Universal credit

[AmyKnow]

So my son has just had his dla granted today.
As I'm on universal credit I've been advised to do my change of circumstances with them to get the disabled/child element of them has anyone been successful in having that backdated?
Also I currently have to pay bedroom tax as they say my sons can share a room although they can't due to my youngest needs can I get that overturned? And would that be universal credit I take that up with?
Many thanks

@Polly421

No mobility but I wasn’t expecting that due to her age. She suspected ASD, yes she no verbal. I filled in form myself I was worried as didn’t follow a guide and sent what I had and that was 2 reports from paediatric nurse then the doctor. Sent her acceptance letters for speech therapy and acceptance letter that she on waiting list for ASD assessment. I personally believe it was doctors report that really helped as she wrote our plan and one point was to apply for DLA as she meets criteria and each section she wrote her observations of seeing my daughter and wrote down how she different. She told me at the end of the assessment back in August to make sure I send them that as she was detailing as much as possible. It said thing like during our meeting she was oblivious to the people in the room, she didn’t hear her speak one word and when she called her name my daughter didn’t respond. She stated things like there was many toys in the room but these were no interest to her but sat in the corner opening and closing the cupboard door. She also wrote down that due to covid waiting times for assessments are taking much longer but this shouldn’t hinder my daughter for help she needs. She was fantastic and I’m really glad we are under her care as she is familiar with the Speech therapist who accepted my daughter and stated when she starts therapy if she also believe she is Autistic they could diagnose her more quicker.

That's like my son, he is 3 and half and diognosed with severe autism. I filled the form and they gave MCR. Proffesionals told me to ask for a change of circumstances form and that he should be getting HRC! My son is Jon verbal no sentences nothing and his 1 to 1 TA is in nursery with him. When I applied I filled the form myself maybe that's why they gave MRC - now proffesionals helped me and I'm wishing for HRC hopefully and I will fight to court to win for him because his autism is severe. He doesn't wave use eye contact nothing. Also he eats everything in nursery (pica eating) sand, mud, puts stones into his mouth. He also has speech and language therapist , OT and educational psychologist. Sometimes DLA give all autistic middle rate care... but my child is like yours - he is at the end of the spectrum deserves high rate because im constantly supervising him and so are they in nursery too. Wish me luck please 🙏🏻🙏🏻

How is he through the night? As I know from their criteria for high it’s needing supervision during the day and at night. My little girl like to wonder especially into our bathroom as has a obsession with water loves to put the taps on and wake her brother up and most night we have to resettle her a few times but 2/3 nights a week she wakes up and that’s her up for the day. We installed a camera in there room to help supervise when we’re downstairs at night and our health visitor completed our support statement part and she verified on it that we have to done that for her safety at night.

Good luck I do hope you get what you son deserves as it hard enough without having to fight for the extra help he needs.

@Polly421

How is he through the night? As I know from their criteria for high it’s needing supervision during the day and at night. My little girl like to wonder especially into our bathroom as has a obsession with water loves to put the taps on and wake her brother up and most night we have to resettle her a few times but 2/3 nights a week she wakes up and that’s her up for the day. We installed a camera in there room to help supervise when we’re downstairs at night and our health visitor completed our support statement part and she verified on it that we have to done that for her safety at night.

Good luck I do hope you get what you son deserves as it hard enough without having to fight for the extra help he needs.

Yes he's up at night banging walls and trying to eat and chew things . So I have to guide him and give his chew toys plus he always cries for milk too- he feels hungry all day and night . He cries randomly and then I'm up all night settling him. I've had neighbours knocking on my door telling me to keep the "son" quiet ! They don't know the struggles I go through having a special needs child.

@Senmother my son can be like this to I was awarded the extra bedroom for him as it's not safe for him to share but only receive MRC x

Sometimes DLA give all autistic middle rate care

That isn't true, DLA isn't based on a diagnosis, but on needs.

@Imitatingdory

Sometimes DLA give all autistic middle rate care

That isn't true, DLA isn't based on a diagnosis, but on needs.

My son has high care needs with severe autism and gets middle rate care, just like high functioning autistic children who needs less care and they still receive MRC. Like I said my son isn't aware or danger can't walk alone (will run into the road) will put his hand down the toilet and even his poop in nappies , I had to get dungarees so he stops and forgets about it. Non verbal - is pica eating (meaning he eats non edible items. It's very hard and I'm constantly watching him and guiding him and caring for him 24/7

[quote Alk19]@Senmother my son can be like this to I was awarded the extra bedroom for him as it's not safe for him to share but only receive MRC x[/quote]
That's amazing to hear. How did you achieve the extra bedroom award? I'm currently asking the council to do reconsideration for our medical form. The OT wrote it isn't safe and he needs own bedroom but they didn't give medical points to us. Please help?

@Senmother I already have a 3 bedroom house but was paying the extra bedroom tax as have 2 sons (2+3 year old) once I got my dla award I asked universal credit to look into it they got a decision maker to ring me and was awarded it the next day x

I didn’t say it isn’t hard, neither did I state the award was correct. What I did was correct your assertion that one diagnosis led to a particular award, which isn’t correct. As I said a diagnosis isn’t relevant. DLA doesn’t work how you think it does.

