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Claiming DLA

Y

Yogster74

Newbie
Hi,

My daughter aged 4 was diagnosed with Diabetes Type 1 two weeks ago, my diabetic nurse has told me that she will get DLA and I should be looking at the Highest rate, due to me being a single father bringing my kids up. Please could anyone give me any advice on completing the form as it is a monster of a form. If anyone is willing to send me a copy of their completed form, with sucess of getting DLA I would be very much appreciated as I have been told that what you get depends on how you complete the form. Any help would be very much appreciated.
 

DLA payments are based on an individuals need for help with care and mobility. It would be very unwise to use someone else's form to fill out your own claim. If you/your dependant is disabled enough to qualify for the benefit, the answers that you give on the form will reflect that need.
You are correct when you say that getting the award is dependant on how you complete the form. That is because it is paid on an individual need. However, the need of the disabled person is the deciding factor, not the marital status or needs of the carer.
I'm sorry but I think that automatically assuming entitlement to a benefit or a level of a benefit is fundamentally wrong. I have been through this form, completed it reflecting my own needs and abilities and I'm happy with the DWP's assessment of my situation. I had a DWP doctor visit me at home to confirm my needs and the benefit is re-assessed at certain intervals.
The DWP will decide if your daughter is in need of the benefit and if you are not happy, then you will have the right to appeal their decision, but please have the decency to fill in the form as you see her needs, not based on someone else's.

Diabetes is not a disability, the complications that can arise from diabetes in the long-term can be.
 
mrburden I think Yogster74 is just asking to see an example of a completed one, not to copy information.

Yougster74 There are people such Citizens advice who can help you to fill in the form. You can book a one-to-one appointment with someone and they will go through the questions and help you to form your answers to explain properly what you mean.

Your surgery or social services may also know of someone who can help too. And then you will know you have put the facts and your day-to-day experiences down correctly and fully so the DLA people can make a fair assessment of your claim.

After all, the DLA is there for all who need it, so if you dont try, you wont know if you qualify. Its part of what you pay your taxes for.
 
Many areas have a Welfare Rights Unit, it can be part of the Council or the Citizens Advice Bureaux. They will help you fill in the form. I know someone who went through the Welfare Rights Unit to get DLA for her son (not diabetic) and got mid rate.
 
lucylocket61 said:
mrburden I think Yogster74 is just asking to see an example of a completed one, not to copy information.
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Lucylocket61
I'm sure that the OP just wants to see an example, but he asks for a "successful" claim form so that he knows how to fill in another successful form himself. My point is that if he thinks he should be entitled to the benefit, then he should fill in his form his way. Why else would you only want a successful form to copy if it isn't to copy the answers? (I realise this wouldn't be word-for-word,of course). Successful applications are those that reflect the truth. The fact that he is a single father will not have any bearing on the outcome, only the disability of the child will be in question. Also, expecting the highest rate automatically would imply that the child is unable to walk, feed or manage any simple day to day task by themselves, which I'm sure is not likely to be the case (not caused by 2 weeks of T1 diabetes, at least). I think that any diabetes nurse who implies that the highest rate of DLA is likely for a 4 year old T!, 2 weeks in, has probably not filled in the form themselves.
Like you say, if you don't apply you won't get and I'm not saying don't apply. I'm simply saying apply in your own right, they don't take points off for wrong answers - there are no rights or wrongs.
Of course, he is unlikely to get a copy anyway, as the DWP keeps them all, successful or not, and does not send them back.
 
I agree that the level of payment awarded is based on the person who has the disability and not on the circumstances of their carer i.e. you being a single parent. I don't think your daughter will qualify for the higher level of payment because that is usually awarded for a person with mobility issues. Your DSN should be able to offer you some advice with filling in the form, it is difficult for a parent of a newly diagnosed child because often in the first few weeks you are not yet fully aware of all that will be involved in the coming months and years of caring for your diabetic child. Be honest about your answers and remember to include all the details of what is involved with caring for your daughter even if they don't seem relevant or significant. Also include any details of other disabilities or problems your child has that might affect how her diabetes is managed or that might affect her being more independent with her diabetes. The DWP will decide what is relevant and what is not and they will in my experience make a fair decision based on your daughter's individual care needs.
 
