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Original poster

Our revised DLA - the results

57 replies

Thomcat · 23/09/2004 20:37

So you may or may not know I had my DLA reviewed now that Lottie is approaching her 3rd birthday.

Since she was 3 months old we've been on the low rate.

Letter on mat when I got in tonight:

You are now entitled to DLA from - date of L's 3rd b.day

Help with getting around
You are now entitled to the higher rate because blah blah... from .... until 2008

Help with Personal Care
You are now entitled to the middle rate because blh blh.....

So that's good right????!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't need to take a week off work to fight for more? There's nothing missing is there that I don't know about?

Now we are getting the high rate my mum can apply for carers allowance for looking after L while I work.

We can also reapply for the blue parking badge and should get that as long as my GP sends his part of the form off this time.

So, that's that... or is it, are we missing something that she should be entitled to???
It's only when you speak to other mums whose children have SN that you find these things out!

OP posts:
Jimjams · 23/09/2004 20:41

The blue badge you get automatically with higher rate mobility- you don't need to involve the GP (at least I dind't- just got a form from the council).

not sure about carers allowance- I thought you needed to be getting higher rate care- but I could be wrong on that.

Remember to tell the tax credit people as well- it may make a difference to that (may not).
I do think that for a 3 year old child with DS you would have a definite case for getting higher rate care as well.

Chocol8 · 23/09/2004 20:48

Congratulations Thomcat!!!! Excellent news.

I'm afraid that I don't know much cos I took my advice from MNer experts myself. I was advised to call Child Tax Credit and tell them, which I did and my money shot up! I now can afford to take that one day a week off for myself and ds, which will be pure bliss. (This after filling in loads of forms and having official discussions with my managers etc!)

Don't wait for CTC to catch up - call them - they sorted me out in less than a week! Boy, was I surprised...!

Congrats again, Thom you deserve it.

PS - Did you ever receive the cheque I sent for your skydive, it hasn't been cashed yet. xxx

lou33 · 23/09/2004 21:07

Gp doesn't need involving for blue badge honey, just call your council, they will sned the form, you fill it in and send it back with pic and £2. You an get a blue badge from the age of 2 you know.

mieow · 23/09/2004 21:08

You have to get middle or high rate for personal care to get Carers Allowence, you can get a car with the help with getting around.

coppertop · 23/09/2004 21:08

If you get tax credits then definitely give them a ring. Like Chocol8's our CTC rate went right up.

Just previewed that and that last sentence sounds like one of those awful loan company adverts.

Original poster
Thomcat · 23/09/2004 21:15

Ummm, we don't have tax credits of any desciption to start with! Feel like that's a big whoops on my part!

So now I'm getting the high rate for help with getting around I don't need my GP, cos I did when I tried applying before.

And careers allowance, we can try that again now we get middle rate for Help with personal care?

OP posts:
mieow · 23/09/2004 21:20

apply for CTC and carers and a blue badge, you ARE entitled to it all!!! If you have an income of £23,000 or less (DLA not included) you are apply to the Family fund, for holidays, washing machine etc etc

Dingle · 23/09/2004 21:41

Lou, our council didn't want to know re. blue badge- are you sure it's from the age of 2. Even tho dd get higher rate DLA, they weren't interested unless she was over £ & receiving high rate mobility aspect of DLA. Or was I being fobbed off?
Congrats on you "upgrade" TC, another step forward.

heartinthecountry · 23/09/2004 21:57

TC - I've just looked in one of my folders - you can claim Carer's Allowance if you get middle or high rate care component of DLA, you care for them at least 35 hours a week and your earnings are no more than £79 a week BUT you cannot usually be paid Carer's Allowance if you receive a State Retirement Pension (among other benefits that prob aren't relevant for your mum, like maternity benefit!!) so, don't know how old your mum is but if she gets a pension she prob can't get CA - hopefully she is still young and sprightly .

Dingle - also looked up blue badges - and there is a bit of an anomaly. It says ' you can get a blue badge if your child is at least two years of age and receives the higher rate of the mobility component of the DLA'. However, you can't get higher rate mobility until a child is 3 [confused emoticon!]. But I do know people who have got them for 2 year olds. I guess you maybe have to give a good enough case that they probably will have severe problems walking when they are three.... don't know. Maybe that's whay you needed a doctor's letter TC?

Anyway, I'm supposed to be sorting out one for us as dd is 2 in 2 weeks time so I'll see what they ask for.

lou33 · 23/09/2004 22:01

Yep, we got ours when ds2 was 2.

lou33 · 23/09/2004 22:06

Have a look here . Read the bit where it says "NOTE" in section 3. It says children under 2 do not qualify. Not 3.

lou33 · 23/09/2004 22:07

The council can issue disabled badges to children over the age of two even if they cannot receive mobility component of the dla, as long as they still fall under the disabled criteria. We got ours, like I said when ds turned 2. He has it for 3 years, then it is reviewesd

Dingle · 23/09/2004 22:10

Thanks everyone, dd is fast approaching 3 and her mobility forms are still collecting dust on the computer desk. Must put it on my to do list.
I must agree about the CTC, it seems fairy simple online from what I've been told. Had to reapply with last years earnings. I queried the fact that on our papers it looked like ds was recieving DLA and not dd. (Although at the end of the day it didn't really make any difference)She told me that although they were aware 1 child was getting DLA, we weren't set up as having "a disabled child" ConfusedShe changed our details and our payments went up. [cheers]
Get everything you can, is my motto, we have to earn it by fighting all the way.

Dingle · 23/09/2004 22:11

Should be "fairly simple"

Chocol8 · 23/09/2004 22:49

Just to say, I called one Wednesday 2 or 3 weeks ago about CTC and noted it in my work diary thinking I needed to cos it was never gonna happen...the money went in to my account on the following Monday! Then a few days after that I received yet ANOTHER lot of paperwork about it. I could honestly wallpaper my house with them I have so many!

luckymum · 23/09/2004 22:51

10 years of dealing with all things SN.....nothing is ever simple my CTC still isn't right but they're overpaying so who cares!!!

Original poster
Thomcat · 23/09/2004 22:54

Hiya, so what do I have to do to get CTC then? Where do I start?

OP posts:
Chocol8 · 23/09/2004 23:01

Call them Thomcat.

Did you receive the cheque for your dive? x

misdee · 23/09/2004 23:02

dwp for carers etc

tax credits

Original poster
Thomcat · 23/09/2004 23:55

Have you got the number?
Thanks for links Misdee, actually not gone into them as PC at home playing up, will check out on work pc on Monday.

Sorry - yes I did get cheque. I have a few more to chase in then I can send everything off, sorry it akes ages to get it all in, almost a full time job in itself! Thank you for sending yours, you and all the other mumsnetters that got involved.

OP posts:
Davros · 24/09/2004 09:14

Aargh! I need to sort out Tax credits too but where's the phone number? Its one of my bugbears, websites without obvious phone numbers/addresses

coppertop · 24/09/2004 09:52

Tax credits hinder-line is:

0845 300 3900

heartinthecountry · 24/09/2004 09:58

at hinder-line coppertop!

Davros · 24/09/2004 09:59

Thanks Coppertop, another hinder line to tackle

Chocol8 · 24/09/2004 15:56

Sometimes it takes aaaggeeessss to get through and others you get a human voice immediately! They're open 8am - 8pm but the best time is 8am I found. Just put it on redial and check it out every so often...and good luck. Let us know how you get on. x