Advice please re DLA 'rating' and Tax Credits

[goldenretriever]

Hi, I applied for DLA for my son last month. The date where I can appeal is drawing to a close. I was awarded middle rate care and no mobility rate. Does this sound right? He is 4 and Autistic, but awaiting diagnosis. He doesn't speak a lot, isn't potty trained and has challenging behaviour most of the time. He can walk but his hand has to be held in case he runs away and he often asks to be picked up.

Also, my OH is applying for Carer's Allowance. Should I still tell Tax Credit people about the DLA award. Don't know if I would bet more money as we will also be getting Care's Allowance. Don't mean to sound greedy, but the money would be useful.

You should do, you need to contact them to tell them that she's still at school.

it might be reduced a little . i only say that coz my dd who is NT is 16 next year and tax credits showed a reduction due to her age band 2013/2014. it may not be the same for disability children so i shouldnt really speculate. best to phone like ladymary says.

our tax credit doubled per week due
to telling them about dla. im grateful for the help this country gives, ive never claimed anything before but now i am in a position that i have too and as i have always paid my taxes i think thats ok.
good luck to all i hope u all get what you are entitled to and your dc's too.

I will wait until I get conformation that my daughter can stay on post 16, it is a non-maintained school outside our authority so we have some hoops to jump through with our Lea first of course. Thanks.

good luck x

Because we are now claiming CA we can't have a tax exemption cert. Am applying for a Low income scheme HC1 form. Am wondering whether it was worth getting CA now!

My dd receives higher rate care and higher rate mobility. We were given that first time without needing to go to appeal. Sounds like your son is at a very similar level as my dd who is 4.5 and diagnosed ASD. We waited til she had her diagnosis and statement in place before applying for DLA and sent reams and reams of the assessments that had been done by various professionals going right back to when it was first noticed at 18 months. I also didn't beat around the bush when it came to describing her lack of understanding of hygiene where toileting is concerned and the impossibility of walking anywhere due to, like you described, lack of road sense. hope this helps.

Thanks jocook. I had thought for some reason that you couldn't get mobility until they were 5.

our award was changed from mrc to hrc recently. i sent in a diary of a typical day. it will really help pay for ds's therapies
have you sorted out your tax credits goldenretreiver and did you appeal dla in the end

have you looked at the NAS website as they have a section on dla and cover the mobility requirements, its really useful to read.

OMGGG I didn't challenge the DLA as I thought that mrc was acceptable, mainly because from 11pm - 7am he is nearly always asleep. He is 5 next May, so hopefully will get some form of mobility then.

Tax credits wise I had some money put in my bank account this week, so will wait and see what comes through the post and what comes in next week. I lost the will to live speaking to them last time, even though I rang during one of the quieter times. Though phone has been in a bag of rice all week after I dropped it down the toilet!

Have had a good week end. He picked up a one and a zero and announced 'ten' and when he Dad asked him to give him a kiss before I took him out, he ran back and gave him a kiss. Heart breaking. Blubbed after going to see an OT for the first time and she said he was blatantly Autistic this week and revving up for an appeal for the Council turning down his initiation for the SEN and emergency extra care at Nursery. To think at times what he would have been like if he wasn't Autistic is killing me.

Thanks for advice, was pleased to see my tax credits had gone up 50 quid a week after telling them about middle rate DLA award.