LRC is for some help during the day.
MRC for frequent help or constant supervision during the day, or supervision at night or help with dialysis.
HRC for supervision throughout the day and night, or terminal illness.

isn't aware or danger can't walk alone (will run into the road)

Isn’t relevant to the care element. Given DS’s age you can only get HRM, not low, and that is hard to prove for autism, especially for younger children. There is 2 ways, under the ‘virtually unable to walk’ criteria and the SMI rules. You aren’t eligible to be considered under the latter as you need to receive HRC.

Just because a child has high functioning autism does not mean their autism is mild, or lesser than your son’s, or that they need less care. Different maybe, but need necessarily less. I have a DC with high functioning autism who receives HRC/LRM.

@Imitatingdory

I didn’t say it isn’t hard, neither did I state the award was correct. What I did was correct your assertion that one diagnosis led to a particular award, which isn’t correct. As I said a diagnosis isn’t relevant. DLA doesn’t work how you think it does.

LRC is for some help during the day.
MRC for frequent help or constant supervision during the day, or supervision at night or help with dialysis.
HRC for supervision throughout the day and night, or terminal illness.

isn't aware or danger can't walk alone (will run into the road)

Isn’t relevant to the care element. Given DS’s age you can only get HRM, not low, and that is hard to prove for autism, especially for younger children. There is 2 ways, under the ‘virtually unable to walk’ criteria and the SMI rules. You aren’t eligible to be considered under the latter as you need to receive HRC.

Just because a child has high functioning autism does not mean their autism is mild, or lesser than your son’s, or that they need less care. Different maybe, but need necessarily less. I have a DC with high functioning autism who receives HRC/LRM.

Procures everyone's status and needs vary as you said I agree. But all I'm saying is I'm new to this dla and filled the form myself without any help and received MRC. Even specialists were shocked that we only received that. They are the ones who told me to fight back because they are also aware my sons care needs are extremely high- he doesn't sit at carpet time and doesn't feed himself, not aware of the world around him and is completely non verbal! No words whatsoever I'm extremely upset and worried for him. I just wish he progresses and I don't care about the dla. But having severe autism and extreme care needs I can't afford the money for him. He needs specialist toys and breaks things and constant nappies still and I take him to activities which he cries and hates and screams gets overwhelmed ( I need the money for his care )

@Senmother I'm the same with my son he isn't aware of anything or his surroundings but I didn't fight the MRC he is also non verbal hypermobility pica autistic but I understand the higher rate is for people in a worse position than me and it's very hard to get x

[quote Alk19]@Senmother I'm the same with my son he isn't aware of anything or his surroundings but I didn't fight the MRC he is also non verbal hypermobility pica autistic but I understand the higher rate is for people in a worse position than me and it's very hard to get x[/quote]
Prayers to you and your child. It's very difficult and all we have to do is pray for them to learn and achieve 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

senmother which is why I posted ”neither did I state the award was correct”. I wasn’t passing judgement on the award, but on the assertion a diagnosis led to a specific award, which it doesn’t.

I’ve updated universal credits and explained on the journal that I couldn’t inform them back in August as only been notified this week as it took from then for form to be processed and decision made. So hopefully decision maker will backdate the disability element to then.

@Polly421 I told them in august and still haven't had my backdated payment for disability and the carers element they have granted it me a few days ago but still has to be approved x

@Alk19 that’s terrible. I didn’t think it took aslong as that to update. My universal credit next assessment period ends on the 11th so payment due 18th so I’m hoping the extra element is added this month. I don’t know how the backdating works as her award is to be backdated to the 11th of august. So I don’t know is she would be entitled to it for august as it was last day of that assessment period, so not a full month for august.

@Saz04 I hope you don’t mind me asking I was wondering once the decision maker agreed about the backdating how quickly did they sort out the payment for you?

@Polly421 I finally got my payment on Monday (same day payment) 16th November they said it will be backdated it was approved on the 29th November and payment went in that day x

@Alk19 that’s fantastic you finally got it resolved after waiting months.

I report the change last week and got a notification today that’s is been verified on system so now it’s with a decision marker for it to be backdated.

@Polly421 mine was with a decision maker from august until recently when it finally got approved I hope your not waiting that long x

@Alk19 i just today received a notification in my journal saying my mandatory reconsideration was approved due to special circumstances. This is due to my daughter initially being awarded mrc then a few months later hrc. They also agreed to backdate to dla claim date. The letter states my statement will show the changes but my next statement isnt due until 20th. Will it be paid in a lump sum or will it be spread out into my monthly payments?

[quote Tammy0808]@Alk19 i just today received a notification in my journal saying my mandatory reconsideration was approved due to special circumstances. This is due to my daughter initially being awarded mrc then a few months later hrc. They also agreed to backdate to dla claim date. The letter states my statement will show the changes but my next statement isnt due until 20th. Will it be paid in a lump sum or will it be spread out into my monthly payments?[/quote]
It will be paid in a lump sum.

@Tammy0808 it will be pains in one lump within a week or so x

@Tammy0808 how long did it take from going to decision marker to you getting the notification about your universal credits? I’m also waiting to hear back from decision marker.

@Polly421it was referred to a decision maker on 15tg October and received decision yesterday.