DLA / AA Decision Maker - CLOSED - REFERENCE ONLY

asandwhen

Thanatos,

Do you think it is worth me applying for DLA

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=15605001#post15605001

Thanatos

Hi all - I am back and raring to go Which is just as well based on the number of posts and PM's while I have been off....:D

ikkle87 wrote: »

This is probably going to sound like a really stupid question but having filled in the DLA forms in twice and getting rejected both times now even though my Physiotherapist, Consultant and GP all think I should qualify for at least LR I thought I would ask, it is a bit embarrassing for me to talk about on an open forum though.

I have Ankylosing Spondylitis and Depression, as well as the bone/joint problems the AS also affects my stomach and means that when I eat I get terrible stomach cramps, I also have very frequent bowel motions sometimes more than 6 or 7 times a day and when I need to go it's a mad dash for the bathroom, seeing as I have trouble walking anyway it means I can't travel anywhere without a toilet in close proximatey. Now I have never mentioned this on the forms, I guess I thought they wouldn't need to know as I can take myself to the toilet etc but is it worthwhile mentioning on the form as I am thinking of getting help filling a third and final form in.

Short answer is no, proximity to the toilet when out and about bears no relevance on a DLA or AA form - It simply isnt taken into account and even has a little button on the letter templates we use that auto generates a line on the decision letter saying we cant take it into account. Sorry!

Thanatos

mandy2008 wrote: »

i currently recieve DLA and recently my CPN nurse advised me to apply for AA which has baffled me a bit as im not sure you get both these benifits together, as i always thought of them as the same benifits, could you enlighten me please as to weather ive misunderstood my CPN and therefore entitled to DLA and AA at the same time.
why i get it is im profoundly deaf in both ears and wear hearing aids, i know this aint really a disability in itself to qualify for DLA? besides this because of the state of the disease thats caused the deafness its lead to minerese disease which has had a severe impact on my daily living, apart from the mineres its caused a distressing amount of anxiety to the point i cannot leave the home, and most days im incapable of standing up never mind being mobile to walk around the home, the fear of going out doors has effected me a great deal as ive almost been hit by traffic after stumbling onto the road due to the effects of the mineres.
ive got 3 children to care for and a single parent, i get help from alot of friends, but i rely on my eldest children all of the time and find this really distressing which does not help the diease at all.
ive been told to apply for young carers for the children, because of the amount of effort they put into care for me, i also see a CPN nurse because of the anxiety and panic attacks.
could you please enlighten me as to any help im infact entitled too as i dont like to ask, and im petrified social services get involved and find that im incapable of looking after my children alone.
as i stated i recieve a great deal of support from friends n relatives but this seems to be not enough as at night time i am always alone and thats when the situation seems to get worse with the symptoms of the mineres having tinnitus when everythings shut down and we are in bed the noises inside my head are more noticeable and profoundly hard to bear, ive got equipment via RNID to help cope with these but i find i do not have the time to use such equipment.
apart from being scared living in my home i feel really unsecure and vaulnarable to any attack or burglary.
please can u give me any sort of advise at all to help with this situation as i seem to find no way of escaping this hardship.

Hi, - yes AA is basically DLA for the over 65's, however if you are already in reciept of DLA you cant get AA (for that very reason.)

AA has some restrictions on it - there is no Mobility component (regardless of how far you can or can not walk) and there is no lowest rate care component (Main meal test or care for a significant portion of the day) So in essence AA is DLA without Mobility or lowest care.

If you are on DLA mobility before your 65th birthday for an indefinite period you keep it, you dont lose it just because you turn 65 (same with lowest care) So essentially its Claim DLA before 65 or you may not be entitlled to certain components when you have to claim AA instead.

In your case, its hard to say without knowing what you are on already, but what I can rule out is that if your are already in reciept of mobility, thatn thats the maximum you can now get if you are over 65, however the care component can go up (to Higher rate care) as the maximum) Have a look at the first post in this thread as it lists what amount of care you need for each level of the benefit. If you just look at middle and highest rates of the care component it should give you an idea - Sadley I dont know much about any other benefits. Hope that helps!

Thanatos

altocumulus wrote: »

Now I have to seriously ask why - just because someone is disabled does not mean that some activities are beyond them ......

:rotfl: Yeah, i knew I was going to get stung for that one!

Ok, I retract that, and rephrase it...

If they are doing an activity that does not sounds reasonably feasible given their disability, its likely we will look into it....

That better? :A

Thanatos

somebody_else wrote: »

Last time I checked, the criteria for the Blue Badge and the Higher Rate Mobility Component were the same (although I would suggest that they are interpreted differently) which was: "unable to walk 100 yrds/mtrs unsupported and/or without severe discomfort or pain".

I would suggest that one would be pushing one's luck to say you need help for walking round town, but can quite happily climb Ben Nevis.

