HOORAY WE FINALLY GOT DLA

[bubblagirl]

well we finally got it went to bank today and saw all this money couldnt believe it backdated since beginning of june

we got high rate care so all my sleepless nights are worth it after all an di can finally afford to help him

can anyone tell me i have applied for carers allowence on line does this affect his money at all as panicking now that this will lower his money down

Thats great news bubblagirl The CA won't affect his DLA so don't worry about that.

thank goodness im so happy every night i sit awake with him feels so worth it now and in last few days ive managed to get him to sleep through in my room so i feel more alive and he has money to help him with his needs can even afford private SALT to see him now

feels like one hurdle is over also is he entitled to anything else? obviously dont want to be greedy but want to make sure he gets all he is entitled to as i really am so new to all this just done what ive been told to do and dont know much about anything really

he has 0 for mobility but high rate care and just wandered if he was entitled to anything at all with this i know people have mentioned cinema tickets etc just want everything he is entitled to lol

i really am not being greedy i promise but i know what a struggle ive had to get him anything so if theres more out there that can help then would be great

carers affects nothing- indeed you only get it if you have middle or higher

make sure you declaore both to WTC: make sure they know it is higher- you get extra money for dla, extra for higher again (but maybe lose a few piund for ca, you'll gain overall though)

glad you got it

Well where I live near Bournemouth the local borough run a scheme that allows people in reciept of certain benefits (including DLA and CA) to have cheap cinema and theatre tickets as well as as much as 75% off things like swimming. Its called 'Access to Leisure'. Also if you haven't told the tax credit people yet then do so straight away as the DLA increases your child tax credit entitlement. If you are already over the income threshold it sadly won't mean any more money though but you certainly won't end up losing any.

You may also be eligible for free cavity wall and loft insulation.

thank you i have informed tax credits today thought get it all done as i still have therapys to pay for that i couldnt afford to do but tomorrow i'll hold my head high and pay us up to date

so happy for him i can afford phonics dvds now anything i can get that may help him next is education panel that has been delayed finding out what he is awarded to there

but still the money will come in handy still havent received letter yet so dont know how long this has been awarded for yet but still its here now and that is the main thing

Well done, CA does'nt efect DLA but does efect tax credits.

hopefully not too much lol im just glad he is finally going to be able to get help

Entirely unrelated I know, but what a stunning young man you have, an absolute beauty!

Try your local council as well to see if they issue you with a CAN card. This gives either the carer or the child free entry into attractions ie legoland. Its a children with additional needs card, loads of places except them and you can even use them abroad, dont know if its just our council (wokingham council) that do them but its worth asking. We have also shown it in supermarkets when rude people of commented on Cs behaviour, they then get so embarrassed when they realise he is a child with extra needs LOL

lol nicky good idea i just saw loads of t shirts on e bay related to special needs im not naughty i have special needs dont stare etc thought if i was brave enough id put one on him lol

but his my angel and not eveyone needs to know still i think they are quite good

i shall look into that card thank you

vicsta thank you very much i like to think so lol ooh your ds is simply adoreable look at them cheeks [mwah]

you have all given me advise on these cards does anyone know if brentwood council or essex do it as cannot seem to find any info and not sure where to ask

googled everything not coming up with anything thanks

dont forget to backdate the CA 3 months

tried had to do it for 1 jul so not too far off

this is the cinema card which will allow carer to go free, it costs £5, and takes about 3wks to arrive but lasts 3yrs and you can use as often as you like.

Also you can apply to warmfront for grants of up to £2700 to upgrade your heating and insulation (we just got a brand new boiler and installation for free!!!)

MANY of the theme parks will also let you in at a very reduced price and will give you a 'exit pass' which lets you queue jump! which is so incredibly useful for us with an ADHD child and one with autism that cant cope with the others noise when hes all riled up from waiting in a queue! you will have to email the park and ask specifically if they have pricing schemes for carers and disabled.

Just also to mention that most energy suppliers (EG british gas) have special tariffs for the 'vulnerable' IE those who are in receipt of DLA and other benefits. Its worth ringing and asking your supplier.

Lots of other companies offer discounts too, Ten Pinn offer discounts for those in receipt of DLA - I have never actually been asked to show proof of disability (IE the award letter) but i always have it to show if ever they ask.

The family fund are a good charity too, their grants are means tested, but heard lots of encouraging stories from people who have had laptops and stuff.

And lastly, although you havent actually been awarded higher mobility, if you feel you would benefit from the blue badge scheme then its always worth applying anyway - at worst they'll simply say no, and theres always a possibility that they might grant you one.

HTH XXX

Citizens advise might know about the CAN card or have you got a childrens information service in your area.

I just happened to find out by accident, didnt know about DLA until C was 4 and can only back date it 3 months. Was very annoyed and only just found out about carers allowance. no one told me i was entitled to this when getting high rate DLA for care. its a nightmare isnt it

yes it is i wouldnt have known anything if i hadnt read it on here and asked what itm was all about

i shall look into it as we have trip to zoo coming up and the long wait in the cues is a nightmare so would be so handy for that but how do you go for the exit pass do you apply for that on line or do you just jump the cue for it lol

thats why i'm determined to make sure whatever he is entitled to im going to try and get for him as what he is entitled to such as SALT etc he isnt getting so making sure we get everything as every bit of money saved will allow me to save for private SALT

NOT SURE I CAN GET WARM FRONT ONE AS IM HA sorry not shouting at you

could do with better windows as ours leak and are so rubbish never mind maybe if i keep looking i might be anble to get some lol you8 dont know if you dont try he he

thanks everyone if i come across anything else i'll let you know

unfortunately there doesnt seem to be a way of jumping the queue to get in anywhere but once you're in and you ask for the disabled/carers prices, they should mention if there are any exit passes available - IE they are usually wristbands which all the party has, but can only use if the child with the disability wants to go on the ride as well. if so, just wait patiently (hmm yeh!) at the exit ramp and the attendant places your party (or part it doesnt matter if you dont want to get on too) on the next available place for riding.

Alton towers, twin lakes, flamingo land, Drayton manor, lightwater valley, all do exit passes, most do but its best to find out by email first.

thank you so much i'll enquire before hand they may give us a pass you never know x

could someone help me please apparantly my dp earns 40k a yr where id like to know we dont spend much and are always skint mr tax man rubs his hands with glee i guess anyway tax credit awarded us 10.40 a month and i informed them of ds having dla and they have dropped my tax to 9.80 which takes us below the 545 they had awarded us for this income

anyway all im want to know is anyone else in same bracket and receive high rate care and get extra or did theres drop too as they told me dla doesnt affect it but have only put it down since telling them when i renewed it came back as awarded 545 entitlement and now its lower than that should be 545 up to 50 odd k so why drop ours down

he siad its only 40 p yes 40 bloody p im entitled to

sorry i know by the annual wage it looks like we dont need it beleive me when p60 came in we were dumbfounded as been living in arrears for as long as we can remember never spend extravagantly always have to save we think boss may have had something to do with it as money hasnt changed from last yr and it was 26 k coming in

anyway besides the point am i not entitled to more for ds is it right to lose money when still in the 545 a yr bracket doesnt make sense

are we talking 'working tax credit' or 'child tax credit'?

child tax credits