I am sure Mrs D has been advised to apply for the higher rate mobility component for Miss D (who can walk miles alot of the time).

Yes, the forms for all these things are rubbish and do not fit with many people's needs and difficulties. They need to write down the facts backed up with evidence / medical opinion / etc and explain the form is wholly inappropriate. Make the idiots who process them do some work and read them.

But can she not walk miles for some of the time? The old DLA forms and decisions were based on fluctating conditions and accounted for that, the new PIP forms (which come in this April) do not, so Miss D will be applying for DLA now but will be invited to apply for PIP when her DLA runs out. If its an indefinate award, she will be invited to apply after 2015. Note the word "invited".

You are lucky to only fill in the form annually. Miss D was awarded ESA for a week or so pre 5 April 2012. By September she had received nothing for 2012/13. Upon enquiry by Mrs D they had unilaterally closed the claim because Miss D's "circumstances had changed". There had been no change. It transpired that she had not submitted a new medical certificate. Mrs D pointed out that she had submitted a 12 month one with the original application. They said they only accepted 3 month ones. When it was pointed out that no one had advised on that, they had just closed the case uniltaterally the idiot said "do you still want to claim?" and was not impressed by the answer "have you taken your salary these last 6 months? Why did you want it?" They then decided a 12 month certificate was fine - that was early October.

Come January - 9 + months without income for a person with no prospect of working or able to self-medicate - nothing, despite their previous assurances. That's when I drafted a letter. Had we not been supporting her the consequences are unthinkable. Just got a reply saying the arrears have been credited to the bank. They have thus far ignored the "formal complaint" aspect of my letter, presumably thinking they'd just pay and we'd forget about it. I am afraid that will not happen. There are disabled people who would love to work but cannot, whereas there are people employed to supposedly help them you turn up to a place of work, take money from the state but do not do their work. It is a scandal and they must be held accountable.

I can totally sympathyse. It is not acceptable to be without an income for 9 months and while you do get the money backdated, if Miss D didn't have you and Mrs D and lived independently she would be royally Donald Ducked.

I would love to work. I am a sociable person, who loves company and loves being busy, but I had a scan on my "good" foot last week to be told I need another foot fusion requiring 12 weeks in pot, 6 weeks non weigh bearing, what employer would employ me on that basis? Not to mention the pain I am in at the moment.

I am lucky I got into the Support Group for 2 years so don't have to see a dreaded ESA50 form for at least another 18 months. But then the cycle will start again, repeating everything that they already have in front of them.

then you answer 'no'.

no, i don't. and, nope.

you clearly do, as you keep wheeling out this ridiculous analogy. for it to be even remotely true, i must have 'a team'.

Different tests and different benefits mate.

The only no answer is if you are in a wheelchair with no means to self propel. Yep, even if you can self propel in a wheelchair only scores you low points, a motorised wheelchair or mobilty scooter scores you 0 points as you have the means to "travel" 20 metres. I am hoping when it comes to mine they take into account the damage to my wrists, hands and shoulder and realise I can't self propel. Even then you need proof that you can't do it. A leg amputee has no excuse either, having a prosthetic leg scores low points too