DLA.......what next?

[JaysMum]

We received in the post this morning the decission that we will be awarded DLA....so what's next?

Can we claim Carers Allowance too?
Mobility allowance for a vehicle?
Blue Badge?

J has been awarded Higher Personal Care and Lower Mobility.

Hubby wants to sell his business and spend 24/7 looking after J....this can only be done if I can sort out our finances.

Help and advice needed.

Thanks.

You can claim Carers but not a car as he has only been awarded lower rate mobility, and no blue badge unless you can get someone (doc, ss etc) to back you up.

dunno if your area differs but we got blue badges for our three one of ours only gets low mobility too, on the form it says something about auto entitlement if high level mobility, a bit further down theres an option for if you get high rate care if you tick that one and state that you child has no awareness of danger,putting self and others at risk, refuses to walk , worked for me, dont forget childrens tax credit will go up quite a bit if you get top rate care.

You can claim Carers Allowance if you earn less than £79 a week (which I guess your dh would be doing if he give up his business).

Yes, as OJ says remember to let the tax credits people know that you are now getting DLA as this adds quite a substantial amount on to your tax credits (well, it did in our case ).

By the way, great that you have got DLA!!

Think you can get careers but only get blubadge if you get high rate for mobility. A blue badge isn't really going to save you money anyway, maybe a tiny bit for not having to pay in pay and display bays but that's it really.

Is Jay still in nappies, you can get those paid for.

Phoned local JAT and they said I automatically qualify for a blue badge.
Tax credits have updated and sorting out the back pay they owe us....
Carers application in the post and on its away...

Just so miffed that two years ago I applied for DLA and was refused because I didn't explain his difficulties good enough.This time I put short simple worded answers and got it.

Hubby thinks I should try to appeal against that decission...but somehow think that we stand no chance of the DLA giving us two years backdated pay!!

If we can get carers alowance then huby will sell his business and work 3 days a week...so at least he will be around to care for J more and help me with his home ed.

Thanks for the help.

Oh, well pleased you can get a blue badge but confused all the same. I was told you coiuld only get it if you had high rate for mobility. Oh well, it doesn't matter, as long as you're getting it, just all so confusing.

You were typing as i posted so will point out the nappies thing to you again.

TC

He is nearly 9 so not in day nappies....but in pull ups at night to stop him wetting the bed. Can I get help for these???

my ds has got a blue badge although he only gets medium rate care. Not sure if he gets anything for mobility but it's definately not higher rate. My health visitor just told me to put autism, no awareness of danger, refusal to walk and ritual behaviour such as stepping on every drain cover regardless of if they are in the road or not. (my ds does this). There isn't room on the form to write much. I have to say the badge has been a godsend for the simple reason that the major buggy won't fit in the car boot and has to go on the floor behind the front seats. If I can't open the car doors I can't get the buggy in and out!

TC - as for Blue Badges I think basically you can automatically get one if you get High Rate Mobility but if you get lower rate (or none at all in the case of my dd as she isn't old enough) you CAN get a Blue Badge but you might need to provide expert back up (as mieow says).

I sent off dd's application with a copy of her latest Neuro report which stated that she wasn't standing independently or walking and we got one.

When I first phoned SS though they said we couldn't. TBH I don't think half of them know the rules themselves.

Th whole system is so confusing, the blue badge scheme is a total mystery to me!

Jaysmum, yes if he's still wearing nappies you should be gettign help, as far as I know. not sure how it works for night time use hon', but phone your health visitor and they will have to refer you. I'm seeing mine about this tomorrow, She's coming over to meet Lottie and assess her and then we fill oput a load of forms which she'll send off to a company called continence (!) and we should then get these apid for and delivered to home.

Do you have a Mclaren buggy? Does he need one? If so see your OT or physio about this and they will put you on the waiting list for the buggy clinic. ASgain, i've just gort myself on this list.

i could be wrong but i thought if you were a carer they cant make you work.

the interview is very basic - all they do is ask why your claiming it i.e for your ds and that's it really - never mentioned work to me and that was nearly 2yrs ago now

Bizarre re Carer's Allowance. I did mine on the internet, they checked our situation via NI numbers etc and emailed that it had been OKd. DH earns plenty, did'nt seem to matter as I earn zero. No interviews! Ugh!
Jaysmum, you can get Pull Ups free via HV.

swilt, my carers took 6months to wort out.

Have now got the blue badge and the Carers Application has arrived in the post this morning....will keep you posted as to how we get on.

Still not sure whether to ask the DLA to look again at our forms because we feel like we are scrounging benefits as we have never claimed anything in the past.

Also does anyone now if you get a reduction in your council tax if you have a child with a disability living with you?

Grandma seems to think that when Grandad was diagnosed with Dementia she got a 25% reduction because he had a mental health problem??????

Any ideas?????

if your house is adapted for disabled (therepy rooms, grab bars etc) then u move down a band for council tax.

Jaysmum, don't feel like you're scrounging. I felt funny about it at first. Then my taciturn HV pointed out that it's DD's money. That's the way I look at it. And it DOES cost so much more when you've got a SN child

You can get put down a band on Council Tax if you have a room used SOLELY for the disabled person's needs, e.g. OT type therapy or, in our case, ABA therapy room.

Just saw in this week's local paper info on Council Tax Benefit for people on low income and/or certain benefits. It says you don't have to wait for the next Council Tax bill but can apply now by contacting your local council or by visiting www.dwp.gov.uk. It says it won't affect other benefits.
I also know that our Council operates a very cheap odd job and repairs service for elderly and disabled residents. I know of at least 2 other councils doing this so its probably nationwide. My mum has used it and says its wonderful.
Also, most utilities have a special register for clients with a disabled person in the home. I'm not sure how much benefit this really is but, in theory you should get quicker service for gas leaks, power cuts etc. There's usually info of how to register somewhere on the bill.