Criteria for high rate mobility DLA (cerebral palsy)

[Hangingbellyofbabylon]

It's renewal time for us again - we only got 2 years last time. Surprise surprise dd's cerebral palsy hasn't magically got better but the DLA forms have changed. I really don't know what to do when filling in the mobility bits. She can walk unaided outdoors for short distances but I have no idea about how far/long etc. And some days she can't make it from the house to the car without trips and falls and for anything more than 50 metres or so she needs her wheelchair on even a good day. I hate these forms, I just feel like they are looking for ways to deny people who need it, the high rate mobility.

Does anyone know what they are actually looking for? If I say she can walk 50 metres this would be on an average day, am I putting myself straight away in a position where they will refuse the high rate? on a bad day 5 metres would be too far but each day is so different.

any advice appreciated. thanks

Have you looked at the guide produced by Cerebra?
www.cerebra.org.uk/english/getinformation/publications/pages/dlaguide.aspx

Yes, the latest guide explains some things but what I can't find is how they assess the claim, is it on points ? Eg if dd can walk more than 50 ,metres does that automatically rule her out of getting high rate mobility? With the previous form there was info out there to see exactly how they decided who qualified.

The only thing to do is base it on the worse case scenario, what is the shortest distance, most difficulty, assume all probable and possible difficulties happening at once or on same day.

Its not clear to me what the assessment criteria are as the guides and form don't make reference to it... is it black box that everything goes into and an answer spews out?

I think so, I reckon they feed it all into a computer and we'll just be hoping it's not a case of 'computer says no'.

No it isn't computerised or done on a points system. Your dd would have to be able to safety,reliably and repeatedly walk more than fifty metres to be denied HRM

Posted to soon, as that is not the case for your dd you put the distance she can reliably, safety and repeatedly walk .

My DS is now 21 and he has severe cerebral palsy and severe learning difficulties - he was a v sick 10 week preemie. Anyway the point is: 16 years ago the benefits people tried to give him a year mobility award. I lost my rag - shouted at a lot of people and then sent letters (email these days lol). I complained to my local mp (Micheal Mates, Con - now retired) and he got them to change it to an unlimited award and got an apology. It really shouldn't still be happening. As I said (or rather shouted) cerebral palsy has no cure - they won't magically lose all symptoms in a year or two...There are a few lucky kids who "outgrow" cp (my ex-brother-in-law for example) but not many ...
Rant over...