Email
May 14
Dear Editor,
Please can you help me.
I am an expat living in Gibraltar and before that I lived in the Costa Blanca for 18 years
When we first went there, my two Down syndrome children got their DLA because they received DLA pre-June 1992 when it was classed as a contribution benefit and could be exported to Europe and Gibraltar.
Adam got his in 1985 and Lucy in 1990 .
In June, 1992 they changed the DLA to a non-contribution benefit which could not be taken to Europe or Gibraltar. But those like Adam and Lucy were still protected and could still get their benefit paid.
Things changed drastically when PIP came in and all claimants of DLA in the UK were changed to the new non contribution based PIP, even those people in the UK who like Adam and Lucy had the contribution benefit prior to June 1992.
This now has presented as a problem to the DWP as one officer said to me ‘we do not know what to do with you’
We do not live in the UK so we cannot get PIP as it is not paid in Europe or Gibraltar but they can stop the DLA anytime as it is now fazed out.
A few months ago, this is what they did to Adam, they just stopped his DLA, they had to pay it back.
But, as the officer said, the DLA half of the staff do not know of the contribution-based DLA and it could happen again.
I decided to go to the tribunal and the judge gave me 56 days to get a Mandatory Reconciliation Notice from the DWP to allow the case to be heard in court. If I do not get it the judge could strike out the case.
I have contacted them, my MP has contacted the DWP and still nothing, but I will not give up.
I am looking for any expats in the same position as Adam and Lucy with a contribution-based DLA to let them know what is happening.
Please can you help me. Thank you.
Yours sincerely
Pauline, Adam and Lucy Stewart
