No DLA

[sharonv]

Hi. Just got turned down for DLA. Does anyone know wether it is worth appealing.

 

It took me ages to fill in the forms and I am sure I gave all the right information.

 

Sharon.

[invent 10 things b4 breakfast]

Hi Sharon, I too got turned down a couple of weeks ago, mine was because the school said he could do stuff that he can't! I rang them and was told I had 2 options - appeal or reconsider. I have gone for the reconsider because it is looked at by a different officer but it can take 11 weeks. When I asked about the appeal they said that would take the same amount of time. The difference I can see is that with appeal you have to attend a meeting and reconsideration you don't. I went for the less hassle option first of reconsideration and if I'm not happy with that and I have the strength I will appeal Good Luck <'>

[meemo38]

Yes we to were turned down on what the school had said, but they got a report from someone he has nothing to do with, they didnt get in touch with the senco from school or his ed physch, we have gone straight to appeal so we can state our case and take other reports which we now have with us, its a long process and hopefully for us it will have been worth it.

give it a go, thats all you can do.

michelle

[lil_me]

Best finding out what information was used in the decision , who they contacted etc first, and why they have refused, then go from there. I got help from Welfare Rights with mine and got it after asking for it to be looked at again with further information.

 

Best of luck

Edited July 29, 2005 by lil_me

[denise2]

When we applied for mobility to look at earlier this year they were totally lost as our son no longer attends school as we have de-registered him. I phoned them and asked if they wanted copies of the medical letters that I had, and we got it based on those.

 

When my son was at school we were refused DLA outright due to what they told them. Fortunatly our psychologist wrote to them explaining that in his opinion DLA at a middle or higher rate was more than appropriate and we got the middle rate.

 

Good Luck many of the people on this forum have been there before you, it seems more unusual if it is agreed first time.

 

Denise 2

[karin]

hi sharonv know how you feel was turned down for my twins when twin2 was turned down in 8days asked for a reconsideration it took them another 8days to turn him down would go to appeal i am not bothering will wait till kids go back to school then re-apply with someone who knows what they are doing the senco teacher filled out twin2s form although i specifically asked for both their teachers to do it even put their names on it but it was ignored by school do you think the teachers and dla have something going on together or am i being paranoid keep smilin luv karin xx

[lorryw]

Hi Sharon

Dont apply for reconsideration, its a waste of time, very few decisions get overturned Apply for an appeal and in the meantime contact Welfare Rights or your local CAB.

I suggest you take alook at this site, www.yourable.com and visit the forum section. Lots of good advice about appeals etc.

I went to appeal several years ago and won, a bit daunting at the time but the appeal panel were brilliant. I would do it again without hesitation, so go for it girl!!

Let us know how you get on.

Loraine

[lil_me]

They did my reconsideration while I was waiting for appeal paperwork and was successful thankfully. Always seems like one fight after another (my next is with LEA) but never give up, these benefits are available to help improve your childs quality of life, never forget that bit.

[Kazzen161]

The statistics are showing that more than half of first DLA applications get turned down now, but many are won at appeal - so definitely worth appealing.

 

Karen

[KarenT]

I've just got the letter this morning saying we didn't get our DLA either. Ho-hum, another job...

 

Karen

x

[karin]

hi karent same as me what is going on? any ideas? keep smilin luv karin xx

[lil_me]

seems a lot getting turned down, think they do it to test people sometimes thinking they won't appeal

[cutie]

Hi I am new here but I just thought I'd add my little contribution to this post (i love the smilies btw)

 

I have also ben tunred down for DLA and have decided to go through the 'reconsideration' before appealing (if it comes to that).

 

I did not fill in part 2 of the DLA forms and took the option of the medical assessment (never again through). I feel it was the actual doctor that botched up my claim because he just seemed to want to get home for his tea and did not understand what ADHD even was!!

 

I hope to hear about my 'reconsideration' in a few weeks time.

[Tylers-mum]

Hi.

Seems like everyone is in the same boat here. I too was refused on first applying back 3yrs ago. This was before ds was even in nursery so it was hard. I appealed and got refused so it went to tribunal who thankfully were a great, understanding and sympathetic group of men. I truly truly believe though that it was my special needs health visitor who won it for us. She came to the tribunal with me and they badgered her with questions but the one that really stands out is 'On a scale on 1-10, 10 being the worst, how would you rate this child's behaviour0. Her reply was 'An 8'. I think that is the time I actually begun to realise that people were listening to my concerns on how hard my son is to manage. We won the case. Then this year I was sent a new form as the 3yrs were up, oh the joys! My special needs health visitor helped me fill it in and put my son's Pead done as a contact. It was her report that won it for us again.

 

Get as much info as you can backing up all your claims from medical personell, school etc etc and send them in. Don't tell them to send em in b/c they won't bother. Appeal and if it goes to tribunal, at least you are there in person and can verbally fight your case rather than have em look (or not) at piece's of paper and if you have a special needs health visitor like me, take her/him with you!

