request copies of the data that is held by an organization, the ability to search and copy recorded calls will be necessary. Requests of this type must be responded to within one month. GDPR and Legitimate Interest. https://www.compliancejunction.com/gdpr-rules-recording-calls/
A health professional will carry out your assessment, write a report and send it to the DWP.
Talking about how your condition affects you
A helpful guide on the Citizens Advice website says that you should be prepared to talk about how your condition affects you even if you have already detailed it on your PIP claim form.
This can be hard to do, but it will really help if you can talk about:
the kind of things you have difficulty with, or can’t do at all – for example, walking up steps without help or remembering to go to appointments
how your condition affects you from day to day
what a bad day is like for you – for example, ‘On a bad day, I can’t walk at all because my injured leg hurts so much’ or ‘On a bad day, I’m so depressed I can’t concentrate on anything
It is a good idea to have your own copy of your PIP claim form with you for telephone assessment, that way you can refer back to it.
I strongly suggest on headed paper write a concise report detailing your illness without leaving out a single thing.
Discrimination
A disabled lawyer launched a ground-breaking legal case against the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) over his claim that it deliberately discriminated against him in rejecting his claim for disability benefits. Daniel Donaldson founder of the Scottish social enterprise law firm Legal Spark, believed DWP chose to discriminate against him and other people with mental health conditions in the way it has dealt with their personal independence payment (PIP) claims.
This is very worrying if the DWP has discriminated against a lawyer. Although the article about Donal Donaldson was published in 2018 it is very worrying how the government is playing God with people’s lives who genuinely need help.
Daniel ended up taking the DWP to Glasgow Sheriff Court and was seeking nearly £5,000 in damages, to cover bank charges, the removal of his bus pass, and £4,000 in compensation for the discrimination.
Donaldson sued the DWP Equality Act against the Scottish government because it failed to take on responsibility for PIP from DWP when it had the powers to do so in 2016.
A Scottish government spokesman said:
“We have repeatedly called on the UK government to halt the roll-out of PIP in Scotland, most recently following the report of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which called for a review of PIP due to the damage it is causing people”.
Donaldson said the “UK government had created “a hostile and degrading environment for disabled people” by “using public policy to strip people of their statutory entitlement to benefits”, including PIP and employment and support allowance (ESA)”.
My Concerns about the up-and-coming assessment for my daughter
Circus Monkey!
Assistant Editor
My concern is my daughter who has Multiple Sclerosis and is also the assistant editor of ‘Disabled Entrepreneur – Disability UK Journal’, according to the MS Society, the DWP is making it even more difficult to claim. PIP fails | MS Society
It is soul-destroying having to justify you have an illness. People should not have to be made to perform like circus monkeys to prove they are ill. The assessment is on the 5th of January 2023. I will be listening to the call.
My daughter has already expressed anxiety and stress and is worried about taking the call.
PIP Email Address
I have advised my daughter to write a letter and attach it to an email prior to the assessment call, this adds extra weight to your claim and creates a carbon footprint of evidence.
PIP say they do not have an email address even though they do😂 : contactus@capita-pip.co.uk
“Medical evidence should suffice. A primary neurologist consultant is far more qualified than any PIP assessor”.
An Assessors Qualifications
According to Capita’s, website to be an assessor you may be a nurse, occupational therapist, paramedic, physiotherapist, pharmacist, speech and language therapist, or clinical psychologist who is looking for a change, for new opportunities.
As a Disability Assessor, you’ll:
be a fully qualified healthcare professional
have a minimum of one year’s post-full registration experience
be fully registered with a relevant UK regulatory body (NMC/HCPC/GPhC or other), without restriction or conditions and with a valid PIN
live and be based in the UK
have sound written communication skills
be able to manage conversations and ask questions effectively
This proves that they do not have to have to be specialists in any disorder. A nurse has general knowledge of how the body works but is not specialized in any field other than nursing.
All registered nurses must choose from one of four specialisms as part of their nursing degree – adult nursing, children’s nursing, mental health nursing, or learning disability nursing. It’s possible to change after graduating, but this doesn’t mean your career is decided.
Adult nursing
Adult nurses work with patients over 18. They can work in hospitals or in community settings such as people’s homes, health centers or nursing homes. Once qualified, they can take extra courses to specialize in areas such as cancer care, women’s health, accident and emergency, critical care, practice nursing, health visiting or school nursing.
Children’s nursing
Children’s nurses work with children and young people up to 19 years old and can work in a variety of settings, from specialist baby care units to adolescent units. Children react to illness in a very different way from adults, and children’s nurses are specially trained to understand their needs. Children’s nurses also support, advise and educate parents and carers. Once qualified, they can specialize in areas such as health visiting, school nursing, intensive care, child safeguarding, and cancer care.
You cannot confuse a nurse with a doctor or specialist. A nurse will not have the same qualifications as a doctor, neurologist, consultant, or psychiatrist.
What is Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, neurodegenerative condition for which there is currently no cure.
