Disability benefit?!!

[orange196T]

My dd has CP from when she was born, but only had a definite diagnosis when she was about 12 months old. She's now 18 months old and I didn't realise till a doctor told me I should receive disability benefit.. not sure how i was blind enough to not notice but does anyone know if it can be back tracked at all? Just asking as if it could I'll be able to buy her the 3 equipment she needs with it to help her problems
Thanks for any reply's

Ah I see now! Thank you I'll do that.
I have heard of carers allowance but wasn't sure if it would affect my universal credit or anything. I thought because I'm her mother I have to obviously be her carer regardless so I thought I wouldn't be accepted for that It is worth a try I guess😊

If you ring them then they will post you a form. You get 6 weeks to fill it in but they will backdate to the date you phoned. If you print it then they only start paying from the date they receive the form. So you get a few extra weeks money if you ring up rather than printing it. It normally takes a few weeks to fill in coz you need to get letters together and some signatures off consultants if possible.

I thought they backdated your claim starting from when the child started needing the additional care. For example, if your child was on oxygen your claim would be awarded from when the oxygen prescription was given.

Be aware op that it is quite hard to claim dla for a baby purely because they need so much care anyway. You will be award dla if you can show that you child needs care above and beyond that of a child of their age without additional needs. Most mums I know who were awarded dla for their babies have some sort of aid, so feeding tube, hearing aids etc. You won't be able to claim mobility until they are 3. So anything to do with lifting and carrying will be irrelevant to the claim.

In regards to physio aids, the NHS should be providing them, if they can't in your area due to budgets then they should put you in touch with a charity that will fund them and write you a reference.

If you are awarded middle or upper rate you can also claim carers allowance as long as your not earning over the threshold.

@Pulpfiction1 thanks for replying also :)
My daughter has hemopoligia On her left side so it's as if her minds completely shut off to the fact she can use it, she has never crawled or stood up unless u hold her she can't walk, nothing like that all she does is shuffle across the floor! Her left ankle turns inwards so it kind of makes it impossible to stand unless wearing certain shoes and even then she can't bare weight onto her left side so if I let go off her she would just fall, maybe they won't accept me but I suppose it is worth a try :) as for mobility I don't drive anyway so that isn't to much of a worry :)

And sadly I haven't been offered a thing! Unless I am doing this all wrong I'm not use to things like this so I don't know who I can ask for equipment. Would the physiotherapy
My daughter goes to from the nhs be able to help? I haven't asked but they haven't ever offered or mentioned it

Hemiplegia**

Yes OP it would pay for a carer for her depending on how many hours you get awarded. If you are in continuing care. Does she have a community nurse?

www.england.nhs.uk/personal-health-budgets/personal-health-budgets-for-children-young-people-and-families/

I don't work atm I'm 20 and do physio with her everyday so because she's still little I want to try get her doing as much as possible. There's this thing called neuroplasticity where her brain could learn to take over the damaged side. As she's young it's easier to do but as she grows and her neuroplasticity decreases it's much harder and can become impossible so I want to give it my all before I think of work and leaving her with someone else x

Posters advising about the phone call and six weeks return are giving you good advice. It gives you time to gather evidence and still have backdate to the date you called.

It can not be backdated any further though even if someone has had the needs for a longer period.

UC take carers allowance off £ for £ BUT you don’t have to claim carers allowance to get the carers premium on the UC payment. You just update your journal adding caring responsibility when the DLA is awarded. The premium can Then be backdated to the start of the DLA claim even though you may wait weeks for the decision.

If you're into neuroplasticity look into the snowdrop programme

Agree with pp to call and get an application form. We found the Cerebra guide invaluable. Payments are not backdated. If they were, it would be difficult in cases if later diagnosed conditions like ASD - it would be really expensive to back pay. It’s right that you’re paid for the extra care your hold needs over and above a typical child of that age, so it’s hard to get care for under 5s because that age needs more care anyway. It’s not impossible though.

The application form is huge and it took is a long time to fill in. I think there is something called the family fund that you can get a grant from to pay for things you may need (trampolines for instance). Good luck!

When I did the application (June 2018) it was backdated to the date of application not date of birth. Be aware, it is a monster form to fill in!!

Thanks for all the physio and equipment links!
I won't post as I'm not sure if I can so I'll only ask, am I allowed to share my daughters just giving link? Or is that against the rules on here?

Hi op, based only on the further info you put your child's needs would come under mobility and so you wouldn't qualify for dla until they are three.

Mobility allowance is one component of dla it is a weekly sum that can be exchanged for a car, you don't have to drive you can just take the cash. It's for anyone that can't walk or has ristricted walking/moving around from 3 years old.

To claim the care component of dla which is the only part you can claim for under threes, you would need to be providing extra care not related to mobility (moving about). So things like feeding, getting dressed, toileting getting in and out of bed. But as these are things that all under threes need care for, it's very hard to successfully claim. I know blind children and children with downs syndrome that have been rejected.

On your application you need to consentrate on time you spend doing things like physio or speech and language therepy and any medication they need. Think of anything which is different for you than it would be for a regular 18 month old, like extra help and supervision in the bath, extra help feeding or special diet.

In regards to aids speak with your physio. Sometimes you have to ask they won't offer. Our physio provided standing frames, benches and seating. Also get a referal to children's occupational therapy, they can provide adapted high chairs, buggies, bath seats any sort of aid you need to make caring safer /easier.

Someone already mentioned the Cerebra guide to applying for DLA, here's the link. Each question has different thresholds for high, middle or low rate.
I was advised to base my answers on my worst possible day/night.
In order to access funded OT, physio, speech therapy etc you will need to get an EHCP.
Your local authority SEN team can advise you on this.

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

Even if you apply for the form by post, it's worth filling it in electronically because it makes it much easier to update. Usually you are only awarded DLA for a few years at a time so you to reapply (and your award will probably change as your child's care needs change)

Thank you for all of the help x

Is it against rules to leave links for a funding? I only joined to post my question so not sure about rules x

Do you mean links to GoFundMe type things? Yes, against the rules

Yeah I think it is , thanks for telling me x

You might be better off applying to the family fund op and join Facebook groups relating to your dc particular disability - that sort of knowledge is priceless. If she goes to nursery, she can get an EHCP also.

www.familyfund.org.uk/

Sorry, family fund!

You do not need an EHCP for OT physio Salt referrals. etc.
Your consultant should refer you into the community team. Do you not have a community paediatrician? They are the key link between acute and community teams.