Will my DLA be stopped?

[sadnog]

I've recently been sent a form to reapply for DLA for DD. Nothing has changed since last application, other than Paed decided that ADHD was incorrect diagnosis so now she has no DX. Will this mean that they will stop my DLA?

Thanks Electra, I thought that would be the case but just wanted assurance. DLA helps us to afford to do things with DD & DS that we otherwise wouldn't be able to.

No, Stupid I know but to be honest never thought I would get awarded anything when I applied. It was the Senco who suggested it. I tried to remember what I had written before and basically put the same information on again. I gave details of all specialists who have seen DD, Ed Pysch, Complex communications etc...... Just hope they don't find any reason not to award this time.

No guarantees though I'm afraid. My ds1 had dla awarded at the age of 2. This was the youngest you used to be able to apply for it though I do believe that it's now 6 months.
When the renewal pack arrived I completed it and was turned down. My ds1 has a congenital, incurable condition and I naively believed as nothing had changed renewal wouldn't be a problem. We did get it reinstated after going all the way to a tribunal hearing. This process took about a year although they did back date it. We had a very frugal year. Would be even worse now. We only lost dla and carer's allowance. Now you would lose the disabled element of ctc too.
Ds is 20 now and just had the dreaded renewal pack through the post again.

Guess I should be prepared for a battle then. Seems all things in life become a battle when you have a child who is not what is considered to be the "Norm" (Hate that expression but couldn't think of anything else).

The annoying part is that after nearly a year and much anguish, form filling and arguing against their decision when we finally got to the tribunal hearing they didn't even want to see ds and we were in and out within five minutes having been told they couldn't understand why it had been stopped in the first place!

You're kidding, I'd have done my nut!!
Why is it everything that you need to do in order to help or give your child a better life entails endless forms and long periods of time. EG: Why does a statement take up to 6 months. If a child is struggling and needs help desperately they need it now, not in 6 months bloody time!! Sorry, felt a rant coming on!

One mistake I made was being too 'honest'. I did things like when it asked how many times a week ds needed help to wash his hair I put 2 because that's how often I washed his hair. What I didn't realise is that the dla assessors would read that as saying that on the other 5 days he didn't need help and could do it himself NOT that he just didn't wash his hair iyswim. By complicated forms!!!

Will be very interested electra. Thanks

It is worth getting experienced help with the forms if you can. There were lots of things I did not think to mention because they are our normal. Also list the difficulties if you have no diagnosis and point out how they interact in your bit at the end.

Hi Magso, know what you mean about not putting things on the form. Lots I didn't mention because I thought it might sound too petty or as you say "normal". Beginning to wish I'd just written everything, no matter how insignificant it may have been. Dreading the letter now to say we haven't been awarded anything, I'm not a great fighter so don't know if i'd cope with having to appeal.

Thanks very much for all the advice Electra. Bit late for me as I have already sent my form in so will just have to wait and hope for the best at the moment. However should I need to appeal or fill in another application at a later date your advice will be very useful. I guess as I deal with DD every day, most of what I deal with seems 'normal' to me so didn't think of mentioning it on the form. Lesson learned!

Thanks, will let you know how I get on!