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Been refused carers allowance for COPD

Posted , 6 users are following.

Nonicknane
Nonicknane

I am a pensioner and have had COPD Applied for the above but was refused ,is there anything I can do to convince them I have COPD , 

1 like, 27 replies

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  • sherylbceroc
    sherylbceroc Nonicknane

    Posted

    Presumably, you have medical evidence of the fact you have COPD on file with your GP and/or hospital consultant?  If so, could you not ask one of these medical experts to write a supporting letter with medical evidence to support your application?  Good luck x

     

    • Nonicknane
      Nonicknane sherylbceroc

      Posted

      Hi yes I send prescription with my meds on it ,they phoned me up and becouse I was not breathless and it was one of my better day plus I haven't been admitted to hospital I think they are the reasons why they refused,do you think it's worth applying again 
  • jude65855
    jude65855 Nonicknane

    Posted

    Surely whoever is caring for you would be the one applying for a carer's allowance? Maybe the medical evidence you supplied didn't say you needed care:  how advanced is your COPD?

    You don't say what country you're in, but presumably there's a formula for how much care you need for anyone to get an allowance to care for you?

     

    • Nonicknane
      Nonicknane jude65855

      Posted

      Hi Jude I'm from Britain, it was my husband who applied as he looks after me ,I cannot walk 10yrds without his support I get out of breath so easily ,and on cold days I just don't go out 
    • jude65855
      jude65855 Nonicknane

      Posted

      Thanks for extra information, but if you didn't provide medical evidence of your condition other than a copy of your prescriptions I reckon that'd be the reason it's been refused.

      Can you ask centrelink or whatever it's called in the UK what evidence they require?

    • jude65855
      jude65855 Nonicknane

      Posted

      In Australia Centrelink (formerly Social Security or antisocial insecurity) is the division of the Human Services Dept (often called Inhuman Disservices by applicants) which issues disaiblity, aged, unemployment etc etc pensions

      I did say  "or whatever it's called in the UK"!

  • michael127
    michael127 Nonicknane

    Posted

    Hi Shirley, it`s a problem nobody really wants to admit to because it`s terminal in the long run  [no known cures]  The Best Way To Ascertain COPD Is Through Spirometry ie Blow Various Ways Into A Machine Which Measures Your Lung Capacity.This Is Not Done By Your Doctor But A Competent Resident Nurse And Takes Two- Three Sessions To Complete. I Suggest You Organise This NOW and Come Back To Us With Some Good News .  Are You Coughing Up Sticky Plegm ? If So Ask For Carbocisteine To Ease The Flow. If Heavy Coughing Guard Against Popping A Rib By Tight Pressure On Rib Whilst Coughing. or Strap Your Ribs..Wish You Well .Come Back With Good Results .
    • jude65855
      jude65855 michael127

      Posted

      I agree a spirometry test is the best way to diagnose COPD so if you haven't had one I'd  be organising that now and if you have had one, get the documentation of the results, particularly your level of lung function.

      I don't understand Shirley's reference to 2 or 3 sessions, I was diagnosed with only one but I do have it done again every year or so just to check if it's deteriorating or stable  -  stable at 70% capacity so far

    • Nonicknane
      Nonicknane jude65855

      Posted

      Hi Jude and to other members , I have been diognosed for about 5yrs now and yes I do have spiro test done every yr by my practice nurse ,I'm due to go for one in about 2weeks 
    • jude65855
      jude65855 Nonicknane

      Posted

      If you make sure you get the documenation from the next spiro test plus a doctor's report, surely that'd be enough to back up the carer's allowance application?   Depending of course on how low your lung function is - good luck
    • michael127
      michael127 jude65855

      Posted

      Hi Me Again Just Got My Post Thro  81 per week Has Been Awarded To Me For Attendence Allowance {backdated 3 weeks} Sadly I`m Like The Average COPD Sufferer !0 Paces Then Knackered. If Nothing Else The Tobacco Industry Should Be Held Accountable,Not The Government.
    • jude65855
      jude65855 michael127

      Posted

      That's great news!   

      10 paces and then knackered isn't average unless your COPD is fairly well advanced and if so, I'm sorry to hear that.

      Have you tried rehab?  It's not really rehab with COPD but it's about managing the condition and slowing down its advance

    • archemedes
      archemedes michael127

      Posted

      Both the Government AND the tobacco industry should be held accountable for what happened as the BOTH profitted from it in the full knowledge that it was damaging a good percentage of the population.
    • jude65855
      jude65855 archemedes

      Posted

      If you google copd class actions there's some info about a Florida man who won $12.5M against tobacco companies for COPD, but it wasn't class action which I reckon could be brought in Australia, UK or USA but doesn't seem to be happening 
    • archemedes
      archemedes jude65855

      Posted

      Probably because nobody in the UK has the funds to commence and carry on with an action of such potential magnitude.

      It should happen though because these governments and especially the tobacco giants have literally got away with murder.

    • jude65855
      jude65855 archemedes

      Posted

      Class actions in Australia are done by lefty legal firms on a no win no cost basis: nothing like that in the UK?   

       

    • archemedes
      archemedes jude65855

      Posted

      Yes we do have such legal firms here, but what has to be taken into account here is the sheer size and huge cost involved in prosecuting either the tobacco barons or the Government.

      Having said this I can foresee a time when someone is brave enough to bring this matter before the European Court of Human Rights, because they have the right to do so, and it concerns so many human beings who are still struggling with severe health problems as a result of smoking.

    • jude65855
      jude65855 archemedes

      Posted

      So what are you waiting for?  You could be that someone!

      I'm about to research Australian legal firms to see if any of them wil take it on

    • archemedes
      archemedes jude65855

      Posted

      It would be nice to kid myself that I had enough fight left in me to do such a thing.

      What you don't know is that I'm 71 years of age and have already done the rounds several times trying to beat parts of the British bureaucratic system to a pulp.

      Some parts I won and some parts I lost, but the nett result was that in every case the 'system' was largely left intact afterwards and free to indiscriminately roll on like some vast juggernaut, whilst I was left financially and bodilly shattered.

      No, in my case it is all too late now, but I would certainly encourage a younger person to have a go - someone should do something.

    • jude65855
      jude65855 archemedes

      Posted

      Fair enough - I'm only a couple of years younger than you and I also know that fighting bureaucracy by yourself is exhausting and frustrating, which is why most people give up.

       

    • archemedes
      archemedes jude65855

      Posted

      Nevertheless it sticks in my gullet to think that so many have died, and many more are dying prematurely all in the interest of company profits and government taxes.

      Fortunately many of the younger people today have finally got the message and do not smoke, so whilst this is a very positive step, as they are very unlikely to take up arms to help those who have and continue to suffer and die, I fear there is never anything going to be done about the vast graveyard of victims and those soon to be there.

      Can you believe it, when I was a student, doctors used to advise people to take up smoking to calm their nerves sufficiently to get through their exams?

      While they were doing what they were advised to do, the tobacco giants and the governments rubbed their greasy hands together and welcomed them with open arms.

      What I cannot get my head around is whilst now it's the opposite story today because everybody is aware of the severe heath issues, goverments still take their pound of flesh in taxes - despite having the knowledge that smoking is a premature death sentence.

      I wonder if they would take the same view if restricted drugs suddently became legal?

    • archemedes
      archemedes

      Posted

      Good heavens, I've just suddenly fallen over the idea to fix the UK balance of payments problem and the national debt, all in one foul swoop!
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