Disabled Living Allowance.

[MABS]

Has anyone got any experience of claiming this? I'm having a nightmare with it all. I have a toddler with cerebral palsy and so should be eligible. Look forward to hearing.....

There's a test you can take to see if you're eligible here You can also download forms from this site by the look of it. HTH.

Mabs I have just done this with ds who is 16 months old and has cerebral palsy, and he got the higher rate, so i might be of help. Have also had to do it with my oldest child who is now 10. Feel free to ask away!

Very many thanks for that link, wish I'd known about it before. I'll let you know how I go....

Lou33 - Thanks loads for replying , my son has mild left hemiplegia, to what degree does yr 16 month old have it? (if thats too nosy just ignore ...) We've been told he may be eligible for lowest rate, but the forms went missing first time round - great fun - as you know its like a book to complete ! Did they write for a lot of medical references ? as far as I can see they haven't taken any up yet for mine. Regards

Mabs I actually got the DLA before he was confirmed as cerebral palsy, just labelled as globally developmentally delayed (not the same imo). As far as I know they didn't contact anyone, just used the stuff I sent in. You can claim it from the age of 3 months as long as the child being claimed for needs more attention, care etc than a child of the same age. So for example, my son has diplegic cerebral palsy, and at 16 months old cannot sit up, roll over or crawl. He doesn't use a spoon yet and really needs the help that most 6-9 month old babies have. He obviously cannot do things that children of an equivalent age can, so he qualified. The diagnosis of cerebral palsy alone may not be enough, as you have to prove he needs more help than usual, and cerebral palsy can vary so much.

I think what also helped was that I sent in a report from a child development centre stating his problems and how far behind they thought he was developmentally. I expected to receive only the middle rate but have been awarded the higher one, at least for the next year when it will be reviewed again, but I don't expect it to change.

Until the age of 5 (unless a child has a terminal illness then it is 3) you can only claim the personal care component, but if you receive the middle or higher rate of DLA then you may also be entitled to ICA (invalid care allowance), assuming you care for your child for 35 hours a week. This may be means tested though, so you would have to check it out first. If you are receiving Income Support you will also be entitled to an increase in your benefit (a disabled child allowance). DLA is not counted towards your income when you are receiving means tested benefits although you do have to declare it. Of course all these benefits depend on whether or not you are successful in your claim. You do have a right to ask them to re-examine the claim if you are not happy with the answer, and will be allowed to provide more information. If that is also turned down then you are able to go to appeal if you think they are still wrong. It does take about 10 weeks to come through though, so be prepared for a wait!

Good luck and hope this was useful.

Really useful and a very great help Lou33 - I'll let you know how I go .. Regards

MABS - we claimed this when dd was 4 months old. I got some help from Carers' Resource (there should be similar charities where you are) but they'd never done an application for a baby before so I mainly used the guide lines on the Down's Syndrome Association web site. The DSA also has a dedicated DLA advisor - maybe Scope does too? Have you checked the Scope web site for info on DLA? If they don't maybe you'd still find the DSA guidelines useful - www.dsa-uk.com/Literature/Guides/Claiming_DLA/claiming_dla.htm
Filling the form in was a nightmare - describing your child in such negative ways is enough to make you feel glum for a week. Just try to imagine the worst day you could possibily have with your child.
I'd heard such horror stories about the difficulties of getting DLA that I was very pleasantly surprised to get a letter saying they're giving me the higher rate (I filled in the form when my daughter had just been discharged after heart surgery and she was in a bit of a sorry state). I also claim ICA as I'm a sahm, which is good as it keeps up your NI contributions.
Good luck, and remember to photocopy your completed forms should you need to appeal!

Sabine - very many thanks for all your sound advice. Unfortunately it just makes me realise that I don't think I did the forms properly really. I'll have to wait and see what they say first off and then I'm sure I'll have lots of questions about appeal for you Regards MABS

my mabs i have a disabled child and i was told about dla and we got the middle rate but what no body tells you is that you are now intilted to inviled care allounce that it for you looking after a disabled child and the forms are more straight foward it to do with if you work if you dont and are a full time mum like me it's realy easy because you dont have an income and they dont look at the hubbies because you are the main carer i got the full rate and it's 170 quid a month witch is a great help my son is seven and i suppose i only found about it a couple of years ago i dont know weither you can get it for a baby but if you can get dla then you are a carer so i would ask and the great thing it in is not means tested because my hubbie has got a very well paid job and i had no problen ps they back date it so you get a wopping great cheque then it comes in we were able to go on holiday hope this works oh i fully agree with what sabine said i had a very helpful doctor that was able to advise us hope this helps

I have just claimed this for my toddler who has recently been diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder. It looked pretty nightmarish to fill in so I enlisted the help of a social worker from the child development centre to help me out. It worked much better than me doing it myself as she is experienced in filling in this kind of thing. I would suggest that you do something similar, it does help an awful lot and we were awarded the money.

