Universal credit and DLA

[Hellosunshine17]

Hello, just wondering if anyone is in the same boat or can advise me further.
I claim universal credit and I'm self employed, I do as many hours as I can cleaning but I have twin boys who are 12. One of my boys is autistic and was diagnosed when he was 7 years old, he goes to school but needs the extra help and has a keyworker that helps him daily at school.
I've only recently found out through someone I work for that I am entitled to DLA for my son.
I've struggledd quite bad for money over the years since my divorce 10 years ago. I'm annoyed that nobody from the tax credits or universal credit now had ever mentioned that I would be entitled for extra help and funding for my son do they just keep things hush hush until you approach them?!. I also am clear they don't back date to when he was diagnosed 5 years ago!. Has anyone experienced this? Why is it not made clearer for parents who may need this extra help. Makes me quite cross that I've struggled and to think other people are unaware of this extra help really gets to me.

Benefit entitlement is generally not made clear to anyone, I am more surprised that in the past five years no one involved has mentioned it. It is totally separate from UC so wouldn't be flagged in that process.

Do you have an application form? You need to put the absolute worst day down, it will be tough but do not be tempted to sugar coat it. There is a chance it will be turned down, if so go back for an appeal.

No it’s your job to find these things out, I’m surprised you’ve never heard of it? It was my mum that mentioned it to me, you don’t need a diagnosis for dla and even with one it doesn’t mean you are automatically entitled which is probably why it wasn’t mentioned to you, having autism doesn’t mean you automatically qualify, no one other than family has ever mentioned dla to me.

You are not automatically entitled to DLA because your son is Autistic. DLA is awarded based on daily care needs and looked at against a 'typical' child of the same age. Many autistic children are not entitled to DLA based on their care needs. I knew about DLA for my son because my brother had it when we were young and my mum encouraged me to apply for it based on the amount of extra care my son needs. I think its the parents responsibility to find out about these things and apply for them if they think they are needed.

I think most claims get knocked back the first time too, I’ve no idea where to start for my son or if they impact on other benefits. Also the evidence bit, my son is still being diagnosed

Oh and if you are successful in applying they will not back date it as you will not be able to prove what his care needs were over the last 5 years. It will be paid from the date you requested the application form. They usually ask you to renew your claim every 2-5 years as well as care needs can change as they get older.

Fgs please do not put down what his absolutely worst day is. Yes a benefit calculator such as turn2us then seek advice. There's a fantastic organisation called Fightback4justice that are experts and DLA is awarded like PIP not on a diagnosis but on what your son needs help with

We was awarded the first time with both of my children both before diagnosis but I realise we are lucky on that, I’m on a dla group and many children are told they don’t qualify despite having a disability because their care needs are apparently no different from a child their age so again it really isn’t for anyone to say your child will be entitled to it which is why no one is going to mention it.

Well DLA goes on care needs not diagnosis
But I'm very surprised you were not aware of DLA ,there are lots of social media groups about both DLA and autism .

Join a1 benefits on Facebook, they don't charge and are a wealth of information

DLA is given if his additional needs financially impacts you, ie means you're unable to work as much as you could, have to pay for specialist care, transport to school, etc

The thing is you may qualify on application to DLA but no condition makes it a sure thing. It’s a difficult process. DS has ADHD and I know many parents who receive DLA for that but DS couldn’t. DD has a serious congenital heart condition and I know just from reading the application she doesn’t qualify.

DLA is given if his additional needs financially impacts you, ie means you're unable to work as much as you could

No, it isn't. They don't take carers fininacial circumstances into account.

DLA is paid based on care needs. You don't need a diagnosis, you don't need to be financially impacted. You need to be able to demonstrate that your child needs a level of care that is over and above the care needed by a typical child of the same age.

Each question on the form covers a different area such as feeding, bathing, dressing, sleeping, staying safe, etc. You need to explain what difficulties your child has in that area, what support they need with it (and how long that support takes/how often they need it), and what happens if they don't have that support. You then use documented evidence such as letters from professionals, reports, assessments, etc to back up what you've written.

There is a gap for people to know what they may be entitled to. Charities such as the National Autistic society have information. Your local citizen advice or another charity may be able to help with completing the form.

DLA is awarded for help a child needs above another child that age so agencies may be more likely to mention as a child gets older. (It can be awarded to young children but any young child needs a lot of support so it is harder.)

Not all autistic children are eligible as it's down to their care needs and how that differs from typically developing children of the same age. We didn't qualify until dd was 12. It's a different sort of benefit and nothing to do with uc

As everyone is saying DLA is based on care needs. The application form is a nightmare (took me 40 hours to fill in including photocopying time). Just putting a diagnosis down will get you nowhere you have to explain the extra care needed.

If he gets dla then you could also claim the carers element of UC. Or if you are under the earnings/hours threshold you can claim carers allowance.

@girlmom21

DLA is given if his additional needs financially impacts you, ie means you're unable to work as much as you could, have to pay for specialist care, transport to school, etc

Who told you that? The criteria for child DLA is 'care needs substantially more than a typical child of their age.'

The older a child gets, generally, the easier it is to claim for DLA because the gap in needs becomes more apparent.

Phone them asap and request an application form as if they award it, it will be backdated to then. So the sooner you phone them the better.

Please do not put down the absolutely worst day - that would constitute fraud.

Generally you have to jump through a lot of hoops to claim benefits, they make the process as off-putting as possible to dissuade all but the most determined claimants - so it's no surprise they don't tell people who are eligible.

Just be accurate and truthful on the form, don't over- or under-exaggerate.

They won't advise you of these things. My children's peads did both times. It's a lengthy form but it's all care based not diagnosis

As everyone has said it's about his care needs. Use guide below and you will need supporting evidence of his needs: school reports, any medical reports, letter from teacher or care assistant, he he does out of school activities that he needs supported- ask them for a letter stating needs

cerebra.org.uk/download/disability-living-allowance-dla-guide/

@user1471457751

Please do not put down the absolutely worst day - that would constitute fraud.

You are advised, when claiming, to complete the form as if you were doing on your least able day. It is not fraudulent.

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz you absolutely are not.

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz That hasn’t been the case for years, if it ever was. It’s one of those rumours that won’t die.

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz no one is told that and that is not in the advice. If you do that you can be done for fraud.

Op google the cerebra dla guide for good advice. Make sure you let universal credit know if you’re given dla as you get a disability element added.