carer's allowance for adult asd

[florrie]

I just claimed carer's allowance as I just found about it , for my son who has asd the thing is I signed it on his behalf explaining because he had autism and they sent it back saying he has to sign that he understands that I am claiming carers allowance for him. The thing is he has severe pragmatic difficulties and I don't feel he understands this, although his is physically capable of signing. I'm not sure what to do, if he signs it my worry is they may say his difficulties are not bad enough and he'll lose his dla this year when it comes up for renewal, on the other hand if I sign it they may want to do a home visit on him. He lives independently now too due to the breakdown I had when i lost all my benefits due to him becoming 16 and he ended up homeless, so that makes things more complicated. Had I known about the carers allowance years ago when he first got it I probably wouldn't have had a breakdown.

 

I'm thinking of just not bothering to claim it as I can't make a decision, I've had this letter 2 weeks and have got send it back this week.

 

Advice appreciated

Edited May 16, 2007 by florrie

[mossgrove]

From what I can remember from the DLA form whether or not you get carers allowance isn't one of the questions. The form is about his needs not aboul the level of provision he currently receives. I can't really see how they can remove is DLA because you asked him to sign a form.

 

I imagine the staff dealing with Carers allowance have dealt with this issue before, (There must be many people with disabilities out there who cannot sign a declaration in that way) Have you rung them and explained the situation? There may be a 'standard' way round it. You could also try ringing the NAS helpline for advice as I am sure they will have dealt with this before.

 

Simon

[lynda4]

My son has Aspergers and isn't able to fill in his own forms. He does understand what they're about and I tell him things that I've put in, in more and more detail as he's grown older. He absolutely hates form filling and especially talking about himself and having to think about what he can and can't do. He struggles with decisions of what to write and how to say it and can't remember all his difficulties in one go. Since he's been older though, I've always included him to some degree in the form filling because one day I won't be here to do it for him, so I'm getting him familiar with it for later on. He's at a stage now where I can read the whole thing through to him and he nods and agrees that its right, sometimes he chips in with his own ideas. He's more than happy to let me do all the thinking and the filling in and he does sign at the end.

 

I don't think your son necessarily needs to fully understand the form, you could explain it to him in much more simple terms according to his understanding, like ..... "This form is to say that you need some extra help with things and the Government will give me some money because I'm helping you. You need to sign the form to show you agree that I am helping you with things" Then mention a few things that you might do for him, such as filling in his other benefit forms. Hopefully that will do and he can sign. The various organisations and benefit agencies understand that a lot of people aren't able to do their own forms and that they have help with it. Most benefit forms have it printed on, what to do if someone else is filling it in for you, so you can do the filling in, it shouldn't be a problem. At the end when he signs, it doesn't make the agencies think he's any less disabled, they realise that signing his name doesn't mean he can do other things, or even fill in the form himself. Its not like his disability is a physical one where you're saying he can't hold a pen. Especially with ASDs, they can do lots and lots of things but not do other things which everyone else takes for granted. The agencies will know this and not make anything of it.

[Elly]

Once our children become 16 they are legally meant to sign these forms (DLA is slightly different). To be able to sign the careres form for him I think you would need 'Power of Attorney'. This has to be applied for and would be granted if it was felt the person concerned was mentally or physically able to manage his/her finances etc. All your son would be doing is saying that, Yes, you do provide that care. It has no connection with his DLA claim (although if he is on high rate DLA care then Carers guaranted). Do you or your son have a social worker? They should have made you aware of benefits available. The only thing I could suggest is contacting your local citizens advice bureau and gettting some legal advice from them.

Keep Smilin

Elly

[florrie]

Thanks very much for the advice, that has really helped. Because I have had a few bad experiences, I worry a lot.

Edited May 16, 2007 by florrie

[lynda4]

I don't think you need to go as far as Power of Attorney with benefit forms. I seem to remember there's something 'less legal' you can do but it would mean someone coming round to see you to assess you/him for it, not a big deal and afterwards you can sign all that sort of paperwork for him. Ask the benefits people about it, maybe a benefits helpline or Welfare Rights. Sorry I don't have all the details.

[Kathryn]

I don't think you need to go as far as Power of Attorney with benefit forms. I seem to remember there's something 'less legal' you can do but it would mean someone coming round to see you to assess you/him for it, not a big deal and afterwards you can sign all that sort of paperwork for him. Ask the benefits people about it, maybe a benefits helpline or Welfare Rights. Sorry I don't have all the details.

 

Lynda's right, you can become your son's appointee for his DLA and any other benefits he claims, now and in the future. This is what I did for my daughter, as she has trouble writing and speaking sometimes, and would have difficulty talking on the phone. Becoming her appointee was a fairly straightforward process and it simplified things as I can sign things and deal with any problems directly and no one questions my right to do this. There should be a number to ring on the letter you've got about your Carer's allowance - they'll be able to tell you how to apply for this.

 

K x