Thanks to all for the replieas and your advice, I'll let you know how I get on .....

just to say, having been through it all a few times now, don't be put off i they turn you down,... reaplly with support from anyone you can get eg GP H>V> Physio etc.... we have friends whose son is unable to walk and has a tracheostomy and he was turned down 1st time!!!!!
Sometimes i think things just get mixed up. Oh and finsd a pal to have a coffee with after doing it, its awful having to list all your childs problems so explicitly, isn't it...

sorry about typing ...

Tufty - never mind the typing - your words of wisdom are great. Mabs

I got DLA - thanks very much for all your help.
Regards Mabs

Good for you Mabs, I would have been outraged on your behalf if you didn't!

i am delighted for you i know what a performance it has been i am so pleased you should now straight away go for invilid care allounce that is much easer because if you have dla than they know all you info all ready and the two togther will make a big differance to your budget i am so pleased

hope i dont tred on anyones toes here but after quickly glanceing through this thread i have noticed a few comments on claiming mobility for under fives, you can infact now claim this benefit from 3 years old . My dd is 4 now ,she has a number of disabilitys including hydrocephalus and hemiplegia and the benefits agency changed the age of when a child is entitled to this benefit. I have claimed for dla care component since she was 3 months old and mobility since she was 3. Also for any parent or carer of a severly disabled child under 16 there is a wonderfull charity called the family fund who can help with a number of things to assist you and your family with careing for there needs, they can give you money once a year for items such as washing machines,tumble dryers,bedding, holidays , at the moment they are paying for me to learn to drive as i am my dds main carer and i cannot drive. If anyone is interested in maybe conntacting them i will give you there details. Sorry if i dont respond quickly , my darling children are keeping me very busy.

Ariel I agree with you about the family fund, they helped me out with a washing machine and tumble dryer many years ago when my oldest dd had hydrocephalus and developmental delay, along with some heart problems. I was washing clothes in the bath as there was no launderette nearby, and neither of us were able to drive at the time, so it was a godsend.

ariel how did you go about contacting them to get driving lessons funded,i am a newly single parent and my eldest ds has aspergers syndrome(a form of autism)it is becoming increasingly difficult to take him on public transport and im having a baby in nov so the problems by then will be great fun,a new baby,a special needs kid who hates busyness,noise and strangers and a 4 year old so driving lessons would be a great help.dont worry about taking a while to let me know just when you have time would be great.

The Family Fund Trust PO Box 50 York Engand YO1 9ZX .Sorry i cant do links, the family fund will send someone out to see you and your child, they are quite strict about who they help but genrelly if your child is severly disabled,your income has to be under £18,800 they probably will be able to help you.This year is the first time i have applied i received £300 towards a holiday and 37 hours of driveing lessons they are also paying for my tests too. They also can provide a great book called Taking care by Alison Cowen, it tells you about all other benefits and help you can get. Do you also know that if you have a disabled child who is over 3 and still has to wear nappies you can have them provided to you by the NHS, there very good quality nappies and are delivered direct to your home once every 7/8 weeks, my health visitor arranged for me to have them . There are so many benefits a disabled child and there family are entitled to that your never told about, not to mention road tax exemtion, help with hospital fares, council tax reductions and the blue disabled parking badge, we have also had a disabled parking bay painted outside our house which helps so much. Haveing a child with special needs is one long battle to get all your entitled to, its not about being greedy and getting something for nothing its about making life that bit easier to cope with.

Annoushka - very many thanks for your advice, I've now got ICA as well .

mabs i am DELIGHTED !!!!!!!!! I AM SO PLEASED you will see it was all worth it.It will be a great boost to your income with the two of them i am soo pleased i am irrited that you are not told this when you get dla i found out by chance it takes a few weeks to come trough but they back pay you so you get a fat cheque then it is sorted ours was enough to go away for a little holiday back home to my parents in ireland for a few day i am so pleased

thankyou to 'wicked witch' for her link to the 'barton hill advice group' (heres the www. bit ....www.bhas.org.uk/dla.htm )
this was a brilliant boost to my moral-thomas (9) has had ADHD sice i don't know when and now diagnosed aspergers-but also i have been treated for depression for 6 years and after reading this sites brilliant fact sheets etc i realise that i may be able to qualify and be able to give up my current job as i have only continued because i am told by my 'friends' family and husband that we need my wage and 2work gets me out the house and does me good"...oh! if only they knew!