In MS, the body’s immune system attacks myelin, the protective cover around nerve fibers. Damage, which can occur anywhere in the central nervous system, interferes with messages traveling from the brain and spinal cord to other parts of the body. Symptoms are many and varied but unique to each person. They can include problems with balance, vision, the bladder, bowel, speech, memory, fatigue, and painful muscle spasms, among many other things. MS affects over 100,000 people in the UK, many of whom experience their first symptoms during the peak of their working lives, in their 20s and 30s. MS is both a fluctuating and progressive condition. While the progression and symptoms of MS vary from individual to individual, primary progressive MS affects around 10 to 15% of people with MS. This is progressive from the very first symptoms. The remaining 85% of people with MS are initially diagnosed with relapsing forms of MS, where people have distinct attacks of symptoms with the underlying damage building up over time.
Many people with MS will go on to develop secondary progressive MS within 15 years of being diagnosed.
“Having MS is debilitating – it shouldn’t be made harder by a welfare system that is humiliating, degrading, and adds more stress which can lead to relapses. Stressing an individual out to the point that they relapse could consequently make that person lose their mobility and become bedridden”.
If a person with Multiple Sclerosis relapses because of the stress they endure fighting for something that should help them, then the government should be made accountable.
From a personal perspective, my daughter did actually relapse after being frustrated with her laptop not booting up consequently hurling it across the room. So stress is definitely a factor, that should not be ignored.
Multiple Sclerosis Monthly Blood Tests as required by Alemtuzumab Lemrada.com
As my followers know I suffer from multiple sclerosis and have had the ‘alemtuzumab’ treatment which clearly stipulates on the Lemtrada website that patients should have monthly blood tests done to help detect side effects early.
Upon having a recent consultation at Rockwood Hospital Cardiff, part of the UHW Neurology Department, the consultant asked me when did I have my blood test done. Surely he should have had that in front of him and not relied on a patient to update him. This is poor management and medical care.
So after it was established I have not had my blood test done for a good few months, he said he would arrange for them to be done every month because during Covid Lockdown it was every 3 months and we are no longer in lockdown, so there should be no excuse. (This is against the terms of Lemtrada policy).
Lemtrada website says:BEGIN YOUR MONTHLY MONITORING
Certain side effects of LEMTRADA can happen months and even years after treatment. That’s why it is important to begin monitoring after your first infusion and continue regular monitoring until 4 years after your last infusion. Monitoring can help your healthcare team find potential side effects early.
So we are nearly in the month of December and after my consultation in October, I am still waiting for a letter to see when I should have my blood test done.
I should not be the one to be chasing them. It is their job to make sure patients have regular blood tests!
This in my eyes is NHS medical negligence.
Clearly the consultant I went to see did know what he was doing because the letter he wrote to my doctor contradicted his statement as I am on the highest dosage of painkillers Gabapentin. I wrote to my neurologist and asked for the error to be rectified, which has now been updated.
“I should not be going out of my way to remind them to do their jobs, it is their responsibility to make sure I have my monthly blood tests done”.
Update 09/12/22
It has been five months since my last treatment and I have only had one blood test done. I am going to see if the meds that the consultant prescribed are ready for collection and if not I will be writing a stern email to the Professor of Neurology.
PIP Personal Independence Payment Delays And The Repercussions On Mental & Physical Health.
Disclaimer Scotland: People in Scotland will no longer be able to make a new claim for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) from August 29 when the benefit will be replaced by Adult Disability Payment (ADP) in all 32 council areas across the country. At present, 13 local authorities are now offering ADP to adults over 16 and under State Pension age living with a disability, long-term illness or a physical or mental health condition.
Most people don’t like complaining and will not make a formal complaint about anything let alone the DWP, because they believe it would be a waste of time and could cause a knock-on effect on their other benefits. For those that do complain and, after many months of pursuing, end up giving up. The ones that are determined come away with a pathetic apology and feel they have hit a brick wall. They accept the mediocre admission by the DWP or Atos, Capita, that these organizations made a mistake and nothing else happens, their mental health is simply disregarded without a second thought.
ANN ABRAHAMS – REPORT
However, the most recently released report reveals that a tiny number of people pursue their complaints further and end up being awarded large sums in compensation. The report is called ‘Small mistakes, big consequences’ and is written by Ann Abrahams, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. Ann Abraham should be a name that should stand out as well as your local MP.
“Remember nothing happens quickly after all these people are not in a hurry to find money to put food on their tables, only you are”…
Your illnesses and disabilities should be corroborated with medical evidence and letters from GPs and consultants. This payment is to help with your daily living and is not an alternative to being a benefit bum and living off benefits. This payment is for people who truly deserve the extra money because of their disabilities. The reason why the Government is clamping down is because of too many fake, lazy individuals that see this as free money.
Citizens Advice said: “PIP, which can see people with an illness, disability or mental health condition receive up to £157 a week, is a lifeline for millions of people, yet the government is playing with people’s lives and their health.
There are currently around 327,000 Disabled people on the waiting list, with an average waiting time of five months. Citizens Advice projects this means £300 million of payments that would be awarded are being held up, after all the government needs to look after themselves first before thinking about the other half of the population. You are not their priority, although you should be.
“Waiting for this payment is having a huge impact on people’s lives. Delays in assessment mean that support is held up, forcing people into impossible choices as they try to make ends meet.”
