I have decided

70 days, 9 weeks 6 days later, the DWP have reconsidered the original decision to award me zero points and have decided to award me zero points..

The more intelligent amongst you might notice that the same amount of points were awarded before the reconsideration and after it. This is after 9 weeks and 6 days of careful consideration and thought as to how the hell they can get away with awarding someone with so much medical evidence zero points.

It took a lot of searching through the DWP assessment guide and the law to find the loopholes that made this possible. They employed the people at ATOS to assist in their quest as well, as the people at ATOS are more expert on the impact of disability, illness and impairment on peoples daily life than people themselves. They wrap this up to call it the medical assessment, but in reality it is more of a case of looking at the medical evidence and deciding which bits are going to make the claimant look like a fraud and use those.

The DWP decision makers letter is the best though. Every decision is clarified with the words I have decided and therefore. So if the DWP have decided you are perfectly able to do the activities set out, then you can naturally do them, a little like a modern day Jesus, take up thy bed and walk. I have been trying this whole malarky out in real life but I don't seem to have the DWP knack of this yet. I tried it out on my toddler tonight. I said with great authority "I have decided you are asleep" but all she did was pretend to snore and giggle when we erupted into tears of laughter at her reaction to DWP logic. I'm planning on trying this in other areas of my life soon too, I have decided that I have lost 3 stone in weight, I have decided that I have won the lottery, that sort of thing, will have to see how it goes. #bythepowerofATOS #bythepowerofDWP

I have to write this, I have to laugh. I was expecting this all along, and expecting to have to appeal. I am exhausted but being kept going by my lovely husband and toddler who love me unconditionally and usually more than that.

We are doing ok. When I got my last higher rate care and lower mobility DLA award three years ago we knew this would be my last DLA. We started saving where we could so we could have a buffer.

Our housing benefit is being paid (after a fashion, thanks to the council) and we have some practical support from our GP. We are getting food parcels from a food bank and generally surviving as best we can. We have a few tricks up our sleeves, namely this place https://www.approvedfood.co.uk/?afid=5d03ea where we can get nearly out of date food really cheaply. We have a charity shop that we can get 4 items of kids clothes for 1.50. We are using cloth nappies. We are surviving, on a practical level at least.

So, time to go the CAB again, get an appeal written and sent off, and start the wait all over again. 

just to add, my DLA enabled my husband to claim carers and us income support. We can't claim other benefits because we can't comply with the requirements needed ( JSA and ESA for eg. would mean my husbands carers allowance claim would be in question, and my GP doesnt know enough about my condiiton to sign me off for ESA)