Direct payments

[Ooogetyooo]

Have just rung our LA to enquire about how we get assessed for direct payments, gave them the details they asked for and have been told they'll be in touch shortly after making some enquiries with school and paediatrician. They asked whether we claim DLA for ds ( we do ) and what rate we receive ( middle ). My question is will they expect DLA money to be used for stuff that we want the direct payments to cover? I am hoping for some kind of respite or school holiday support so that ds can get out and socialise a bit more but he will need supervision ie one to one support to do that, and I doubt DLA would cover that sort of expense. If you receive direct payments what do you spend it on that your DLA couldn't cover? I am expecting nothing from them but would still like to be prepared when they call back.

I think it is some kind of odd 'is this child actually disabled' test!

The things you have suggested are exactly what we use my daughter's direct payments for. How old is your son?

He is 11 . I have read somewhere on here before that we should be assessed as a family as a whole rather than just my ds, the impact it has on us as a couple and the impact on his brother who gets very little time with us by himself. Worried that they will think we are not in need as such such just because we are not 'deprived' or on the breadline, as such. Our family desperately needs some sort of break sometimes when it's all getting too much, what sort of questions did they ask you ?

You are totally right. Social care should assess your son and you and your husband as carers.

The assessment was to see my daughter but also the family dynamic, younger children etc. It was questions about my daughter's history and how it affected us. Also general stuff about school, GP, which professionals we saw etc.

Do you know roughly how much other children similar to your son receive in your LA? It may give you an idea what to expect. We initially got quite a low amount but it was worth it because it increased on review and it was really useful to have the system in place when she turned 18 and the budget increased more.

No I don't know what other children might receive round here in similar circs, don't really know anyone I could ask either. The whole thing is new to me as I just stumbled across it on here, I had no idea there was anything else out there that could help, it constantly amazes me how little help advice or support there is until you start looking harder and work it out for yourself.

www.cafamily.org.uk/advice-and-support/ is worth contacting for advice.

Or w3.cerebra.org.uk/help-and-information/help-in-your-area/

Or if your household income is less than £45k www.caudwellchildren.com/how-we-help/apply-for-support