STATISTICS
People are facing humiliation as 1 in 5 people have needed to go to a food bank in the last 3 months who have also had an issue with PIP. Many of those waiting for a decision will also be eligible for the £150 disability benefits cost-of-living support payment but are unlikely to get it before October’s mammoth energy price hike.
There are more people coming to Citizens Advice for help with PIP than with any other issue in fact an astonishing 41% more than any other issue.
Around 150 people are contacting advisors at Citizens Advice every hour for one-to-one help, and its webpage on “How the DWP makes a decision on PIP claims” had 27,700 page views last month, up 56% year on year.
CITIZENS ADVICE
Citizens Advice is calling on the Government to take urgent action to relieve pressure in the system and help get money to people who desperately need it. It is calling for an emergency plan from the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to urgently tackle this backlog, including reducing the number of claimants required to have a medical assessment, which is the main reason for these delays – and extending the award period so people have to reclaim less often.
Backlogs in the disability benefit assessment system are having significant knock-on effects on disabled people’s ability to live independently, new evidence has shown.
These delays are also causing further turmoil for disabled people whose support needs have increased and believe they should now be entitled to higher PIP payments.
The evidence has come from the Benefits and Work website, which has heard from a string of existing PIP recipients who say the delays are causing tremendous emotional distress and significant problems.
In March, Disability News Service (DNS) reported how the backlog of disabled people waiting for a PIP assessment had more than trebled in the last five years, from 88,500 in October 2016 to nearly 312,000 by December 2021.
DNShas also reported on similar problems with the Access to Work system, with DWP figures showing the number of disabled people waiting for decisions on their applications has more than quadrupled in a year from just 4,890 in March 2021 to 20,909 in March this year.
One of the ways the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is dealing with the lengthening PIP assessment backlog is by providing temporary (3 months), short-term extensions to PIP claimants who are waiting for their benefits to be reviewed.
Editors’ Opinion –“Do they not have enough unemployed people to do a bit of paperwork? How about outsourcing the work would be another idea and finally only appraise the people that have medical evidence to corroborate their illnesses”?
The Government is purposely dragging its heels in order to save money.
“This is Evil, a Disgrace, and a Shambles”.
Vicky Foxcroft, Labour’s shadow minister for disabled people said:
“With the cost-of-living crisis hitting disabled people particularly hard, it is shocking this government has not got a grip of the PIP backlog, which has been going on for months now”.
“Short-term fixes aren’t enough anymore. Disabled people deserve so much better than this; Tory ministers need to get a grip on this backlog, especially given the impact it is now having on other benefits for disabled people.
“A future Labour government would invest properly in disabled people, ensuring they had the support needed.”
A DWP spokesperson said:
“We closely monitor the progress of PIP cases awaiting assessment and take all steps possible to ensure claimants receive the vital support they require”.
“We can and do make in-house decisions on award reviews without referral to assessment providers where necessary and use a blend of phone, video, and face-to-face assessments to ensure support is given as quickly as possible.”
People Who Suffer From OCD
Daily Living Descriptor 6– Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
The Upper Tribunal has recently made a decision (CPIP/3760/2016) about how people with OCD can claim points under PIP.
BACKGROUND
The PIP Regulations say that people who can’t do an activity listed in one of the PIP descriptors safely, repeatedly, to an acceptable standard, and no more than twice as slowly as a non-disabled person, shouldn’t be counted as being able to do that activity for the purposes of PIP. (I keep a note of my health online and so does my daughter. I think as a sufferer of OCD the form does not actually cover all the different types of OCD). https://disabledentrepreneur.uk/category/renatas-online-journal/&https://disabledentrepreneur.uk/category/zena-online-journal/
Therefore there has been some confusion about people with OCD, who usually can do an activity perfectly well, but have to do it over and over again or in particular ways or at particular times.
(Assessors who are not specialized in diagnosing OCD or any other illness should not have any input about the claim – just because they have passed e-learning does not make them any more qualified than you or me).
The PIP descriptors and the regulations didn’t deal with this sort of situation very well and so lots of people with OCD lost out on awards. Now the Upper Tribunal has looked at the issue and made a judgment that will help people with OCD to earn points for PIP.
WHAT THE UPPER TRIBUNAL DECIDED
The Upper Tribunal case was about a person who took a very long time to get dressed because their OCD meant they had to repetitively try on lots of different outfits until she found one she was happy to wear. The DWP argued that this long time didn’t count for the purposes of PIP because it was just the person’s choice to try lots of clothes on. The Upper Tribunal, however, held that because the person’s hesitations and repetitive behavior were ‘the consequence of her health condition’, she was entitled to points because it took her more than twice as long as a non-disabled person to dress. But the UT did say that if the longer time had not been a consequence of her health condition, she would not have been entitled to points.
This decision is important because the principle that delays in being able to complete a task because of the consequences of a mental health condition like OCD can be applied to all descriptors, not just dressing. So a person with OCD who can eat perfectly well but who takes an hour to eat because of obsessive rituals about arranging the table, or a person who can wash perfectly well but who does so eleven times three times a day, could claim points under those PIP descriptors.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU
If you have OCD for example and have obsessive rituals or other behavior which means that you take much longer to do activities of daily living like cooking, eating, dressing, and so on, then you now can use this Upper Tribunal decision to strengthen your argument for claiming PIP.
