Completing the Disability Living Allowance form

Mumsnet tops tips:

Send as much evidence as you can. The more evidence you can send, the more likely you are to get DLA. coppertop
I have filled a few DLAs in my time but not for kids - where most people go wrong is concentrating on the illness/diagnosis rather than the daily effect of the same. Your GP will presumably confirm the diagnosis, your main job is to describe the day-to-day reality of it, ie instead of saying 'he needs someone to watch him when outdoors because he's got ADHD', you should say 'he needs someone to watch him because, for eg, he will wander off or walk in the traffic or get lost'. Be very, very specific. With a child I believe you have to show the 'extra' parenting that's needed, ie the average nine year old can dress/toilet themselves, be left alone in the kitchen. Go through your day and think specifically of the extra things you have to do over and above the average. navelgazer
The forms are hard work, in that you need to spell out the aspects of your child's behaviours/needs that are different to that of a mainstream NT child. This is hard in that it brings parents face to face with the 'differences' between our children and others. My advice would be to underplay nothing, and to give the specific details of why the needs are greater than a mainstream child (for us it can be stuff like all the extra help and supervision needed when doing something so regular as just going to the local park, as an example, my daughter needs to be helped onto a swing, lifted onto everything, helped to walk etc. She also has no concept of danger). PheasantPlucker

Our special needs webguide has links to heaps of useful organisations

The whole form is so upsetting, because you have to think in terms of the child's worst day. So when I read it back to myself, it is just so depressing. Last time I filled one in, I photocopied it, so next time I will put virtually the same info again, because nothing much changes around here (in terms of improvement). twoisplenty
Prepare to feel very depressed, prepare to cry, be prepared not to recognise your own child. Take your time. Go through every single day to day thing and list the help they need. Be aware they only want to hear the negative, no room for anything positive on this form. Lay it on thick if needs me because these people really need it spelt out. Ask for help from your portage home visitor if you have one, or else your health visitor. Thomcat
The best advice I was given was: imagine your worst day possible and complete the form with that in mind. It is a horrible, horrible form to complete as it makes you focus completely on what your child cannot do. Just remember that the child you describe for the DLA form is not really the child you love - it is the one you need to describe to get the help you are entitled to. heartinthecountry