DISABILTY LIVING ALLOWANCE

Replies

By kerry

Re: DISABILTY LIVING ALLOWANCE
Fri 25 Jan 2008 18:33

Hi Maria
I too have two of my children severely disabled.
Both on high rate dla and mob.
You can appeal against the decision, you dont say when it was made, and your circumstances may have worsened/changed.
Af ew years ago, out of the blue my older son was put down to middle rate- altho both boys have the same condition- so I appealed and it was overturned back to high rate.
If you get your social worker, the childrens specialist, the school teacher, even the GP- as many authorities as you can- to write letters of support and send it all together with your appeal stuff, the likelihood is that it will be overturned, as long as you explain everything clearly.
Like how you need a car to take him to school, maybe for other activities too, like swimming, play schemes, whatever he does, even hospital visits.
if he doesnt cope with public tansport you should say all that, about how hard it is without the car etc etc.

I was previously a mencap advisor specialising in benefits and i heard this story over and over. It saddens me when you obviously need this extra money to purchase or lease a car for your children.
Good luck, and if you get time please let me know how you get on.
Kerry
PS its not always about how far they can walk, sometimes its about how far they can walk without pain, or in my boys case, they can run bloody fast- right into the road!!!!! so its danger as well to themselves and the public.

By tired lady

Re: DISABILTY LIVING ALLOWANCE
Fri 25 Jan 2008 19:30

Hi Maria,
I totally agree with kerry.
I had to go to a appeal tribunal to fight for High rate mobility. for my sons. I won.
Appeal in writing to DLA as they ask. and as Kerry said send with it reports and letters from everyone involved with your son.
I did exactly that. They are me to come to a tribunal court. which i did. ittok the reports with me then too.
I also took a professional involved with my sons with me too.
All this was enough to win the case.
in fact the lawyer for DLA said IT should have never come to court. With all that evidence they should have been awarded anyway.
Keep fighting. Dont give up.
My third son has been diagnosed with same condition. I expect i will have to go through the whole process again.

By Lynne D

Re: DISABILTY LIVING ALLOWANCE
Sat 26 Jan 2008 03:31

Hi Maria, I am mum to 2 boys as well - my son has had heart surgery, he also has had 2 major heart attacks and a stroke, which left him brain damaged, unfortunatly on top of all that he only has one lung, chronic asthma and he is autistic. However he is now the ripe old age of 19. When he was below 16 i got high rate of DLA for him and low rate mobility, he got the mobility on the reason Kerry has given, being a danger to himself and other road users. When he was 16 they knocked his DLA down to middle rate because i have paid carers coming in to him for 42 hours a week and also for sleep ins every night, i no longer get up with him, they do, so had his dla knocked down to middle rate. My son is also more affected on left side he is deaf (in left ear) visual problems (left eye) it is the left lung that he dosnt have, left kidney dosnt work, his left leg is shorter than the right............. oh and to top it all he is................LEFT HANDED LOL

By nat38

Re: DISABILTY LIVING ALLOWANCE
Wed 6 Feb 2008 14:23

my daughter recieves high rate dla and mobility she is 15 this yr ut it took until last yr to get the high rate i applied about 4 times even though she can walk hers is more learning dissabilities they did award it all for life but put the rate down to middle i appeald and won it back but only until 2011 wen i apply again but she is then into adult services by 2 yrs so i am presuming that it will get awarded for life they make you laugh puting it up and down for silly reasons it just depends who looks at it and what mood they are in at the time

natalie

By loopy

Re: DISABILTY LIVING ALLOWANCE
Fri 8 Feb 2008 18:50

who are they to decide what rate to give? it makes me mad!