I suspect Thanatos had his tongue slightly in his cheek when he first posted about that.

I'd also suggest that there's a world of difference between a one-off abseil, etc and going climbing regularly.

lol yes, tounge was in cheek

I dont know about the blue badge thing - (its local councils and I think they all have different criteria), but as far as DLA goes - there is no hard and fast rule as far as distance goes.

Some use 100 meters, some use 70, some use 50. But this is part of the problem with DLA and AA - they are opinion based. We are all trained not to rely solely on a stated distance, but to evaluate ALL needs and base a decision on that.

For example, I have given awards of HR mob to people able to walk 500 yards before now due to the manner and gait in which they walked. I have also not awarded people who said they can walk 70 metres in 2 minutes in a perfectly normal fashion because other needs claimed were not consistent with that distance. So you can see, no one distance (if accepted) will automatically qualify you for a set level of award.

Thanatos

campins wrote: »

Hello Thanatos, I have tried for DLA and been refused four times. How many applications are successful?

Not an answerable question - the % is different nationwide - and yes, we are aware it shouldn't be and work is underway to fix the discrepency by introducing some pretty heavey training (i mentioned earlier in this thread) caller PIDMA - Proffesionalism In Decision Making and Appeals. This should start bringing in more consistency in award rates.

From a national perspective I also have no idea - sorry!

Thanatos

browngirl wrote: »

:A:THello, how kind you are to help us DLA claimants.
Strange that you read as human when I thought that whoever had read my claim form must have been a computer on the blink.
Seriously though, it is a wonderful to thing to have a human touch to a process which is degrading and depressing to all that have the misfortune of going through it.
Long may it continue, hope you enjoyed your holiday and didnt once look at a computer!!
xx

Actually i am not a real person, just the latest in AI software....

Computer says no....



Thanks for your kind comments. It will certainly continue until (IF) I am told not to, but I dont see why they would have an issue - its not like I am telling people what to write on the form, only what information they should include to help the decision maker... it benefits them as much as you as we can process claims faster (thats going to be my arguement should i need it anyway!)

Thanatos

salandian wrote: »

HI

This is only quick question.

My wife and I where involved in an RTA in 2006.

My wife was already classed as disabled back then and I was her carer.

The crash did not cause any permenant damage to her. Her illnesses where present before the crash and are still presernt today.

When her compensation comes through will she be expected to pay anything back??

Shes on income support, dla high rate care and low rate mobility?

I am her carer and im on full time carers allowance. My injuries are some what permenant and im trying to not allow them to come in the way of caring after her.

Will i be expected to pay carers allowance back since the crash?

Can this be classed as income as its compensation????

Nothings changed since before the crash nor therefore after the crash and all that will be different is that we will have some extra money coming our way.

IM SO CONFUSED...........

Sal

I made a post earlier in this thread about a similar theme - I also linked to the regulations - might be worth a look, but its a little out of my league and is something for the courts to decide rather than a lowley DLA grunt like me

I would speak to your solicitor. Sorry I cant offer much help on this one!

Thanatos

bonsibabe wrote: »

hi there

i hope i'm not asking a question that has already been answered (but going cross-eyed trying to read all the posts lol).

i was awarded higher rate mobility in 1996 for life because of my disability. it has gotten to the point that i now have 2 slipped discs in my back and over the last 2 years have developed care needs.

i was advised to claim dla care but when the forms came, i was sent the whole form again. do i need to fill in the mobility part or can i just fill in the care part and explain that my mobility is awarded for life and there has been no improvement in my condition.

i don't receive IS or IB or anything like that. The only other benefit i receive is a war disablement pension from the SPVA.

thanks very much

Sueinbirmingham is pretty much spot on. However it is very rare we would touch it unless we had reason to think your circumstances had changed for the better and had evidence to back it up.

I wont say it would never happen, but if you have got worse, there is no reason to think it would be a problem.

Just cross through the mobility part of the form and wright "no change" and the DM can just look at the last claimpack you submitted if they want more details.

Thanatos

amanda40 wrote: »

The forms ask if you have had any adaptations done to your home. Would this work in your favour or against it? Ie of you had trouble getting in and out bath and have since had wet room fitted, would that maybe cancel out your LRC as you could now shower without aid?

Ok, I was waiting for this one... it a sore point with many Decision makers and appears to be applied inconsistently.

Yes, aids and adaptations can affect your claim. If you need help up the stairs and you have a stair lift, then you dont need help... (NOTE: this is generally, there are exceptions, like people who need help in and out of the chair etc, but in general...)

If you need help getting out of bed but have one of those beds that lift you out of bed then you dont need the help...

Its a sore point, and is open to lots of abuse of the system as well as the system abusing you. So I cant really get involved in it here as it would really be a conflict of interest for me and would give reason for the department to not be too happy about me posting here. Sorry!