how to get to medicals and wfi interviews

a member of my family has secondary progressive MS which has left in a wheelchair and they are housebound. She has carers coming in three times a day, and not so long ago she had a letter from jcp asking her to attend a letter at the centre for a wfi they are still on ib, and she told them she could not as she is completely housbound, that was the last she heard from jcp. What can they expect next? As this call was weeks ago.

Are you aware if the relative is receiving the highest rate care component of DLA?

yes she is getting the highest rate mobility and care, she has speech problems due to the MS and she is also incontient bowels and bladder. She used to be a dental practice manager but she kept having falls at work and not she is permanently in a wheelchair.

I would be inclined to let sleeping dogs lie insofar as the JCP office is concerned. It is their responsibility to follow up any contact with the claimant.

If however the JCP office do make further contact, it should be pointed out that as your relative receives the higher rate of the care component of DLA coupled with the fact she still receives IB, she should not have attend for WFIs until such time as she is migrated to ESA when different rules may apply? Unfortunately the Disability Alliance factsheet that confirmed the position has now been removed, but as far as I am aware the exemption still stands.

If the JCP office at some point do come back, ask them to confirm in writing that the exemption for IB claimants in receipt of the HRC of DLA, no longer applies for the purposes for work-focused interviews. If they can prove that the exemption has now been removed, your family member can either ask that the WFI is carried out at home or alternatively by telephone.

Paula

If your relative is housebound she may not be able to continue to get DLA Mobility Allowance, as in DWP terms she should "be able to take advantage of enhanced facilities for locomotion".

This could means that if your relative never goes out/cant go out, she may not qualify for Mobilty Allowance and is under a duty to inform the DWP of this and the Mobilty Allowance might be taken away.

Sorry to have to tell you this.

Regards

Michael

My uncle tries to get her to use her mobility scooter but it is very difficult to get that outside as they live in a terrace house and have no other exits. She did have a mobility car, but she can no longer drive because of her eyesight with the ms. As for telephone interviews they would not understand her at all well as her speech has progressively worsened to the point it is very difficult to understand her. She has carers come in three times a day and she needs a lot of support as she is in a home that cannot accommodate her needs. Her dining room has now become the bedroom because she cannot get up stairs even with a stair lift. and to get around to hosiptal appointmetns it is hospital transport. She is nearly 57. Her neurologist is of the opioion that she will not live much past the age of 65.