DLA award!!

[misdee]

just got the highest rate care award again for my dd1. for 2 years. yippee!!!

conrgrats!! Any backpayment to come? They're always nice!

misdee can you now apply for mobility component aswell.
Congratulations

she doesnt qualify for the mobility component. but this means i keep all my other benefits as well. and i can also now afford to get her some new sleepsuits. might even try out the new washing powder and soap thats meant to help eczema.
no backpay to come, it just carries on from when her award was meant to finish in dec. last time i had backpay of over £800 which was very nice indeed.

Graet news MissDee I'm really pleased for you all.

i get DLA for ds1 who is autistic,i get middle rate care and lower rate mobility it runs out in feb 2004 so have just sent away forms(about 2 weeks ago)to reapply,anyway my question is this- since i sent the forms ds has seen specialist(6 month follow up) who has put him on melatonin to help his sleep pattern,should i phone up the dla people and tell them this?will it affect their decision?for better or worse?i did put his specialist's name and no. etc on the form and the fact that he had assessment on 29th sept,so should i leave it up to them (dla people)to contact her?thanks in advance.

loobie, i would phone and write to DLA as this is another 'medication' to add to the list they ask for. it wont do any harm i dont think. had much of the situation changed at all since last award?
they dont always contact the docs anyway, for my dd they have always just used the information used on the forms.
best of luck.

Great news misdee, its nice to think of the money as going towards something tangible isn't it? I put my son's DLA and child benefit in a separate account and use it for things for him.

misdee he is 2 years older than when we got the last award so the problems are still the same but seem worse because he is older and still needing fed,dressed,still wetting himself and still unaware of danger etc,he was 6 when awarded first time but is now 8 and still needs this type of help where it wasjust acceptable aged 6 but no really acceptable now IYKWIM.

Loobie, your point about him being 2 yrs older and it therefore seeming harder is a good one. DLA for children is supposed to reflect the amount of help they need over and above a typical child of the same age. So that will change as your child gets older and the toileting etc should be considered a higher level of need than before.

By coincidence I was in our CDC yesterday for a (boring and useless ) OT assessment. I picked up a leaflet to do with DLA that is printed by Social Security and The Benefits Agency, it is leaflet no DS706. To quote:

A child aged 3 or over may be able to get help with getting around if they:

• are severely mentally impaired with severe behavioural problems and qualify for the highest rate care component (the empty dashes are other points relating to physical disability I can?t be bothered to type out)

A Child aged 5 or over may be able to get help with getting around if they:

• can walk but need someone with them when they are walking outdoors

misdee, are you absolutly sure dd is not entitled to the mobility component? I thought the highest rate of care component automatically qualified, unless the person can't go out at all.

Also are you in touch with social services? you should be able to get direct payments to help pay someone to help you care for her.

That info I posted earlier was following Jimjams getting some stupid git on the phone at the Benefits Agency who said there was NO WAY she would get mobility/blue badge for her ASD son. I couldn't find the thread where it came up so thought I'd put it here, sorry!