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Original poster

Disability benefits should be cut

327 replies

benandoli · 06/10/2010 08:45

OK so if a family has a child with a disability which results in that family having extra costs then they should have disability benefit and use the money to cover those costs. I am sure that many families in this situation should receive more. However, can someone please explain to me why a family who have a child with a disability, adhd or autism for example , where extra costs do not result , where the earning potential of the family has not changed as a result or indeed where the family never worked anyway should receive extra funds courtesy of the tax payer. Also why should parents in this situation receive a carers allowance and then work less hours as a result of the allowance rather than as a result of the caring that needs to be done? Many families are well deserving I know and they should probably get more, but many are working the system and getting their kids over diagnosed.

OP posts:
smokinaces · 09/10/2010 20:49

I hate that assumption too thefirstmrsDeVere . I receieve some housing benefit, WTC, CTC, free prescriptions and am in process of applying for DLA. I am a single mother of 2 living in a council house.

Yet, what people dont wait to find out before assuming is that I work part time, and was once married with my own house before husband lost work and then walked out on us.

We just all get tarnished with the same brush.

lovechoc · 09/10/2010 20:51

I know not everyone with a child who has a disability is living off benefits and unemployed but the couple I know are and they are making it a lifestyle choice because they can and yes, apparently BIL gets more on Carers Allowance than he does on JSA (not sure which type he was on last though). amazing how one couple can manage to pay a mortgage, run a car and pay for Sky+ (and all the other utilities) all on benefits alone...I suspect there's something fraudulent going on.

I would imagine most families now have a flatscreen TV, pretty normal these days. We still have an old fashioned(!!) one, 32" though. Will keep it til it breaks :)

peanutbear · 09/10/2010 20:52

I am now laughing at the suggestion that if you have a child on DLA you shouldnt have a flat screen tv

has it never occurred to you that just because we are claiming benefits now and we may or may not be working now that we may have worked previously

TBH on the benefits I am on there is no way I could replace a tv I struggle to replace the school ties let alone tvs

My heart goes out to those parents who have had no choice but to be on benefits since the children were born as every thing of any value I own was bought prior to me having to give up my business

Situations change and I find the least judgemental of people are always the ones where life has dealt them challenges

peanutbear · 09/10/2010 20:56

smokinaces cross posts sorry

mrsdeVere Im usually al lurker but opening post made me so angry when she said she was a senco ..could you tell lol

lottiejenkins · 09/10/2010 21:05

My son, is profoundly deaf, autistic and dyspraxic. All have been proved,,,,,,,,,,,, Over diagnosed??? Definetly not!! Benadloi you are talking out of your backside!!!

TotalChaos · 09/10/2010 21:11

utterly gobsmacked at the unsympathetic attitude towards your own family lovechoc. am if having a severely language delayed autistic 3 year old would be anyone's lifestyle choice Hmm

lovechoc · 09/10/2010 21:19

I think it's sad that they are in this situation but even MIL doesn't understand how they can afford their own home and a car when neither parent works. And yes it is a lifestyle choice - one of them could get a job! How do others with children who have worse disabilities cope?? Usually one of them works to survive.

smokinaces · 09/10/2010 21:34

If they recieve the higher level of DLA mobility than they could get a mobility car on finance - I know people who chose to spend some money that way.

If their child needs 24/7 care though, surely they cant get a job? as one would need to be with the child all day and all night? shift like?

walk a mile and all that.

smokinaces · 09/10/2010 21:35

and maybe they are on an interest only mortgage which housing benefit is paying? or they rent?

lovechoc · 09/10/2010 21:39

they don't rent, they have a mortgage. and they have the same car they had before they had DC. true about interest only mortgage bit, could be the situation they are in. was told by DH that last year they had taken a mortgage payment break. anyway...getting back to DLA thing, I don't grudge people the payment if they deserve it, but I do think some people take the piss if they make a choice NOT to work. And their DC is not severly disabled, I've seen him for myself. He has a 1:1 at nursery.

lovechoc · 09/10/2010 21:39

didn't realise you get housing benefit if you own your own home smokinaces? that's a new one.

smokinaces · 09/10/2010 21:44

Its been around for years lovechoc. They will only pay the interest, if you are on JSA or IS I think it is.

and if he is having 1:1 at nursery than he is obviously more disabled than you realise. My son is 2 and still in a 1:4 ratio, even with a disability.

StarlightMcKenzie · 09/10/2010 21:45

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lovechoc · 09/10/2010 21:49

what is IS? thanks for keeping me up to speed smokinaces :) - it now makes sense how they have managed to keep their home if they are claiming housing benefit. Still doesn't make it right though that they are both at home all of the time.

Sorry to hear that about your own DS, I hope he gets the appropriate ratio care he needs soon. I think it's a bit of a postcode lottery trying to fight for specialist services from what I've heard, depends on where you are living. Fingers crossed though for you and others!

smokinaces · 09/10/2010 21:52

IS is income support lovechoc. I dont know a lot about JSA or IS or Carers Allowance as have never claimed them, but I work with people who do.

