DLA

[Mother in Need]

This poll is linked to DLA, did you get it or not, and at what rate? but goes more into the process of applying itself, and how hard we all have to work to receive what is supposedly our right

[lil_me]

I clicked the top box for the first application, second application we lost mobility lower rate but asked for reconsideration and got it back.

[mandyque]

I was turned down flat the first time, then on appeal was awarded it. The rates haven't changed since despite me having to reapply every 3 years

[jomica]

We applied and got it at first request and, to my knowledge, no-one else was approached.

 

Sounds great doesn't it - but we've had the nightmare forms to fill in three times since then and the awards have gone up and down with alarming frequency, despite the fact that we used the same information every time - just updated a little where we thought it was necessary!

 

I've learned not to ring them. If you do, they send you another set of forms. Then if you don't fill them in they threaten to withdraw the DLA you've already got, despite the fact that it wasn't supposed to "run out" for another two years.

 

I'll never, ever, ever, ring them again for ANYTHING!

[Mother in Need]

Jomica, I'll remember that

[Malika]

Hi

voted aplied turned down asked for rconsideration then turned down did not appealed.

 

Now I am waiting for apointment for DNA test for fragile X.

Then what ever the result I will apply again.

 

The problem was that the school was approach and said my son was not a pb and as well because he does not have a pediatrician!!!???

 

Seems a bit like playing lottery anyway.

 

Good luck with your survey.

 

Malika.

[BuntyB]

We could do with multiple votes! I managed to get it okay for three of my children but approached people first in case they were asked to explain what I was doing. Having said this, I was known as the 'benefit queen' by some people at work. If I didn't read everything going to help other people, I wouldn't have known anything about it!

 

I did apply for myself and was turned down. I didn't take it further for a reason:

An interesting piece of case law involves an adult with AS who was turned down. The reason? He didn't disclose he had a University Degree (as if that has anything to do with independent living skills ) I wish I had been to Tribunal with that one- i would have had something to say

 

There needs to be a lot more educating of the public before that one gets overturned.

Shona

[seeking-sanity]

I applied and got it first time, but they contacted consultant and GP, I wonder if they had consulted school whether we would have got it cos as in most cases the school dont see a problem!

[bluejean-genie]

I ticked the last box as we received DLA the first time we applied but when we had to re-apply my son's school was contacted and the school said there were no problems as he was like all the other children in his class so obviously we were turned down, we asked for the decision to be looked at again and the decision was upheld. (I did not appeal)

We have recently applied again and this time we have been granted both care and mobility, this was granted after they contacted our GP as my son is not in school.

[Mother in Need]

Seeking-Sanity and Bluejean-genie, they have approached my son's school and I am dreading their comments...it's so stupid how schools are just not able to see the problems our children face on a daily basis

[Flora]

They approached my son's school too. They wrote to me last week to say that's what they were doing. I immediately sent them a load of extra information which would contextualise anything the school might say against my claim. I also sent them copies of my son's dx confirmation.

 

Lauren

[KarenT]

DWP contacted J's school for a report as well. His teacher was really quite upset because the questions on the standard form didn't relate to AS at all, and it was difficult for her to give answers that were supportive of the situation she knew we were in. For example, there was a question on whether J understood road safety and she answered that theoretically he understood but as she'd never had a need to cross a road with him she didn't know whether or not he could apply that in a practical situation (she knew how erratic he could be at the roadside). My point is it's not always the school's fault - even with supportive and understanding teaching staff it's hard for them to get their point across because the forms don't point in the right direction.

 

Karen

x

[jomica]

Just out of interest, who did you all put down on your forms that the DLA could contact? There is an area on the form where it asks who you would prefer them to contact.

 

On the advice of our paediatrician we always put her name down there because she knows what happens when schools are approached - particularly if you have a child like ours who manages to keep it together at school and then falls apart on the way home.

 

DLA have never contacted school to our knowledge, but may have contacted the paediatrician. I must remember to ask her next time we see her.