dla, some info please

[emum2]

hello, not posted on here before but just wondered, if anyone could give me a bit of info.
i have just found out we have qualified for disabilty allowance for dd.
it says we are getting the high rate for the care element.
im surprised how easy it has been as i have heard lots of stories of how dla is really hard to get, but we seem to have been ok and although the forms were horribly long other than that its all been fine.
it also says that i should call the tax credits people. i have called them today, but am hoping this does not mean we will loose money from the tax credits, has anyone else had to do this?
also it says i can claim for carers allownace, does anyone know what this is? will it affect the tax credits again? is it worth getting, how much do they give you, basically is it worth applying, are the chances of getting it any good?

is there anyone else i should inform in terms of claiming etc?
also are there any more benefits i should ask for, i heard from someone that you can claim for insulation for your house, which doesnt really apply to us as we rent, but that sort of thing.
i know i sound really greedy, im not, i just feel we may as well get what were entitelled to, plus having not known about the dla untill recently i feel weve missed out for the past year on what we should have been claiming and so dont want that to happen again.
sorry for so many questions, i really dont have a clue about any of this.
thankyou

There was a recent thread if you have a look here hopefully it will answer the questions you ask - and some you havent!!!

Hi, we found out yesterday that we have been awarded middle rate care for DS2. I was really surprised how quick they were in making the decision and I must admit I was half expecting to get turned down.
I informed the tax credit people today and was told we would get an increase in the tax credits of about £45 a week which would be backdated to the day we made the DLA claim.
If we had got higher rate care the increase in tax credits would have been about £66 a week.
I have rung for the forms for carers allowance today and they said that it will affect the tax credits slightly butit still works out more money each week than if we don't claim it (if you see what I mean).
I don't drive (can't afford the driving lessons) and I have been told that if you get middle or higher rate care you can apply for a grant from the family fund, they can pay for things like holidays, driving lessons, washing machines etc.
HTH, Tracey

I can't answer all your questions, but I'll help where i can. We got DLA at first attempt too. It does happen sometimes

Definitely call Tax credits. You will not lose money - in fact you will probably gain quite alot as you will have a disability premium added - obviously it is income related, but if you are receiving credits already then you will definitely receive more.

You can claim carers allowance, but only if you earn under a certain amount a week. I beleive that this can also affect any other benefits you may be claiming. Check www.direct.gov. uk for details

You may be able to get a council tax rebate if you have a room in your house that is addapted for your dd.

Hope this helps. I am sure others will tell you more.

wow thats great, i had no idea the tax credits would actually go up £66 a week, is that on top of what we get already!? am going to apply for the carers allowance too,seems worth while seeing as i spend so much time looking after her, i supose its seen as instead of working.
when i spoke to the tax credits people they didnt tell me anything really, i just said that she'd been given the dla high rate, does this mean they will automatically add the diabilty premium or do i need to ring and ask for this speciffically.
thanks for all the advice its really helpful

If you told them she hs been awarded high rate then it should automatically give you the disability premiuim. Did they ask you what date you have been awarded high rate from?
If you go on the Entitled To website and put all your details in it will tell you what tax credits you will get. If you fill it in first without putting the carers allowance down it wil give you what you will get, and then if you put in the carers allowance (£50.55 a week) you will be able to see how that will affect your tax credits.
I think Carers Allowance is worth claiming because if you don't work then they will pay your national insurance contributions.