Note that you will still have to be able to show that you have been diagnosed with OCD or a similar mental health condition and you do in fact have behavior that means you take much longer than a non-disabled person to complete daily living activities. Good strong evidence from people who know you will be needed.
You will also have to show that your behavior is a consequence of your mental health condition and not just your own preferred way of doing things. Showing that you can’t change the way you do things even if it is against your interests will be useful – eg that you miss appointments because you can’t get there in time owing to a dressing ritual.
OCD is a very complicated illness it is not just about washing or checking or taking too long to shower, dress or cook food. It may be the fear of germ contamination (as I have). I know logically we are surrounded by germs but the thought of contracting something or being harmed through direct contact with an unsanitized area does not bear thinking about. I am cocooned in my own surrounding where I can keep my intrusive thoughts under control as best I can. My disabilities are not just OCD, they are Depression, Social Disconnection, and Cognitive Impairment (Cerebellar Atrophy) to name a few.
TIMING
As with everything, it all takes time and you are not a priority.
Upper Tribunal decisions take time for your claims, mandatory reconsideration, and appeals, and it may take some months before DWP and assessors finally make the decision.
Unfortunately for you, this causes considerable stress on your mental health and pressure on your finances. You can either suffer and do nothing other than wait or you could complain.
If your appeal is taking longer than expected you have grounds to contact the ombudsman.
If you have been treated unfairly and given the DWP and Tribunal time to respond and they have not within the timeframe then you need to start getting all your evidence together to build a case. You can take it even further and take it to an Ombudsman (Last Resort).
The PIP system is flawed, it employs people who are not qualified in the field of the illness (one needs to be a specialist in the field and should undergo years of training as well as qualifications to determine what the claimant is suffering from). The system is designed to degrade people and to make them unwell. The more people that become unwell the more money Big Pharma makes and that is how the world goes round.
Making a Complaint
Do exhaust all avenues of complaint procedures before contacting the ombudsman and do collate as much evidence as you can. If you have a blog or social media page share it with the people I have mentioned in this article. People usually take notice if you have a professional site and you know what you are talking about.
If you want our help and need a letter we can send you a template with all users, names, and addresses and you fill in the blanks. Our template letters are £5.00 and you will get a download link once the payment has been processed, if you want us to write the letter for you it will cost £25 per 1000 words. Your privacy and data will be safeguarded with a non-disclosure agreement.
PIP Mailing Address is:
Personal Independence (2), 2 Mail Handling Site (A), Wolverhampton., WV98 18B
Tel Number:
0800 121 4433 ( be prepared to wait 45 minutes to be put through)
Email:
contactus@capita-pip.co.uk
** Just to explain when I spoke to PIP today over my daughter’s award the woman said that my daughter or I would have to submit evidence by post. Knowing they had an email I said could it not be done electronically (I bit my tongue about saving the environment) and the woman I spoke to blatantly lied and said there is no email address.
The amount of time I had to wait to be put through could easily cause someone who has multiple sclerosis or any other auto-immune disease and suffers from bad stress and anxiety to easily relapse. Furthermore, I do not know who they employ because I had to spell ‘Alemtuzumab‘ out even though I clearly told the woman the word can be found on www.lemtrada.com.
I am not looking forward to the assessment my daughter is due to have because if they make my daughter perform like a circus monkey that will mean I will have to intervene. My daughter documents her health in her online journal on this platform. I am not looking forward to having to deal with these people.
Most of us when we fall ill, trust our local medical practitioners to get the best remedies and advice. However one has to look at the fact that Doctors’ surgeries are small businesses and the revenue they receive, is from the drugs they prescribe, so it would make no sense to send a patient away and to offer holistic medicine. Pharmaceutical companies are not going to allow your doctor to promote alternative medicine for obvious reasons.
The pharmaceutical industry totaled 1.27 trillion US Dollars in 2020 and is responsible for the research, development, production, and distribution of medications. The market has experienced significant growth during the past two decades, and pharma revenues worldwide.
An alternative would be to try holistic medication and if that did not work then resort to seeing your doctor. Holistic medicine aims to improve health and wellness through the body, mind, and soul. Usually, holistic medicine combines traditional medicine and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).
(Disclaimer – You must visit your doctor if you have a serious condition and you should not put off something that if caught quickly can be treated. If you are seriously unwell you should visit your local doctor as soon as possible and not delay your recovery by trying to cure it yourself). Holistic medicine is for people like me who have been on medication for 30 years and find it has little benefit so will look for alternative medicine, whilst still continuing to take the prescribed medication, until a cure is found).
I have recently read that Blueberries have medicinal properties: Blueberries can help heart health, bone strength, skin health, blood pressure, diabetes management, cancer prevention, and mental health.
People who use blood thinners, such as warfarin, should speak to their medical practitioner before increasing their intake of blueberries, as the high vitamin K content can affect blood clotting.
