DLA Lifetime awards: Why do some get it...

[donkeyderby]

...and some don't? DS never gets more than 5 years, despite severe disabilities which will not be cured. Others I know - some less disabled - get lifetime or 16 year awards.

Does anyone know the rationale behind the dishing out of DLA awards? Am I missing something?

Dunno. My sister, who is on the autistic spectrum but lives relatively independently, works etc. has a lifetime award while J, who is much more severe, doesn't. I guess that's cos he's a child and his needs might change/ become easier but I think it's totally down to which random decision maker you get. After all, some random twat decided that J wasn't entitled to any DLA. Which was then upgraded by tribunal to high rate care and mobility. Total lottery. DLA = random.

No logic behind it,ds got 2 years last time as offically he was dx with GDD so everyone bar me expected him to catch up .this time they have given us 5 years with dx of cp and verbal/oral dyspraxia and epilepsy

don't usually get it until their an adult friend of mine's son got it awarded at 18 SW said that ds[15] will get a couple awards for 2 tears then hopefully for life

Hi DD, iv'e often wondered this also!!
My son has an irrepairable heart condition, I do relise things progress medically but he is also functioning around 20month...he's 9, do they expect much progression?? Not to mention the rest of his list of dx's. Though he is primarily down syndrome and according to the DSA anyone with the syndrome gets middle rate care and lower rate mobility. So maybe they are waiting for his other dx's to be overcome while they put him on a 5year award!!

DS2 was awarded 5 years in Feb, he gets middle rate care and has autism. We can't apply for lower mobility unitl August.

I can't understand why some people (ie Riven, 2shoes) don't get longer!

See I don't get it either. I'm fairly independent, can work etc, just need help covering taxi costs due to not driving due to sight, yet mine is apparently, indefinite. So will I eventually have to go through DLA form hell like you guys or am I safe do you think?

Bizarre system in any case.

devientenigma - hilarious (NOT) that Down Sydrome gets a 'set' rate. Crazy world.

It's all bonkers innit and makes no sense. Must be down to individual workers looking at the DLA forms and making a decision based on:

1.) how they feel at the time - Hungover? Had argument with partner? A bit constipated and in need of a good turnout? Like form-fillers writing?

or

2. Every 20th form gets a lifetime award, regardless?

Beats me. DS1 with a long list of reasons got a 3 year award. DS2 got an "indefinite" award with one, succinct reason. I've just re-applied for DS1's, since I never got around to applying for mobility when he turned 5 and I will probably re-apply for DS2's when he's 5, anyhow.

first time i went to Citizens Advice and they filled it out for me.
It was very formulaic, kept writing the same thing 24 hours a day, 7 days a week etc at the bottom of every answer, basically the way some of these online guides say you should, using certain phrases etc.
we were awarded middle rate care till he was 5 but i asked them to look at it again and they raised it to high rate till he was 5.

when i got the next lot of forms i filled them all in myself and i didnt write about the worst day like they say you should, i wrote about an average day and i put in loads of detail but made sure i didnt just repeat the "expected" phrases all the time and it came back as high rate indefinitely!

as a bit of background i used to date a doctor a few years ago who, a few years previously, had worked in an office where they assessed DLA claims and he had also did home visits although it was adults he dealt with.

He said he was always quite cynical when he saw the same phrases being used over and over and passages that were obviously copied straight from the online guides and when they went out for visits it was sometimes really obvious that people were laying it on thick.

as i said he worked on the adult side of DLA so probably different than the childrens claims but i must admit it did influence me to steer away from the way ds's form had been filled in the first time although i also suspect there is a bit of "depending what kind of mood the assessors is in" as when i asked them to have another look at ds's claim the first time it was changed from middle rate to high rate with no other evidence just someone else looked at it so who knows!

DS got it indefinitely the first time I applied (3months old, severe CP). Unfortunately when I applied for mobility, they said it was a mistake! He then had it for 5 years and now for 3 (because obviously his CP must be getting better, he'll start talking and walking any time soon!).

well tbh I have never filled in the form myself either, so absolutely dreading it when I come to do it!!
DS was awarded from 3 month to 5 year old, with a letter to apply for mobility at 3. All done by hospital SW. Then welfare benefits rushed through an application to continue mobility (car), which now all runs out when he is 11. I was told by her I don't need to write as much as soon as they see heart condition both is automatically awarded!!
LOL DD, hope your keeping allright. U 2 Glittery and Riven and everyone else, Take care x

riven I've never understood why children like your DD don't get awarded lifetime DLA immediately it would be one less worry for parents.

Riven just like your DD - they obviously expect there to be cures for DSs CP, blindness and LGS (and of course all the other incurable conditions) next week .

More alarmingly, they seem to think we may 'forget' to tell them if given an indefinite award.
Like we want to claim it anyway