So confusing

mercman1969

Hi,

Apart from Child Benefit we have never claimed anything in our lives

We recently were informed that our 3 year old has Brain Stem Cancer

Our health visitor told us to put in a claim for DLA, which we have done

What else, if anything do we need to be considering?

We get the very minimum tax credits (is it £40 per month)?

somebody also mentioned a blue badge?

Where and who is the best place to get definitive answers?

Cheers

Confused

kpwll

Hello,
I'm so sorry to hear your devastating news, for DLA you can contact the DWP helpline on 08457123456, landline no: 01253337568. Contact your local council re the blue badge, they will explain how to apply and what you need eg letter from Dr. etc.
There will be others along shortly with more advice for you.

sharon59

so sorry to hear that your little one has cancer-it must be an awful time for you.
I dont lm afraid know a great deal about benefits but if you go to the website
www.direct.gov.uk all are listed with numbers to ring where you can get advice.
Off the top of my head l would say def look at carers allowance-although a lot of restrictions are put in the way but worth trying as well as DLA -get letters of support to send from HV as this will help.
You should also get in touch with your council dept that deals with blue badges and they can send a form to apply-you can sometimes get one without DLA so apply now .
Im sure others will be along soon with more information to help.Sorry l cant be more use-but thought a little info that l knew was better than no replies.
please keep asking any questions as we will all try to help if we can.
hope you are looking after yourself as expect you are pretty shell shocked at the moment.
HUGS SHARONXXX

sharon59

kpwll wrote: »

Hello,
I'm so sorry to hear your devastating news, for DLA you can contact the DWP helpline on 08457123456, landline no: 01253337568. Contact your local council re the blue badge, they will explain how to apply and what you need eg letter from Dr. etc.
There will be others along shortly with more advice for you.

Kpwll-we obviously were both thinking the same.x

kpwll

Hi Sharon,
Great minds think alike, lol.
Karen x

D&DD

Hi Mercman
I'm so sorry to hear of your sons diagnosis it must have been a huge shock for you and your family.
My friends boy has bone cancer and she has found
http://www.clicsargent.org.uk/Home these to be of great help as have the marie curie people who she was put in touch with at the Marsden.We live very near the one in Surrey and the childrens dept there are fabulous.
I wish you all the very best
D XX

mcspanna

Hi mercman,

So sorry to hear about your little one. One site that I have just recommended to someone else on here that may be of use is http://www.entitledto.co.uk/ which will help you to establish any benefits that you may be able to claim.

With regards to a blue badge, if your claim for DLA is successful and your son is awarded the higher rate mobility component then he should automatically be entitled to a blue badge although I do know that it can be difficult with youngsters especially if they are still of an age where using a pushchair would be considered normal...hopefully someone else will be able to clarify this for you? I'll have a think and pop back if I can come up with anything else.

All the best,

mcspanna

beanielou

Nothing to add to advice you have been given but just wanted to say thinking of you & your family & wishing you all the best.

zzzLazyDaisy

Just wanted to say I am so sorry to hear of your baby's diagnosis, you must be shell shocked at the moment

It is worth checking if there is a DIAL branch near you, as you could call in and someone will talk through any benefits or help you might be entitled to

http://www.dialuk.info/

It would also be worth asking what help is available for carers in your area (where I am the surgery and the library have a folder with loads of useful information)

Do let us know how you are getting on, and keep coming back for more information - we will help if we can

Daisy xxx

PS - it might help to amend your thread title so people know what it is about maybe 'very sick child, information please' or something like that?

nanokitten

My thoughts are with you mercman1969.

I'll try to give you a few pointers but first some general advice. I would strongly reccomend that you dont try do do anything on your own and get some good support. Its really easy to feel totally alone in these situations and having to struggle through the benefits system doesn't help. Most officers will do home visits if needed.

There are alot of excellent agencies. Most towns have a carers centre of some kind and they can be excellent sources of both advice and support. DIAL http://www.dialuk.info/, The CAB http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/or local CVShttp://www.navca.org.uk/liodir should also point you in the right direction.

Macmillian will also be able to provide loads of support so I would get in touch with them as a first port of call. They have benefits advisors who should be able to asses you.
http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Get_Support/GetSupport.aspx

Its sad to say that the DLA foms are famously tricky awful to fill in and I would strongly suggest you talk to a benfits advisor to make sure you get what are entitle to. Personally I advise people never to fill them in without a profesionals help. Do everything in writing and photocopy everything.
If your little one gets the middle rate of care, than you may be entitiled to carers alowance.
If you get the higher rate of mobility you will be entitled to a blue badge and the motability scheme. http://www.motability.co.uk/main.cfm (also if a car if used Soley for you childs benefit, free car tax). There is a thread on this forum about other stuff you may be entitled to such as discounted bus travel etc.

wishing all the best.

Joney

Benefits Enquiry Line 0800882200 - advice for people with disabilities, Carers, and representatives, about social security benefits and how to claim them;
Disability Alliance -brilliant supply of info -www.diabilityalliance.org(-poss uk on end of it); Carers UK for general enquiries about Carers Allowance; Contact A Family 08088083555 is a uk charity for families with disabled children; provides information on specific conditions and rare disorders; Family Fund, 08451304542 provides grants for families with disabled children for holidays, transport costs, laundry equipment. If littl'un gets middle or higher rate care DLA one of you can claim Carers allowance as long as you are earning less than ?£94? per week and looks after for more than 35 hours. If Dla High mobility is awarded you don't pay tax n your car; If you adapt your home-say with turning a downstairs room int a bedroom, or having a wheelchair in the house for use therein, or having a stairlift, or having a ramp to the door, you can apply to get your Council tax band downgraded by one band.
Anything else I can I will add on. Thinking of you.