I am quite happy with DS2's ratio at nursery at the moment - his main additional care is needed outside of the home/nursery and at night, so 1:4 works quite well (and his room its often 1:3 or lower) when he goes up into the preschool room its 1:8 though, so I'm hoping we get DLA awarded so I can ask for 1:4 for him. What I was trying to point out though is that 1:1 in a nursery setting is normally reserved for the most serious disabilities IME

StarlightMcKenzie · 09/10/2010 21:55

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lovechoc · 09/10/2010 22:01

thanks smokinaces re IS meaning income support.

no starlightmckenzie I'm not a paediatrician but I have seen their DC, he doesn't need a wheelchair and constant 24hr round the clock care, not any more than the average child anyway.

perhaps if family members spoke out a bit more and were open about their lot then it wouldn't be such a topic of discussion! We all have problems in life, let's face it. Why hide it??

smokinaces · 09/10/2010 22:08

disabilities arent just measured on physical mobility though lovechoc. The fact he doesnt need a wheelchair is not an indication of how much care he needs.

and the reason parents arent always open about the level of care their children need is because they love them unconditionally and accept the additional needs from them and feel that people would judge them for having a "non perfect" or "not normal" child. I also try not to moan about my child to my friends or family as I know people who have had their children die - and at least I have my child with me. I would wake and sit with him 30 times a night if it meant I got to keep him, and I know every one of those parents would too.

I'm sorry but you really dont know what it is like for them unless you took their child and cared for them 24/7 for a long time. As a parent of a child with an "invisible" disability I am so tired of justifying his and my behaviour and need for additional resources and help. It is tiring, sometimes you just want to pretend everything is normal.

Sorry to rant, but as you can tell it is fairly close to home.

thefirstmrsDeVere · 09/10/2010 22:10

I dont understand how you can say he isnt severely disabled yet he is getting 1:1 at nursery.

You generally have to get a statement to get that level of support. As such a young age you need to have to have a pretty severe level of disability to have a statement in place.

Some nurseries will fund such a high level without statementing but this is becomeing very rare due to the withdrawal of central funds.

Many of my families have been told 'we cant take your child, we dont have the mone for SN'

I could be that your family members are taking a while to aclimatise to having a disabled child. Perhaps neither feel confident about caring for the child alone or attending the tons of appointments alone? Personally, as a tax payer of over 25 years, I am happy to support a family in that position.

A diagnosis can turn your world upside down. I am a bit Hmm about your apparent dismay that they have managed NOT to lose their house.

StarlightMcKenzie · 09/10/2010 22:44

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NorthernSky · 09/10/2010 23:33

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cory · 10/10/2010 00:01

lovechoc Sat 09-Oct-10 19:14:06
"the couple I'm on about are relatives of mine. MIL told me the other day that instead of claiming JSA, the dad is going to be claiming Carers Allowance because 'it's worth more'."

And how does your relative's statement that he intends to claim DLA constitute proof that he will actually get it? He has no idea what it is like to go through the process. I intended to claim DLA, I was led to believe we would qualify, I was convinced we would get it. Doesn't mean we didn't get turned down.

I have no idea what level of disability you need to get DLA but I know the following was not enough for us:

child diagnosed by 3 independent paediatric consultants and a specialist clinic

child unable to walk through chronic pay and using wheelchair (paid for by us as the NHS would not supply)

child frequently unable to attend school (approx 1 day a week)

child unable to sit upright so had to stay in bed, have all meals brought to her, be lifted onto the toilet- in other words, a fulltime carer, who moreoever had to be able to take time off with no notice, as episodes strike without warning

child needing carer in the night to help with toiletting and pain

endless hospital appointments, which involved expensive taxi rides (I cannot drive due to faulty eyesight) and dd was in too much pain

chiropractor treatment which we had to pay for (as the NHS does not supply this)

equipment for exercise/writing at school/laptop for use at home etc.

As I said, I don't know what the level for getting DLA was, but this was not high enough.

peanutbear · 10/10/2010 11:42

Cory that is high enough but the forms have to be worded in the right way please put in an appeal and ask someone to help you fill them in

Dont want to sound patronising in anyway but it sounds like you should really be getting DLA there are agencies out there to help and I have lots of numbers of people who will help you fill the form in if you wish to appeal

cory · 10/10/2010 13:04

Thanks peanutbear, that is so kind of you.

Thankfully dd's health has improved so much in the last 2 years that I no longer feel we do need the DLA- so I am very happy not to have to go through the stress again.

Just using it as an example to the idiots who think you will automatically get DLA if you put your hand out and ask for it.

amothersplaceisinthewrong · 10/10/2010 13:13

OP

It took us SIX YEARS to get ADHD in our son formally diagnosed by a pyschaitrist, six years of different specialists etc.

And like others have said, there are potentially extra costs in this - not many people want to take on ADHD kids..... you must be aware of this from your work thougnh.