Q. about med/high care DLA + living alone

Kristine690

These components are awarded for people who need "continual supervision" through the day/night. But what about disabled people (who do meet the criteria) who live alone and simply don't have family or anyone to be there 24 hours a day?

Would they still get awarded the rates even though 24/7 supervision just couldn't happen? But then couldn't the DWP turn round and say "well so and so has lived without 'continual supervision' and is still alive that means they must not need the component after all".

e.g. there are disabled people who may want to live independently and may not want to go into a care home.

Can anyone make this clearer for me?

dmg24

Yes, you can receive middle or higher rate care if you live alone. The award is based on care needs, not what care is actually received.

healy

Yes people can do get these rates of DLA and live alone. This is because it is the care that is needed that is considered but not the care that they necessarily get.

healy

dmg24 wrote: »

Yes, you can receive middle or higher rate care if you live alone. The award is based on care needs, not what care is actually received.

Beat me to it! Must learn to type faster!!

lil_me

Currently it's based on care needs not care received. I don't think it'll be long before they start looking at cases where the person doesn't receive the care and does things for themselves they state they need support with.

dmg24

lil_me wrote: »

Currently it's based on care needs not care received. I don't think it'll be long before they start looking at cases where the person doesn't receive the care and does things for themselves they state they need support with.

You will find that many people in that situation just do not do the things that they need help with, as opposed to telling lies when applying for DLA.

[Deleted User]

lil_me wrote: »

Currently it's based on care needs not care received. I don't think it'll be long before they start looking at cases where the person doesn't receive the care and does things for themselves they state they need support with.

There is NO reason at all to suspect this will happen,many disabled people live alone it would be discrimination

SuziQ

Many people simply do not recieve the care they need-they are simply living 'below the line' when it comes to what the average person would consider to be 'average'.
I saw it all the time when I was working as a nurse on the community. And it is not acceptable.

lil_me

It would be discrimination yes, but something I am expecting to happen. I did not state they would be able to question just because someone lived alone, but if they are able to do what they state they are not. Yes I know most cases are genuine, I meet disabled people on a daily basis (aswell as having 2 children with disabilities myself), but there are many which are not. The reason I suspect this will happen is currently there are so many new policies coming in with other benefits like IB, JSA, IS etc and DLA is about the only thing they haven't altered. I know personally of a case recently where at appeal the claimant was refused DLA for care as she lived alone and managed to do things herself even if it is a very hard struggle to do so, I was suprised by this, but left with the feeling that it may be used in future cases.

Another similar case to this recently that I am aware of through other agencies was a refusal for IB for someone as she was also a full time mother so they stated she could be a childminder etc, again I was shocked, but wonder if it's a sign of the way things are going

SuziQ

I'm shocked too,lil-me.
There are many many people not recieving the care they need-the 'no care in the community' debacle.

A large number of people die every year,as they do not recieve that care,and some may not be found for weeks or months.In my opinion lots of disabled people are badly let down by the system,and I think cutting DLA in some way will lead to lots of legal challenges over the failure of local authorities to provide care-it could be deemed under the human rights act. I think the govt know it is far cheaper to pay DLA than fund the inevitable care bills that would ensue should DLA be removed.

Kristine690

SuziQ wrote: »

I think the govt know it is far cheaper to pay DLA than fund the inevitable care bills that would ensue should DLA be removed.

That's a very good point.