...Please remember that the disabled person also has to have been in need of the help for at least 3 months prior to the application date. If you apply before this time, it will be refused without question.
 
mrburden said:
...Please remember that the disabled person also has to have been in need of the help for at least 3 months prior to the application date. If you apply before this time, it will be refused without question.
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MrB, there is really no doubt in a case of a 4 year old child who is obviously not able to administer insulin personally, the assistance part of DLA should be granted without problem until the child is old enough to care for itself.
 
lucylocket61 said:
There are people such Citizens advice who can help you to fill in the form. You can book a one-to-one appointment with someone and they will go through the questions and help you to form your answers to explain properly what you mean.
Click to expand...


Yes that's where I would try first, the Citizens Advice will be well experienced in handling claims of this nature.
 
If you search through the DUK website it has more information and advice about filling out the DLA forms for children...

The DLA can be claimed straight away, it depends what medical condition the individual's got, but I don't know if diabetics is on the list of medical conditions that grants DLA straight away..

But yes asking CAB for help to fill in the forms is a very good idea, as they are used to filling them in...

The forms are quite repetitive, asking the same questions over again..

The thing to remember if you living with a condition, that gives you good days and bad days, when you are answering the questions, you use the bad days as your answer..
 

Mburden,
I really was not looking at a form to copy, just for some advice as to what needed to be put in the form. I was not assuming a level of benefit, I have no knowledge of DLA or the rates, I was just advising what my diabetic nurse told me and was just looking for advice.

Thanks all

Yogster
 
Hello Yogster
I hope you can get help and advice with the form, as forms, in general, can be a minefield :shock: I hope your child gets the right help that is so obviously needed at this time. Good luck and best wishes with it
 
Yogster. You sound like you are letting the thought of claiming benefit intimidate you. I am an ex civil servant with 20 years experience not with DLA but other benefit. I would recommend that you get some face to face help with filling in the forms as these forms are bad enough when they are for yourself without having to put yourself in your child's position and making sure you have all the info they will need. All you have to do when you are filling in the form is to understand that the person reading the form does not know you or your daughter and you must make sure you put down every thing down and I agree you must make sure you are thinking of the worst day you have experienced with your daughters condition even if it makes you feel uncomfortable or bad the DLA assessor needs to know. Remember you get nothing unless you try and if you get turned down then ask to appeal the first thing they will do is ask you for any other info you may have missed this will give you chance to add anything you missed on the form then. Good luck
 
Forgot also to say I followed my own advice and got my DLA high rate care first time it was very hard and left me feeling down as it's not until you put all the information you realise how bad you are and you also feel like such a complainer like you should just get on with it instead of moaning.
 
Totally agree with Scoop. Mburden's comments sound a litle self -righteous in the circumsances. Yogster is enitled to some advice and help in filling in the form. It really isn' a quesion of trying to deceive anyone.
i too am an ex-civil servant and contrary to popular belief these forms are not inended to make life difficult for claimants.

Imagine he difficulty of designing one form to cover every imaginable difficulty? would anyone suspect he CAB or welfare agencies of trying to chesat? of course not! They can help because they know what the form is inended o do and see many of these forms.
They represent clients at the Appeal tribunals too.
This is not cheating it is assisting people to present the required informaion fully and honestly. In some circumstances and with some conditions this is far more difficult than with others.
I hope Yogstar manages to get the bes t information available. In the circumstances there should be many willing helpers.
 

Sid,
I would like to think that you are right that there is no doubt about this child's situation. However, the DWP don't use the same common sense that the rest of us would assume they might. I had my right leg amputated a month ago. The effects are instant, obvious and it clearly will not grow back in the future, yet (even though I currently get DLA) I cannot apply for a re-assessment until I've been in need of the extra help for 3 months! Note I say re-assessment, because the "short" form I requested for the change in circumstances (still 20+ pages long) still states that the level of award may go up or down when I re-apply.

