DLA "helpers"

[staryeyed]

According to our portage like worker she can send round people from the DLA who will help us get higher rate DLA we are on medium at the mo. Sounds very unlikely that a government dept will send around people to help you get more money I know there are independent people and charities that can help with this that's how we applied the first time. Does anyone know of these so called DLA helpers?

When I told my mum she said "they will think there is nothing wrong with him (ds)". I said "he cant talk". "Oh yeah" she said " but that's it really" I didnt bother replying there is no point she is is denial still after nearly a year. She thinks he will talk soon and be like all other children

The (state funded) social worker helped me to fill in my DLA form and was very insistent that I paint a very bleak picture to make sure we got as high a rate as possible. I was quite surprised because as you say, it's unusual for the govt. to fund people to tell you how to your tax money back and even push you to try to get more.

I know social workers and other state funded people help but to have the specific job of helping people get more money sounds very iffy.

I don't know about these helpers staryeyed(though they might just be the govt's way of helping non-English speakers or poor readers fill out a very complex form, and they end up helping you get more money if they are nice people?) but I do know what you mean about your mum's commnent. My in-laws, who are otherwise wonderful, specialise in the wise nodding while saying "we think he'll be fine in a couple of years". I've given up replying too, though it is tempting to ask sweetly if they've found a cure for autism that I don't know about??

The first time a disability group help me fill it and we got the rate we thought we would. Im just really suspicious of these people coming to "assess" Ds to help me get higher rate I have nothing to hide but I don't feel comfortable with Ds being "assessed". I dont want to voluntarily be judged iyswim if they actually help then that's a different story and I would welcome them in.

I filled the form in myself at first and was refused DLA. I appealed and the NAS benefits adviser helped me by giving me previous caselaw, relevant literature quotes regarding the difficulties a child withan ASD might face etc and we found out today that we have been awarded higher rate! I was amazed, it took nearly 6 months of fighting but now they owe me all that backpay!

I would recomend using an advisor, especially one from a chrity specific to your childs disability if possible as mine was brilliant.

We have allways been told that for DLA you paint the picture of the worst the child has ever been in the whole of their life.

It can be very depressing to paint such a negative picture of someone but it's the only way to get DLA.

Maby years ago we had access to specialists in benefit law, DLA helpers" sounds a bit iffy though.

I drafted the form all on sticky notes and DS1's specialist HV came to look it over and add any thoughts and help me interpret some of the questions that seemed about as clear as mud. Our community HV did the professional statement on the form, since she's known DS1 since birth and gave us lots of support when his behaviour became unmanageable after DS2 was born and she helped me fill in a few things that were relevant, too. I used some of the links on the NAS site to help with specific wording. He got the rate we were expecting first time.