I am all for improving mental health and when I have been prescribed medication for the last 30 years that has little to no effect I have to look at alternative solutions. I am definitely going to include blueberries in my diet from now on: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/287710
It was touch and go last week as I was just getting over my chest infection. I had to have emergency antibiotics to clear the infection before starting my treatment, followed by an x-ray to make sure it was safe to go on to the next phase.
08.00 am
So today is the day and I am having my treatment, I am now hooked up to the infusion drip, I have had steroids, aciclovir, 1 x antihistamine, 1 x antibiotic, 2 x paracetamols, and ibuprofen.
I feel I should have gotten there a little earlier because by the time I had my ECG done this morning I started to get hungry. My mum told me to order a Deliveroo, which I would not do, can you just imagine a pizza delivery rolling up.
Anyway, I have two more days of this so will keep you updated as the days progress.
15.52 pm.
My treatment is over for the day but I have a very high temperature and a really bad headache. They are monitoring me for the next two hours.
I did not bring my Apple watch to monitor my heart rate although it was noted on their machines that my heart rate spiked to 180/60.
I will charge my watch tonight.
I had to share my room with another lady who told me she was only in for the day and was only getting one day of treatment as she suffers from Stiff Person Syndrome. She told me she gave up her career in Law because of her illness.
I won’t post two more separate posts but instead, I will just update a continuation of this one tomorrow.
Update 05/07/22
My temp was a little high 37.6 -37.7 but we came to the conclusion it was probably because I walked in and it’s warm out. The nurse said I had a higher level of glucose in my wee but she said it was probably from my steroids yesterday and told me to avoid eating so much sugar and then lastly I had an elevated CRP level in my blood which can be an indication of infection but because I’m not showing any symptoms of infection, they’ve decided to continue with the treatment.
I’m on steroids as we speak. The doctor from yesterday annoyed me, he just stares and lingers and then comes over and tells me about my blood and asks to listen to my chest then tells me to breathe in and out, like wtf do you think I normally do? (I get it, he was checking my lungs but what is the point when I had an x-ray to check for a chest infection) Does he not think I breathe on the regular? 🙄
I’ve had my cannula removed, don’t think my vein could handle it any longer because the nurse said she could see it was a bit swollen and I did say it was really tender to touch so she just said she’ll take it out and re-do it.
Update 06/07/22
Today is my last day of treatment and have had the awful doctor again today that does not wear his name badge and only introduces himself as ‘Doctor’ he never takes notes or writes anything down. With a little investigation, I found that all doctors and medical staff have to wear name badges otherwise they could face disciplinary action. Read the NHS Policy below:
I should by rights report him and have sneakily taken a photo of him whilst he was not looking. ( I have not published it because of data protection but it is on my phone). He could be a civilian pretending to be a doctor for all I know and it seems weird that he gives off bad vibes, even the patients sharing my room agree with me.
08.13 am
My obs were fine and so is my wee.
Will give a final update once I have left the hospital later today.
13.37 pm
I had to have a second blood test done of the day not sure why.
15.37 pm
I had to have my third blood test because someone lost my second set of blood in transport so I’m not in the best of moods.
16.32 pm
I was finally discharged. I was told that they have marked my blood as urgent and if I do not hear back from them no news is good news so to speak.
I did not have a high-temperature today, but I did have severe heartburn, and everything I drank and ate tasted metal, even the tuna sandwich. I also started to have a headache.
I am glad it’s over, although for the next 3 weeks I have to self-isolate.
I will now just have to wait for my next MRI to see what changes have happened but that won’t be until later this year Sept/Oct time.
Update 07/07/22
Just a quick update the dreaded rash has reared its ugly head it is all over my legs and my arms. I have antihistamines which the hospital gave me but it is not a prevention of getting the rash or a cure it is just a remedy to ease the discomfort. I am going to buy some chamomile lotion which I am surprised the hospital did not give me. I suppose because they did not see a rash at the time I was on the ward I guess they thought I did not need it. I look like I have chicken pox.
08/07/22
LEGS UPPER AND LOWER.
TORSO
How long does it take for your immune system to recover after Lemtrada?
After IV administration, there is rapid and profound lymphopenia that gradually recovers (return of absolute lymphocyte count to the lower limit of normal in 40% of patients at 6 months and in 80% by 12 months).
Is alemtuzumab a chemotherapy?
Alemtuzumab is a type of targeted cancer drug. It’s a treatment for some types of leukaemia and skin lymphoma. And may be used as part of a stem cell transplant.
I am not happy, I have run out of Amitriptyline, I have loads of Gabapentin and I do not understand why.
According to my mother, there is a shortage of medication and she mentioned trade wars, what about my health dare I ask, I am sure I cannot stop my medication willy-nilly.
I am not impressed. My health, I have pains in my legs to the point I need to sit down. I have been known to sit on a floor when I cannot find seating.
Today I woke up with an excruciating pain in the back of my neck, it lingered even after taking painkillers and a warm compress which my mum advised me to do. I do not know if I slept funny or if it is my MS playing up. I won’t be seeing my neurologist until the end of the year so I do not know what the outcome is going to be.
That’s it for today, nothing more to report.
