chris54 Report post Posted March 16, 2012 Got the letter today, sons DLA has been renewed, up untill October 2016. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LancsLad Report post Posted March 16, 2012 Chris good news, if you don't mind me asking did he have to go for a fresh assesment, was it just a paper exercise and if so what was your opinion of it as a process? The only reason I say this is that I have been comfortable for a couple of years knowing my review is due I believe in 2013. I am at the lowest level and see it as more about giving my partner a few quid to go out with her mates once a month and a glass of wine some nights as compensation for putting up with some of the ###### which she has to deal with living with me. Whilst DLA and loosing it would not be life changing for me I suspect a lot of people out there are really worried about the changes coming through and would be interested to know how it is working at the moment. Even if it is exacly the same form to fill in that would be reasuring. thanks. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chris54 Report post Posted March 17, 2012 (edited) DLA can be awarded for a fixed term, or for indefinite periods. It is usual to award it to children like my son for fixed term. Often ending at 12 and 16. His present award ends in a few weeks when he will be 12, the new award takes him up 16. Each claim is looked at in isolation, with no reference to what may have been awarded before. So from that point of view it was a completely new claim, and all that that involves. This is why it is important to a keep copy of any claim for future reference. It seemed to me to be easier to fill in the form this time around, not sure if it was the form or that I'm getting better at filling them in. It may also be that I am now always reading care plans etc at work and am into the sort of way things should be worded. It is not easy to write about your own child in a dispassionate way but that is what is required. I do it online over a few weeks, so can ponder, and reword it. But this time I got right to the end and when I asked for a paper copy there was a problem with the DWP computer and I lost most of what Id put, fortunately I had printed of copies as I went along, but still had to fill in most of the form again. We get lower rate mobility, and middle rate care, which is as much as we could expect. You only get high rate mobility if for what ever reason you cant walk, and higher rate care you if you need care both night and day. But this does mean that we also get the disabled premium on the child tax credit. So all in all it make a big difference to what is coming in to the house hold. What it means is we have been able to build up a financial cushion for future unknowns. An indefinite award will be reviewed periodically, and may be updated as a persons circumstances change. I think that there are changes in the pipe line which will affect adult claiming DLA more than children. Edited March 17, 2012 by chris54 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LancsLad Report post Posted March 17, 2012 Thanks Chris. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tally Report post Posted March 17, 2012 That's a relief for you, well done Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites