DLA reconsideration -advice

[jenk1]

asked for a reconsideration in feb of this year, got their response on saturday.
they are keeping ds,s award at low rate mobility and medium care.
its the mobility that we asked for to be reconsidered.
ds is 10.5 and is unsafe to take him anywhere without transport, he runs off, runs into roads, stops to pick up things etc.
i put all this in and they checked with his psych who backed us up but havent changed their mind.

can anyone help me cos im asking them to reconsider AGAIN as we feel he should have the high rate.
his dx is PDD/AS, im sure i put about his AS affecting his mental health and that his obsessions make it impossible to take him anywhere without transport.

TIA

[Leilel]

Hi, this is only my second post on mumsnet, so please forgive me if i dont understand certain abbreviations that are used on here. I have twins with very similar problems to your child.

I work at citizens advice (though im not acting as a CAB advisor here, just passing on helpful tips (i dont want them to winge at me, for going 'off clock' as it were! lol).

I was looking up this stuff yesterday @ work for someone, so its still fresh in my mind:

Higher rate mobility is 'mainly' aimed at severe physical disability (e.g. double amputees, deaf/blind, amongst others). to get higher rate mibility for neuro disability you have to be "so severely....." that you get higher rate care. (personally i think this smacks of discrimination against those with neuro-disability).

This is a quote from their rules (as quoted in CPAG): 'you are 'severely mentally impaired' and have severe behavioural problems, and qualify for the highest rate of DLA care component'

Unless you think there is a good chance that if you seek a review your child, he/she can qualify for higher rate care i would advise you to not to go for another review...this is because of the risk of losing a rate or component of DLA at the review. but if you think you have a strong case for higher rate care and higher rate mobility then you may want to go for review. (getting higher rate for both is very uncommon, id have to say).

I hope i've helped??????

[coppertop]

There was a link on Gess' site for this. NAS info If you scroll down it gives a lot of info about the various tests for higher-rate mobility.

[Tiggiwinkle]

I think you go for an appeal next Jenk-then another officer automatically looks at it again anyway before passing the papers to the tribunal for the appeal.
I would get someone from CAB or another agency to represent you though, as you have a greater chance of success that way.
There is quite a lot of helpful advice on the Barton Hill site too. I do know people who have got the higher rate of mobility for ASDs, so it is possible-but take advice first.