DLA and Carer's Allowance

[bed32]

Just going through the process of claiming DLA (should have done so months ago, I've read most of the advice I can find out there...

 

It seems that we should easily get Middle Care and Lower Mobility - and no chance of Higher Mobility. So the question is whether we will qualify for Highest care. From what I read this will come down to how much assistance we have to give at night time - does anyone know what the criteria are for determining whether one is eligible for the highest level - and any hints as to what might help us?

 

Also on the carer's allowance side they say you qualify if you look after a disabled person for 35 hours a week - but what exactly do they mean, obviously any parent spends more than that looking after their children - do they mean on care that is specific to the disability over and above what a normal child would require? If so 35 hours seems like quite a high barrier to cross - and how does that work with school / school holidays since of course he requires more help at home in the holidays?

[trekster]

24 hours a day care or as frequent care during the day and night would qualify for higher rate care. For adults if you get middle rate care at least you get carers allowance but unsure what the case is for children. What do the NAS online guides say?

[oxgirl]

Caring 35 hours per week just means that they live at home, as some children might be at residential school during the week and only come home at the weekends, for example.

 

~ Mel ~

[bed32]

As it happens the guides are very quiet on where the boundary is between Middle and High care, The question is whether the disruption to our nights qualifies us. Given the questions they ask it is very hard to give an accurate account - at times I can't even remember in the morning how many times I was up duing the night

[trekster]

Could you have a notepad next to your bed so you can record a tally of how many times you're up per night?