To All Others,
I fully understand that a 4 year old will not be expected to administer their own insulin. However, to receive the highest rate of DLA, one would need to be unable to walk more than 5 mtrs, communicate with others or do any task that a "normal" person of that age could do. With that in mind, receiving the highest rates are very unlikely. The Diabetes nurse should know that, if he/she is prepared to advise people to claim DLA. The OP also states that the DN mentioned his marital status as grounds for the claim, which shows a lack of understanding of the DLA benefit. If the OP has looked at the form, they will be aware of the questions (even if they are unsure of how to word the answers). Asking for a copy of a successful application is completely different from asking for help in completing an application. As I said before, the DWP are not looking for grammatically correct forms, only truthful claims, so it doesn't matter how you word you answers, as long as they state the facts.
 
MrBurden, your answer just demonstrates exactly why people need help to complete these forms. Unless and until you have been hrough the process you are bound to make assumptions about it and listen to otherr and misunderstand.
This particular benefi is discreionary and all depends on the answers. The truthis not such an absolute as you appea to imagine.
There is also "the whole truth and nothing but the ruth"

The poster is claiming for his daugher. She is 4 years old. he is not medically qualified .Left o himself he would probably be incapablle of knowing the "whole truth" If having diabetes meant we could all claoim how many newly diagnosed adults would kow the whole truth" In the circumsances he might try to answer the questions with hearsay or suppositions Inadvertently going beyond "nothing but the ruth"
The questions on the form are meant to guide the applican but they can't possibly be all -encompassing. There are aspects which someone filling in the form for the first time might not even consider but which are relevant. It is not as easy and straightforward as you imply.
Many , many people require help wih these forms and hey can only ge the hep from those familiar with the system.
The DLA people themseklves are very good .and very willng to help.
The form is long enough as it stands . Imagine what it would be like if it tried o include every possible circumstance and effec of every possible condition. The othere hing to consider is how much easier it is for the DLA people to understand if the answers are clear and intelligible to them This saves time and therefore money for us all.I disagree that it doesnt matter how you word your answers.Your form is probably unlikely to be looked at by a doctor .
Again we want to keep the cost of adminisering the system down and this can be done by making follow up enquiries and keeping Dr's visits to a minimum.
if the poster sends in any written medical eidence he has and the nalmes and contact details for them he will probably have no problems at all
I personally hope he gets all the help he can. It must be devasaing to learn that your young child has diabetes. he will understand little about it at his stage so will not be capable of answering "truthfully! If only life were so simple.
Sorry o hear of your healh problems MB. and glad you manged to sort out your claim with no problems.
 
I don't think the OP was asking for a successful claim to copy it for word for word, but to get a jest to how to answer some very unclear repetitive questions... Actually you wouldn't get a copy of a successful claim, as they stay with DWP!

A Tip is to take a photocopy/scan of you application then if you need to appeal then you know what you originally wrote!

As to how DLA decide who's entitle to what, is a bit mind boggling...

Mrburden

I would agree with a diabetic child is unlikely to get the highest award...

But I would disagree with your other description of who would be entitled to the high rate DLA, has I do know people who have been awarded high rate, but are able to walk, talk and communicate with others...
 
hi. you can claim after 3 mths from diagnosis. forms keep changing at the moment. there are a few sies that will prompt answers. youe diabetic nurse should help with at least some part. 3 months is a good idea as you will have a better idea of what diabetes needs are

i was advised to put our worse day down which were many!!!!. think of your childs needs next to a non diabetic child. monitoring fingers for sorness and feet for infection. keeping needles supplies safe and safe disposal. more supervision at night inc testing blood to name a few. i reckon you should get higher rate.
good luck. xx
 
I have written about this before, and its not about whats right and wrong, and most cetainly you should not use someone elses completed form, as all information is private and confidential to that applicant. Although I was successful it was after three attempts and only after I spoke to a Welfare Rights Officer. Indeed with the new Welfare Act being enforced DLA/Incapacity are constantly under review, and having read an article into days newspapers again I note that Governments Review people are looking at the current Benifits being issued and questioning the wrong people - be very careful in what you are doing before going ahead with your claim, and ensure you seek the correct information and help :thumbdown:
 
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