Can I get DLA for an immune disorder?

[mum0ftw0]

I'm constanty exhausted and drained with infection.
But it's only IgA deficiency.

Anyone know?

The key to DLA is that you need extra care. Does your immune disorder mean you need the care of others to live your daily life?

Ohhh :/
No, I get by, it's just the constant exhaustion and hospital admissions that has made it impossible to keep a job :(

Is there any other way, other than being on Job seekers?
Because theyre saying I have to work 40 hours, and can't say no to a job coming up, and that I'm only allowed to be ill one more time, or they'll take the money away.
I'm quite sure I'll be going back on the ward today, as I haven't held fluids in a couple of days.

Is there any other benefit available??

DLA is for care and mobility, so you can't get it for being ill. Though if your illness means you need someone to cook for you, or prevents you walking for even very short distances, you might well qualify.

DLA is also not an unemployment benefit. If you're ill and unemployed, you need to apply for ESA Employment and Support Allowance. The assessment is tough, but it's what you need if you're too ill to work at the moment. If you're going into hospital, you may be able to get a social worker to give you some more information on the ward, and help you get sorted for when you come home, but you must ask and be prepared to ask again.

I hope things get better.

Thank you x

Acumenin gave fab advice, DLA is only really for those who need carers and help with getting around.

I completely understand how you must feel as although I have had severe arthritis as a child and still have now (I got mine at 15mths old),Juvenile arthritis is not just wear and tear over time on joints, it is an immune illness attacking ones own body, so it basically gets bored and has a munching fest on my knees, elbows, wirsts and can even choose to chow down on my heart, naughty immune system! When an immune system is under attack or attacking, your body naturally wants to shut down and make you sleep in order for it to recover or try and mend its self. I know how awful the tiredness is and really the pain in my joints and deformities are nothing compared to the exhaustion.God I remember dragging myself into school and uni and just barely functioning let alone able to engage my brain, I wonder if some of the lecturers just thought I had been out partying hard when reality was I hadn't. I really feel for you.

I thought I would send a link from direct gov on ESA for you to read up on. Happy reading and hope something gets sorted for you either medically/work wise or financial support whilst you get better.

www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Illorinjured/DG_171894

Finally I am tiny because I was put on steroids all my life really but boy do they help when my immune system is kicking off, I don't know whether or not you are on such treatment or if it would be relevant for your illness but worth a chat with the doctor if it is that bad x

Hi this is OP

Sorry, but most people I know on DLA don't have carers and can get around.
Just a fact from what I see.

Anyway, I might want to see a doctor if it's that bad?

Well I see a doctor every couple of months when I go to A+E with exhaustion and and dehydration, where they give me fluids and MAgnesium and calcium on IV.
I was serious about being drained, drained to the point of running out of calcium so my hands seized up (tetany), and having magnesium on a drip because running out of that is very dangerous for the heart.
I spend about a week in hospital each time, this has happened 4 times now.
I get up several times a night as the infections live in my bowels and cause constant diarhoea, hence the being drained and dehydration.
My haemoglobin is at 9.2
BEing moderately anemic for two years means it feels like walking through water.
I'm under a consultant at adenbrookes, they can't do anything.

In 2 years I've had about 10 different antibiotics, I don't react to the common ones anymore, they try unlicensed ones now, still without any good result.

I often feel like passing out and have fainted before with this exhaustion.
This has been constant for two years.
I take suppliments but don't absorb them.
The only treatment is to go to A+E when I'm near fainting, to have the nutrients put directly back into my blood stream when theyre low enough to cause bad effects.

Just saying all this as you guys didn't seem to understand the situation or take me seriously.

Thanks for listening.

Doubt I'll get DLA either as I guess it's not an official illness? it's just constant bugs that don't effect normal people like this.

Hi, just seen this.

You do not need an official diagnosis for DLA. The qualifying criteria for DLA is not a judgement about how ill you are. (You could theoretically be an Olympic athlete and get it). It's very clearly defined and is about your demonstrable ability to complete a series of specific tasks. If you need help (care) or equipment (mobility) like a car, wheelchair, or taxi, to complete these tasks, you qualify. Tasks included are things like:

I have difficulty or need help with putting on or fastening clothes
or footwear [x]

-how often? []
-how long each time in minutes? []

There is only a little in the DLA form about pain or sickness, though you can write in your own answers on practically every page. You can read it yourself if you get a form from directgov or print one . Good luck.

The important thing is to not take it personally, and not take it as a judgement of how ill you are or how serious it is. That's for you and your doctors to assess, and no bugger else can tell you differently.

It's not about you at all, tbh. It's about what can be formalised (literally put on a form) and provided nationally. And, again: DLA is not an unemployment benefit. It doesn't passport you to the other benefits you will need like Housing, Council Tax, Free School Meals etc. You need ESA for that. ESA does cover illness.

Just apply for it and see what happens, the form is a nightmare to fill in and asks some very personal questions. I cried while I was filling out mine, you have to put what you can't do etc.

I didn't get mine to start with even though I was in a wheelchair! I got it all awarded on appeal and backdated.

dla can be a tricky beast to deal with, best advice i can give from experience is to get the relevent paperwork and make an appointment with the cab to help you fill it out as believe it or not they have a book which tells you the right and wrong words to use ie dont put sometimes put frequently....my dh was told to apply for high rate care (was on middle) but because when asked do you need help in the night he put sometimes he was reduced to low rate care (appealed and got high rate) he has a degenerative spinal condition caused by a 30ft fall at work....you say you know ppl that get dla but can walk and dont need care, unless you are around this person 24/7 you really dont know what their needs are, you may be seeing them on a good day...my dh has ok days now and then for short periods of time mainly down to all the medication he has to take and it gives him a very short window to do "normal things" like go shopping with me take dd to the park but it is very short lived as after taking his second lot of medication he is a complete zombie....