Can a child with no formal diagnosis qualify for DLA?

[confusedofengland]

DS2 is 4.8. He has SEN, but has no official diagnosis. Speech therapist, OT/physio & paediatrician seem to agree that he has social communication difficulties, query speech disorder & hypermobility. He is at a mainstream school & has been awarded 32 hours support per week (spent on 1:1) until Easter & the school have just put in an application to have this renewed. This process involved a visit from an Educational Psychologist who said that he saw no reason that DS' hours would not be renewed.

My question is, would a child with this profile qualify for DLA or would he need to have a firm diagnosis of e.g. autism in order to qualify for DLA?

Thank you in advance for any opinions or experience on this - and Merry Christmas!

[SleepIsForTheWeakAnyway]

Yes, both of my ds's started receiving dla before full diagnosis. It's based on the help your DC receives that a child of the same age doesn't need.

[chocadd1ct]

yes. Dla is based on additional care needs, not on diagnosis. You can have a dx but without the extra care needs, the diagnosis will not get you dla. hope this makes sense.

If he get 32h 1:1 at school then this is a pretty good evidence that he does need support and help over and beyond a typical child.

request a form from the DWP. They give you iirc 6 weeks to complete it and the award will be backdated to the day you requested the form.

also google "cerebra guide DLA". this guide will help you to complete the form. good luck.

[Toffeelatteplease]

Yes you write down what your child needs

[Bubble2bubble]

Yes, definitely. You need to list the additional needs that he has in detail ( that's the harrowing part ). There is a section that you can give to his OT, SLT or paediatrician to fill in though you can also just out their contact details and do the rest of the form yourself.

[confusedofengland]

Thank you all for the speedy responses, I will get going on it once Christmas is out of the way

[confusedofengland]

Thank you zzzzz, I think will feature heavily as an aid to me

[confusedofengland]

First step done - I've applied for the forms Don't know how to feel!

If our claim is accepted, will it affect tax credits or anything else? Want to get straight in my head who I need to contact, if anybody.

[chocadd1ct]

OP, it does affect tax credits - they usually go up as you will then qualify for the disability element (by how much it goes up depends on income).

If you are not working or earning less then £110 per week you also qualify for Carer's allowance (£62/week) - you need middle or high rate care for this. you won't qualify if your DS gets low rate care though.

[confusedofengland]

Goodness, thank you, I didn't realise any of that Sounds like a lot of forms & phone calls

I plan for my jobs for tomorrow (among the NYE house tidying madness) to include ringing/emailing the SLT, OT & Physio, Paediatrician & Educational Psychologist. I'm thinking I'll explain what I'm applying for & ask them to produce a report, does that sound right? And should I ask school to provide a report or leave them out of it all together?

You guys are being very helpful & informative, thank you

[chocadd1ct]

paed/OT etc won't provide a report just because you apply for DLA.
There is a part in the form where you list all professionals involved and the DWP may or may not contact them.
If you have any reports then by any means submit them.
As for school - I would include them. You say he gets 32 hours 1:1. So send in his statement/EHCP too.

[ilovesprouts]

Yes you can.

[Lucyb88]

Hi, yes you can still make a claim, my son didn't have a diagnoses and still only has a partial diagnoses and he got both at higher rate, it will mean that you will probably get more tax credits as you will qualify for the disability element. Good luck x

[confusedofengland]

Well, the form has arrived. Date-stamped 4th January, although I rang on 31st December, but I guess that's about right with the New Year's break.

I've read it through & must confess to having a bit of a cry about it. I didn't realise that DS was that 'bad'. I just thought he was slightly behind a 'normal' 4-year old, because they are only little & need lots of help still. He certainly needs a lot more than 1 hour extra care during the day, so I'm guessing middle rate, but I feel like a fraud because to me he's just DS & I don't expect to get paid for looking after him.

I'm rambling, sorry, it's all a bit confusing.

[WhoKn0wsWhereTheMistletoes]

Turning this the other way, if you have got a diagnosis (AS and dyspraxia) and a statemented place at special school, but the additional needs are subtle in the home environment (definitely no mobility issues, but some care ones), is it worth a shot? My friend with a similar child gets it for her son.

[ruthsmaoui77]

Good Luck with the form xx.