# oral hearing for illness benefit



## belinda45 (8 Jul 2011)

hi there,
can someone clarify if an oral hearing with regard to illness benefit being discontinued is disallowed is that the end of the matter. I just received a letter which absolutely devastated me this morning stating that my appeal for illness benefit has been disallowed. This is after two medical examinations both of which said i was fit for full time work and last appeal was an oral hearing. I have been suffering degrees of back pain for the past 13 years ranging from discomfort to excrutiating. I claimed illness benefit for the past 5 years. I am now being branded a liar by these people in effect as they are saying i was fit for full time work since I was cut off one year ago. I am being bunched in with the likes of those people who dont want to work or are trying to scam the welfare department.


----------



## Guest105 (8 Jul 2011)

I don't think you are brunched in with the likes of people who don't want to work.  There are a lot of cutbacks going on and you had two medicals that stated you were fit for full time work.  

Would you consider retraining or going back to full time education and doing something that won't be too strenuous on your back?


----------



## belinda45 (13 Jul 2011)

thanks for that cashier. Cutbacks are all very well but theres very little i can do that doesnt affect my back. I have numerous issues including an occult Spina Bifida and degenerative discs. There is a man living in a little village about 10 miles from me who is getting Blind Pension and just bought an 11 car. work that one out. He walks into the hospital for check ups with a white cane and his wife linking him. He comes home and goes about the business of the day!!! I say fair play to the Scroungers (this is so unlike me) if you can screw them do it, thats what the rest of us are paying tax for. And also cashier Ive dusted myself off and am already 3 months into a retraining programme. I started this programme in order that I would be able at some point to get back into some form of work in the near future.


----------



## fionn2011 (13 Jul 2011)

*Backpain*

Firstly, I agree with u that it is disgraceful that a "blind" person is going around claiming benefits and going around driving a car!

But back to your own case. About 70% of adults have significant backpain at some point in their lives, and at any one time, about 15-20% of adults have backpain- Google prevalence and incidence of backpain.

Degenerative discs in the back are very common, most adults have degenerative discs in their back on MRI to varying degrees. Again, google this subject. As for spina bifida occculta, it is not the same as spina bifida. i'm not sure what the prevalence of it is.

All I'm saying is that clearly u have a back problem ++, but it may not prevent u from doing sedentary work etc- most jobs nowadays are sedentary. Of course they may have got it wrong 3 times but maybe u could do certain types of work??? Just my tupence hapenny';s worth........ Just worth considering that maybe they hav'nt treated you unfairly?


----------



## flossie (14 Jul 2011)

Have you reported the 'blind' person for fraudulent claiming? I think there is a moral obligation there.

Yes, back pain can be awful - i suffer from degenerative disc disease, have no disc between L4/5, suffer severe stiffness, discomfort, pain and have had to give up an awful lot of my lifestyle. but (as i'm sure you have) you adjust your life as much as possible to accommodate this.  You say that your pain ranges form discomfort to excruciating - during periods of discomfort is there anyting to stop you from working? (I don't want that to sound too harsh) As Fionn2011 says, there are many different jobs out there, it seems what they are suggesting you find somethign suitable for your particular condition. A non-physical job should be considered, and a lot of employers are sympathetic when it comes to illness. If you are good at the job then it shouldn't stop you being employed. Have you considered office-based jobs? Call centres etc. Perhaps they suit?


----------



## belinda45 (14 Jul 2011)

Thank you to all for the comments. Firstly let me explain where Im coming for on this one, I have worked very hard my working life so far, from Doctors Secretary to Forklift Driver both very different jobs as you can imagine. I have been working for almost 30 years in case any of you think that most of my life has been spent nursing my back. I blame the Forklift job for the majority of my problems. Flossie.. the periods of discomfort can be very shortlived leading to the worst of my pain which actually does stop me in my tracks when walking. And I literally mean no matter where I am be in the middle of the road when I get this type of pain it stops me dead. Sitting for any period of time causes severe discomfort as my coccyx is very much more prominent than normal. I have thought about most options of work, repetitive movement with my arms cause them to go limp and heavy in a way that I have to stop what I am doing. Flossie when you talk about lifestyle loss then I have to say I have had to stop many many things that I used to love doing, dance being the biggest loss for me. Before anyone starts slating me I need you all to be sure that Im only explaining here not crying about it. I have explored every possibility for me returning to work and I will do so in some capacity cos Im not defeated yet. My Appeal is closed now and cannot be backtracked and Ive come to terms with that. My only point is that its amazing how many stories you hear of people in genuine circumstances not getting what they would be entitled to and we all know of the ones who are bleeding the system. How many of us know of the people who apply for jobs they know they havent a cat in Hells chance of getting just to prove that they are Jobseeking and can retain their Benefit. Thats mostly my point......


----------