13/04/24
I thought I would quickly check in, I am experiencing a neuropathic itch in my right shoulder. It’s an itch I cannot scratch and cannot get to, which is frustrating, according to research it could be lesions in my nervous system. The other sensation is burning in my lungs and throat. It is not acid reflux or an allergic reaction, so all I can think is I am coming down with something and frankly do not feel very well.
Due to the fact I am in full-time university in my final year for a degree in marketing management, I do not have time to update the journal as often as I should. I am not always very vocal about my symptoms and just grin and bear whatever is ailing me.
I have relapsed a few times, with burning in my legs and numbness in my toes, I have spoken with the MS team, and unless something drastic happens they will not do anything other than prescribe stronger medication.
Most recently 19/03/24 I did something to my back and my GP prescribed a week’s supply of Naproxen 20/03/24. I put a heat pad on the base of my spine but I have what I can describe as growing pains in my hips. I do not know if this is MS-related and won’t know until I have an MRI later this year. My consultant is in India at the moment so fat chance of finding anything out before he returns. The GP did not think it was a slipped disc and considered the possibility it could be a trapped sciatica nerve. I can hardly bend over. My mother has similar problems and we are wondering as she had an epidural when she had me and I had a lumbar puncture before I had my treatment if it has anything to do with this.
My MS Health
I am constantly tired and need a regular flow of caffeine to make me stay awake. My legs are a problem, I must admit and I am supervised by mum when I am at home. She is my rock and I am hers.
I will try to make more of an effort with my journalling, but if I do not tell my mum every five minutes what aches and pains I have she cannot update this journal on my behalf.
I will try to come back here soon x
2022 -2023
This is my online diary of my health, this is a place I come to release all my frustration and vent. Sometimes you just have to let off steam…
As most of my family, friends, and followers already know I am about to start treatment with ‘Lemtrada Alemtuzumab’ on the 4th of July. But first I needed to start my listeria diet, which I have. The amount of stress this is causing me is unreal, not only for the preparation for the treatment but also for life’s hurdles. Today I am up at the hospital to have my blood and collect a prescription that should have been ready for me to collect but I have to waste one and a half hours waiting for it to be prepared. I have previously done work experience whilst I was in the sixth form at this hospital and have been shown how the medicines are dispensed. Basically, someone types something into the computer, and a revolutionary machine sorts it out, dispenses it, and then all the pharmacists do is stick a sticker on it, it’s that quick, so I do not understand the hold-up.
But my stress is a build-up of other events that are going on in my life. For example ‘Transport For Wales’ is constantly on my case going on that they have not received my new PIP award. PIP is so backlogged that they keep reviewing every 3 months without actually awarding anyone and it is just a waiting game. When I first applied I was told by (TFW) that I was not disabled enough to qualify for a bus pass but that was overturned as I had a (PIP) award.
“I have relapsed and am due to start treatment on 4th July 2022 and if that is not proof I have a progressive disease, I do not know what is. I am not going to jump through hoops for no -one, just to justify that I am disabled.My letter from the hospital should be evidence enough”!
My mother who is my carer has reached out to the ‘Transport For Wales’ (TFW) Agency and it seems it goes over their heads even going as far as saying that they have not received anything from me or from her. My mother wrote an article regarding bus passes and is waiting for an update. https://disabledentrepreneur.uk/bus-passes-for-the-disabled/
The stress this is causing me is unbelievable. It does not stop there, a few years ago I had my blood taken at the same hospital that I visited today and one of the nurses butchered my vein, a few years later I think I had the same woman because my arm is in so much pain.
My Health
Like I said it is one obstacle after another. I am on my third week of coughing as I have a viral infection but have been told by the Neurologist and the MS Team that I need to get rid of my cough before starting my treatment, otherwise, it won’t go ahead, I was told by the MS Team to start antibiotics prescribed by my GP last week.
To get a consultation with a GP, I had to phone the doctor’s practice and was told by the receptionist my matter was not an emergency and to phone back, the following day on a first come first seen basis. (Excuse me but since when are receptionists qualified to make those decisions)?
I phoned back again the same day and this time I said the consultant at the hospital insisted it was urgent to which I was told by the receptionist a doctor would phone me. (This could have been done and dusted on my first call but it is what it is and is done now).
I waited all afternoon and finally spoke with the head doctor at the practice (Dr.C) who had a tone on her like I was inconveniencing her. (Sorry is there something more important that you could be doing, rather than dealing with me)?
So all in all I am not coping well, especially withpeople who are ignorant orsimply do not care.
You can apply for a disabled person’s bus pass or rail card if you have an illness and you cannot manage to walk long distances.
People with, mental, physical, and learning disabilities are entitled to apply.
The criteria are that you have to be receiving personal independence payments or a disability living allowance.
You or someone else can apply on your behalf, such as a friend, family member, or carer.
Once approved you will be able to travel for free by bus or get 30% off your train tickets.
Most applications are through your local council as they are the ones that are in charge of public (bus) transport.
Alternatively, you can contact your localCitizens Advicewhich can help you with the application if you need it.
Applying for a railcard
You need to use this link to Find out if you’re eligible and how to apply on the National Rail website. Unfortunately, if you do not qualify, you will have to pay the full price for your train tickets. If your application gets rejected you cannot appeal.
