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SN children

Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

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Original poster

DLA Mobility rate

19 replies

redbull · 01/06/2006 08:46

ds just turned 5 when we applied last year for DLA was told we couldnt get mobility rate as ds was under 5 so going to reapply,

the thing is though neither me or dp can drive we are both doing driving lessons me through family fund, dps work is paying for his so there is no way we could afford a car when we have passed so do i apply for the mobility rate now get awarded for the mobility rate aswell and once one of us has passed ask for a car instead of the money or just wait till one of us has passed then we just ask for a car straight away

Thankyou

OP posts:

FillyjonktheSnibbet · 01/06/2006 08:50

you have to get high rate mobility to get a car, you can get that from 3, AFAIR.

You get the mobility rate as a normal benefit but can swop the higher rate for a mobility car. You do need a 3 yr award.

Whats ds's condition? Is he either unable to walk, or not able to walk very far at all (we are talking 50/60 yards here)?

FillyjonktheSnibbet · 01/06/2006 08:51

wow, thats confusing, sorry. will typ-e more when kids not crawling on me!

anniebear · 01/06/2006 08:58

we have just got high rate mobility and DD (aged 4) can walk

It really goes to show they don't read the forms properly.

I knew we wouldn't get high rate again as she was walking and I actually wrote in black and white that "DD can walk, she just trips a little more than the average child"

I feel bad for getting it, but I didn't lie on the form

I think it is terrible!

anniebear · 01/06/2006 08:59

sorry , off topic a little

Jimjamskeepingoffvaxthreads · 01/06/2006 09:00

They may mean your child only qualified for the lower rate of mobility- awarded from 5- in which case you won't be eligable for a car.

Remember that unaided means exactly that. DS1 (7, severely autistic, who can run like the wind) gets higher rate mobility because he cannot walk down the street unaccompanied, an adult has to hold his hand/wrist/belt thingy every second he is on the street as he has no road sense etc.

There has been a court case about autism (I think the NAS have the details) and in the "any other info" section I asked them to refer to that court case when making their decision. I receieved higher rate (despite the idiot on the helpline initially refusing to send me the applicaiton forms as he said we didn't qualify for anything).

Original poster

redbull · 01/06/2006 09:01

ds is autistic got a special needs pushchair for him, as he can walk a bit but has no sense of danger at all will snatch his hand away and will run in to the road, has melt down on the bus as it stops at every stop and other times gone to get on the bus and their is no room for the push chair so i either have to take down pushchair to get on the bus wich has resultes ds running in the road as i have tried to put down the push chair then once on bus will constantley hit/kick/scrath/bite at me and scream because he is not in his push chair or we wont get the bus wich results in ds hitting,scratching at himself screaming throwing him self around in his pushchair. it is really stressfull and upsettinf to watch then of course you have when the bus doesnt turn up once again all the above applys

OP posts:

Original poster

redbull · 01/06/2006 09:13

bump

OP posts:

misdee · 01/06/2006 09:15

i'd apply now. if you do get awarded, then put the 'extra' mobility money aside as you may need an advance payment for the car you want. some dont have advance payments though.

misdee · 01/06/2006 09:16

plus, it can take a while for some new cars to be delivered. we were told 12 weeks for one car, so didnt get that and went to get an astra and got the showroom model, it was ready within a week. (thats now had to be changed for our original choice of car, a nissan tino)

Jimjamskeepingoffvaxthreads · 01/06/2006 09:17

You certainly may well qualify redbull - but you will need to quote the court case I think to stand a chance of being awarded it. I'm sure its mentioned on the NAS website.

Original poster

redbull · 01/06/2006 09:26

hi jimjams tried looking at the NAS site and couldnt see anything??

OP posts:

Jimjamskeepingoffvaxthreads · 01/06/2006 11:20

\link{http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=300&a=3330\here- megarry vs chief adjudication officer 1999)

Jimjamskeepingoffvaxthreads · 01/06/2006 11:21

\link{http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=300&a=3330\here- megarry vs chief adjudication officer 1999}

FioFio · 01/06/2006 11:23

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted

Original poster

redbull · 01/06/2006 11:50

thankyou jimjams i will quote it when i reapply phoned this moning for the form thankyou

OP posts:

RnB · 01/06/2006 11:57

good luck Redbull. You should definitely apply. We have been getting higher rate mobility for our 5 yr old autistic son for 2 yrs.

FillyjonktheSnibbet · 01/06/2006 14:14

redbull, if he bascially can't walk cos he runs off or similar, that should be fine. (of course you may end up in appeal if you get a jobsworth, but I think you'd be entitled). You might get the old arguement about autism being "behavioural" or a mental health problem, but this is just crap, autism is recognised as a "brain dysfunction" which means it qualifies, and even if you are turned down initially I would be suprised if you didn't get it on appeal. Autism is recognised as a physical condition now, you really shouldn't have any problems. Although of course you might, DLA is a complete PITA.

I do think you may have been given bad advice. You can get the higher rate from 3, not from 5, and it looks like you have been entitled. Sadly there is little you can do, aside from making a complaint and going for a compensation payment, but just so you know.

Tripping counts towards being "virtually unable to walk", btw!

DLA makes me fume, its basically the only cash benefit for families with kids with disabilities and the criteria are ridiculously narrow.

Pixel · 01/06/2006 15:37

Redbull, don't be surprised if you have to appeal, although I suppose it may depend on where you live. All the above mentioned applies to my ds but we have just been turned down. I've just spent half the day trying to get into town to the building society. The first bus had steep steps so had to let that go, the second was already full of buggies so the driver wouldn't let us on so it was third time 'lucky'. Spent the whole journey trying to stop ds kicking people, tipping the buggy over and pressing the nice red stop button. And someone at the bus-stop had asked me why I couldn't fold up the buggy and have ds on the seat! I couldn't even manage to get him and the buggy on the bus if I did that.

Anyway I hope you get on ok . I expect I will be appealing myself as soon as I can summon the energy.

FillyjonktheSnibbet · 01/06/2006 16:06

If you need to appeal, and you might, I really really suggest a CAB or similar if possible. Their advisors are trained to help with such things.

completing DLA forms and going to appeal attrach legal aid funding, thats how f'ing difficult they are.

This used to be my job til about a month ago. The whole system is crap. Am so that you were told you couldn't get it til he was 5, someone's confused the rates of mobility and given bad advice but you have lost out on 2 yrs of £43 pw. Tis shite.

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