Couldn't The Authorities Have Made This Process A Little Easier For This Young Girl?

[sandyRoe]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-23543510

[ummmm]

Stupidity.

[aelmpvw]

the powers that be should be ashamed of themselves

[Jeza]

Well Sandy the government need the money to pay people on £300,000 a year. After all they need the money for their childcare.

[DJHawkes]

No because they refuse to cater for the individual, Jessica is just a number to them and another case for them to leave sitting in a pile. It's disgusting and yes it's offensive but the system she has to use is as impersonal and regimented as it is possible to be. The efficiency and redtape they live by far outways common sense, compassion and especially individuality.

[sandyRoe]

She'll get her entitlement eventually. It's galling that they treat severely disabled people with such arrogance.

[EDDIE51]

Everyone has to follow the rules , we can't have a situation where some people are automatically given the benefits. This girl will get the benefit and when awarded it will be backdated , she is getting sick pay in the meantime.

[THECORBYLOON]

DLA and ESA are different benefits and are assessed using different criteria so the fact that someone has had DLA since birth does not mean ESA will be paid at a certain rate.

[DJHawkes]

but why does she need to change? has her disability changed? has her home life changed? has her future changed? no, she is just a year older.

[sandyRoe]

And if there does need to be a change why couldn't they have made the transition easier?

[pixie373]

Unfortunately, a disabled woman applying for adult disability benefits, will not be a "special case". There will be many others in the same position and the only way to deal with them fairly is to assess them one-by-one. She cannot jump the queue. It is a shame it is taking 13 weeks to process them all, but that is the case with a lot of benefits.

[EDDIE51]

She has reached 18 so has to apply for adult benefits , up to now she has been on child benefits. They are 2 different things with different rates . She is the same as any other new applicant for DLA that is how long it takes.

[naomi24]

It does seem daft, but it’s a change in her benefits, and she has to go through the same processes everyone else goes through. She isn't the only disabled person applying.

[DJHawkes]

i don't understand, if 200 people apply on one day and they are all told it takes 13 weeks, how does the agency know it will take 13 weeks? They can't know that every case will take 13 weeks, they can't know that every case won't take less time or more time, what if it gets sorted sooner, will they then sit on the decision until the 13 weeks is up?

[pixie373]

No! On average they are obviously taking about 13 weeks to resolve each claim, after perhaps a backlog of claims.

[sandyRoe]

It's clear, particularly in this case, that they've known for years that she will be eligible for benefits as an adult. It's the high handed treatment that gives people cause for annoyance.

[THECORBYLOON]

I meant to say that she would be able to get DLA as an adult in addition to any ESA if entitled.

[pixie373]

I'm sure you could say the same of many disabled people, sandy. The eligibility requirements may be different and we would all complain, I'm sure, if people weren't checked first.