Applying for a disabled person’s bus pass
Criteria:
you are blind or partially sighted, deaf, or unable to speak.
you cannot walk very far because of a disability, illness, or injuries, such as multiple sclerosis or autoimmune disorder, or a mental illness.
you are immobilized you do not have arms or legs.
you have a severe learning disability.
you’ve been refused a driving license because of your health (but not because of problems with drugs or alcohol). (Although drug addiction and alcoholism is also an illness).
To know if you are entitled to a free bus pass visit the Government website on GOV.UK and see what evidence you’ll need to show if you are eligible.
If you live in London
You’ll need to apply for a ‘Disabled Person’s Freedom Pass’ instead. The eligibility criteria are the same as for the rest of England.
If you don’t qualify for a Disabled Person’s Freedom Pass, you can ask your council for a ‘discretionary bus pass’. Some London councils give these to people who aren’t eligible for a Freedom Pass but have problems getting around.
You might be able to use Dial-a-ride – a free door-to-door bus service run by Transport for London (TfL). You can become a member if you have a long-term disability or if you’re over 85 years old.
a Blue Badge– to help you or someone who drives you around the park more conveniently and in disability parking zones at grocery stores.
It’s also worth checking you’re getting all the benefits you’re entitled to – you can use our benefits checker to easily find out.
Final Thoughts From The Editor
Remember you should get what you are entitled to and councils will not make it easy for you otherwise everyone would be doing it.
You have to stand up for your rights or have someone that can appeal on your behalf.
With this said my daughter who has multiple sclerosis and has relapsed, thus is starting her round of treatment of Lemtrada Alemtuzamab on the 4th of July 2022 and finds it hard to walk long distances is in receipt of Personal Independence Payments. Her review for PIP has been postponed and keeps being postponed every 3 months. I am my daughter’s carer and find that this is causing unnecessary stress for my daughter and I have cited that stress can cause people with multiple sclerosis to relapse.
I will come back with an update once I hear back from our local council regarding my daughter’s bus pass. I am finding organizations from Blue Chip Companies to Government Offices either are not fully trained when it comes to the consequences of their actions. A person who is relapsing does not want added stress to further make their illness any worse and God forbid become bedridden.
I have been on the Cardiff Council Travel Website: https://portal.tfw.wales/en/disabledThere is no page that says for customers to appeal. I then proceeded to by phoning them and completely forgot the question I needed for this site (cognitive impairment) 🤣😂 although went on to mention my daughter and the woman I spoke to said that nothing was received from my daughter. She also said it is the council’s decision and not theirs, excuse me you are an agency part of the council.
I regret to inform you that unfortunately, your daughter does not qualify for the Disabled Concessionary Bus Pass. As an organization, we are only able to approve applicants that score the points specified below on one or more of the following descriptors.
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Statement of Entitlement, which shows:Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Disability Living Allowance (DLA) award letter, which gives details of a Higher Rate Mobility Component (HRMC) award.
8 or more points under Descriptor 7 “Communicating Verbally”; or 12 points under Descriptor 11 “Planning and Following a Journey”; or 8 or more points under Descriptor 12 “Moving Around”.
Please note: The PIP descriptors and their individual scores MUST NOT be added together. Unfortunately, as an organization, we are unable to carry out individual assessments, however, in this instance, I would recommend getting in touch with your local authority, who will be able to carry out an assessment to clarify if she is eligible for the pass.
Cardiff Council. County Hall, Atlantic Wharf, Cardiff, CF10 4UW. Tel – 02920 872087
Hopefully, this gives some reassurance that there are options that you are able to explore
Kind regards
Leila Rad-Andrews
My Comments.
The above email is inaccurate because the last time my daughter had an assessment was in 2018 and since then she has lapsed twice. My daughter has since done an online assessment test which states she has between 15 & 19 points.
Despite sending in multiple emails including my daughter’s PIP award they have had the audacity to decline my daughter a bus pass.
She is currently in hospital having Lemtrada Alemtuzumab treatment for her Multiple Sclerosis as she has relapsed and this is causing her unnecessary emotional distress which could lead to further relapses.
“If it is found that my daughter relapses again because of the stress this is causing her, somebody should be heldresponsible”.
Update 07/07/22
As my daughter’s carer, I am shocked at how I have been given the runaround. Transport for Wales wrote to both my daughter and me in an email stating that she was not entitled to a bus pass because she did not have enough points.
I explained since the last assessment she has since relapsed and just come out of hospital for her treatment yesterday. So any changes will not be reflected. It is as if the arse does not know what the elbow is doing because when I phoned the number that ‘Transport For Wales’ gave me (which was the switchboard for Cardiff City Council) I was then re-directed back to ‘Transport For Wales’ who told me it was Cardiff City Council Hub-Team that I needed to speak to. I then phoned the number again and was told I had to phone 02920871071 which I did, who then told me I had to speak with the Library. I spoke with the hub/library two days ago and I was sent out an application form even though my daughter already filled one in?
We have submitted all the relevant information by email and we are simply getting the runaround. I finally got an email address advicehub@cardiff.gov.uk yet the hub two days ago said they do not have email addresses, yet today the number I phoned told me to go to the library (as if I am going to shut down my business to take time out is hilarious and beyond unbelievable 😂🤣)… and miraculously they found an email address 😂🤣.