 

All the very best.

[punky]

Hi, on a more possitive note I got dla for my son at the higher rate without a problem, the parents at our support group helped me do my forms, perhaps you should contact your local parent partnership group, they are brilliant with things like this, and remember to fill in the questions as your childs worst possible days.

[baddad]

Hi Sharon (and all you others in the same boat) -

The problem with the DLA form is that the 'assessors' don't necessarily know the first thing about the conditions they are assessing: they are just 'bods' who work to a formula with tick boxes. They have no intuition about (ie) why autism might effect a child's ability to 'walk outdoors', and as the form you've sent in indicates that there's no physical impediment you get discounted...

You may have done this with your original claims (and personally i wouldn't discount lil me's suggestion that its an internal 'incentive' to knock the overall number of awards down by forcing people to appeal), but if not download the guidelines from the following links. They not only help in defining the 'how to', but actually tell you what the 'tickboxes' at the other end are looking for...

Good luck with the appeals. Hard work, but worthwhile in the long run.

 

http://www.cerebra.org.uk/

 

(look under 'resources')

 

http://www.bhas.org.uk/

 

(look under 'free guides')

 

In the unlikely event that you haven't got it, you'll need 'acrobat reader' installed on your pc. You'll find links to download it on both sites.

 

L&P

BD

[KarenT]

Unfortunately, it seems that sometimes you can do all the right things and still be rejected. I used the Cerebra guide to the letter, had a friend experienced in these matters go over it with me, highlighted key words and headed each section with bullet points indicating James' particular difficulties and additional care needed to manage them, etc etc etc. I had very supportive reports from my health visitor (I quote "It is my professional opinion that James' needs are above that of a child his age, family days out and mealtimes are described as 'nightmares' and I have observed mealtimes carrying out work with the parents and can confirm this"), J's psychiatrist asked me "What do you want me to write" and indeed formulated her response from the details on my claim form. Letters of support from friends who know James well have also referred to him being much more difficult to manage than other children with whom they have close contact. In addition I was VERY specific in my explanations of James' problems day to day so there can be little doubt that he needs more care than any other child of his age. It just seems to me that regardless of the content of the claim pack, sometimes the assessors just alternately tick Yes or No and that's yer answer. Tough titty.

 

Since the original claim was submitted I have several more professionals involved with James, plus swimming and karate instructors who will give evidence that he needs additional support, even though the evidence I've already given more than illustrates this. It's more the flippin' effort of it all that I'm annoyed about.

 

Karen

x

[Elouise]

The specilaist regional team that are 'lucky' enough to have Nathan and Sam on their books produce in depth reports on their development and how their difficulties are impacting them now.

 

I simply photocopy and send all those with their completed re-newal form and offer to bring Sam or Nathan to meet any of their acessors and say I would be happy to leave them to care for either of them for 24 hours to appreciate how their disability impacts them and their lifes.

 

No ones ever taken me up on that offer but equally we have not had problems with DLA.

 

I recommend the Disability Rights Handbook. Most major libareries stock it as a referance book and its excellant in explaining what those rotten terms and questions posed in DLA forms are about and suggestions for how to tackle the forms. It also has information on going to appeal and other benefits.

 

Good luck with sorting out your claim.

[sharonv]

Thank you all for all your advice.

 

I have rang them and asked them to reconsider. They spoke to my doctor who hasn't seen Alannah for years, so I have asked them to contact the school instead.

 

Thank you all again.

 

I will probably have to wait another 11 weeks now but we will see.

 

Sharon.

[phasmid]

Alwyas appeal!

 

Basicaly, you have nothing to lose (except the time taken to fill the appeal forms in and, perhaps, attend an appeal hearing) and everything to gain. Over the years we have claimed for ourselves and aided various friends and relatives with their claims. Most have been turned down first time around. I would say at least 80% have been succesfull on appeal.

 

The DSS will turn down most claims for DLA as a matter of routine (unless you are claiming under the 'special circumstances'). Mrs Phasmid has just guided 2 friends through the appeals process successfully - including one that went to a full blown tribunal hearing. They hope that most people will simply decide that the process of appeal will look so daunting that most people will not bother. You need to use the right 'buzzwords' in vogue with them at the time of claiming.

[phasmid]

Should also say that you should request that any offical looking at your claim has got relevant ASD SPECIFIC training.

[invent 10 things b4 breakfast]

Sharon, I was turned down as you know, I asked for it to be reconsidered and it was overturned this weekend So it is always worth trying.... and if you are successful they backdate the money to when you first applied Just got a surprise of over �600 deposited in my account today Spending some of it on a patio for S to play out on instead of in the mud (although I know which one he would probably prefer )

[Lemony]

Blimey! I must of been really lucky when i applied for DLA just over a year ago, it was accepted within only a few weeks. I filled in the form without any help, my local Partnership did offer though, and Michaels teacher filled in some bit too.

 

Fingers crossed for all of you appealing, keep fighting!