According to ‘Transport For Wales’, my daughter is ‘NOT DISABLED ENOUGH’ to be entitled to a bus pass, even though she has ‘MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS’ and has relapsed.
I said in mid-flow of the conversation that this is to do with Government purse strings and the guy I spoke to had not got a clue what I was talking about (I have no words 😂🤣 ).
The criteria are as follows:
(One needs twelve points to qualify).
What the points criteria do not mention is:
(Conveniently)…
Do you experience:
Stress
Anxiety
Depression
Suicidal Thoughts
Intrusive Thoughts
Cognitive Impairment
Loss of Balance
Insomnia
Experience Pain
Numbness
Experience Light Headiness
Confusion
Lack of Concentration
Social Disconnection
Forgetfulness
I will update you once again once I get a response from the Advice Hub.
“I dread to think about what the stress could potentially do to someone with progressive autoimmune disease”.
I could feel myself blowing a gasket never mind someone with multiple sclerosis who has literally come out of hospital for treatment because of a relapse.
If you have any questions or need to be steered in the right direction do drop us a line using the form below:
Warning: Reality Check for Utility Providers, the whole of the UK is not going to be using the same amount of Gas or Electricity prior to the Price Hikes and therefore do not go by past usage and only go by current usage moving forward. British Gas is purposely putting people in debt.
Excited at the fact that I had only used 8 units in the last two weeks which equates to £20.07, according to the customer service advisor I spoke to today, yet my payment plan has not changed and is still asking for £190 per month even though I am going to be using £40 worth of Gas moving forward. (See screenshots of my meter readings below).
According to ‘British Gas’, they calculate past data of usage and I have said in the past I had my central heating on 24/7 other than the summer months, but I am going to be using the bare minimum moving forward.
It was like talking to a brick wall and I have been told that perhaps the payment plan would be adjusted in 6 months but not before. This is forcing people to go into debt.
So hypothetically speaking, if my predicted usage will be £40 per month moving forward x 6 months left of this year which would equate to £240 but British Gas wants me to pay £190 per month x 6 months which equates to £1,140, minus what I owe = £368 & usage £240 gives a final total of £532 overpayment.
I suppose the surplus money in their bank making interest is better than it is in yours.
Now the way my plan has been calculated is for the past years’ usage rather than usage in the future even though I have proved it will be lower as I do not plan to cook, use hot water or turn the central heating on.
If what I owe is £368 and say next month’s bill comes to £40 per month based on my new meter reading on the (15/06/22) x 3 months = £120 + £368 = £488 that I would owe and if British Gas wants £190 x 3 months = £570, that would mean I would overpay £82.00
Yet they are saying “the computer says no” scenario ‘Little Britain’ quote.
I also asked the question today about what support they have for mental health and the vulnerable and this is what I was told:
A payment plan (which we cannot agree on and they refuse to spread over 36 months but in the past they have). This is intimidation.
The Charity ‘British Gas Trust’ is a joke and I would not waste time donating or asking for donations because British Gas does not support the vulnerable, (notice I am not giving this company a backlink in this article).
Contact Stepchangewhich is a third-party charity and is not exactly supported by British Gas, they give financial advice because I advertise Stepchange.org on my useful links page.
So their support for me personally is as useful as a chocolate fireguard.
It was further confirmed that British Gas does not support people with Mental Health other than what has been mentioned above.
This is how condescending companies are because I did not agree to the £190, British Gas expects me to get financial advice “hello, is anyone listening? I do not need financial advice”. I know what my usage is going to be moving forward.
I also stated I need to keep my home warm in the winter months to prevent black mold from growing as my daughter has Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and if I cannot afford to pay the astronomical prices British Gas’ is charging and I fail to turn my heating on which would cause a domino effect and my daughter relapsed from the ‘Black Mold Spores’, then someone would have to be held accountable.
Like I said in my article yesterday “if you do not have the extra money, to begin with, how are you supposed to find the extra money to pay the greedy corporate companies that make a profit on the back of your vulnerabilities”?
Below are screenshots of the meter readings.
Meter Reading 31/05/22Meter Reading 15/06/22
When I pay this company off I am going to switch providers and not recommend this provider to anyone. If any utility company refuses to spread the costs with affordable payment plans and is unreasonable with zero support for your disabilities then you should take action.
They should at least offer you breathing space to give you the time to find the money. I have proven with photographic evidence that my usage is now going to be lower.
I begrudge helping a company that makes money off me or anyone else in a vulnerable position and who is disabled. If I thought any company was worth a good review and marketing I would consider partnering with them, but I do not in this case because they have caused emotional distress which in turn has made my mental health worse.
Data Scraping Terms Disclaimer: Anyone found to have data scraped on our sites will be subject to a fine of £10,000. https://disabledentrepreneur.uk/data-scraping-terms-disclaimer/ **DATA SCRAPERS** CONTRAVENE: THE COMPUTER MISUSE ACT 1990 (LEGISLATION.GOV.UK)
Data Scraping Terms Disclaimer:
Anyone found to have data scraped on our sites will be subject to a fine of £10,000.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
