DLA sleep disorders

mum-of-3

You also say you are not GP registered, it is your GP who fills in the report about your condition or your hospital consultant. And the medical evidence needs to be current I think (correct me if I'm wrong) but my welfare rights advisor said 6mths old and your report is from 2008.
If you need aids etc is that something an occupational therapist can provide for you?

Indie_Kid

bambammy wrote: »

From reading various posts, topics, I was under the impression that DLA was for those people who would benefit from extra money because their illness affected their quality of life.

Needing money to pay for things related to disability doesn't entitle you to DLa. I need more than £18.65 per week for mobility; but because I don't meet the criteria for high rate; I don't receive it. And I've pretty much been told that if I only had the bowel problems I would not get DLA; yet have to buy things related to my bowel problems. (Medical services/DM's have said this) I only receive DLA because my vision is severe enough for me to need supervision.

Fire_Fox

Sleep disorders don't seem to be a 'normal' diagnosis. I have chronic insomnia; last winter I was encouraged to reduce my medication with the inevitable result I got little sleep! The GP willingly wrote a sicknote as I was unable to focus on my college work and bursting into tears at the drop of a hat, but stated he had to write stress not insomnia. For me insomnia is far more detrimental to my physical health and mental wellbeing than my anxiety.

GlasweJen

DLA centres around care needs not diagnosis so not sure why your doctor told you that firefox?

There is no benefit for people who have expenses related to disability and having an expensive disability doesn't entitle you to DLA OP so you need to get the expenses hat off and get the care needs hat on. Do you ever fall asleep in the shower/bath? fall asleep while cooking? injure yourself as a result of your illness? Do you get warning symptoms when you're going to have a sleep episode? (if so this may put paid to any award as it will be argued that you can shower at another time/turn the gas off before sleeping etc.)

Also if this is affecting your driving you MUST inform the DVLA who will assess your fitness to drive, to not do this may invalidate your car insurance.

Invasion

OP, the majority of physically disabled people, even when on painkillers/receiving treatment are in pain and still suffering considerably. 3 days functional is a considerable amount compared to many disabled people.

The vitamins etc that you're on.. If you're still having so many problems, is it worth evaluating whether there's any benefit from being on them, and therefore money to be saved? I'm not saying this is the case, just worth checking.

dmg24

bambammy wrote: »

I'm going to be annoying and ask

Why ?

What's me and my family maintaining this illness/disorder any different to someone with depression, diabetes, anxiety and other topics i've read on MSE.

As stated earlier, the people who are in receipt of DLA will still have care needs in addition to those that can be controlled by adaptations.

You mention depression as an example. A person with depression may be on medication, but may still have care needs such as a need for supervision due to history of self harm, inability to safely prepare a meal due to lack of concentration etc.

Indie_Kid

Not being rude, but I think you should be grateful that your needs aren't so severe that you do need help from another person. I would do anything to have decent enough vision to drive, be able to go out by myself and not have someone tell me what I can & can't eat constantly. (I'm wheat intolerant and can't always read labels on things)

Emma1973

As part of my overall job I do benefits advice, including filling these horrible forms in, and as with Glaswajen I would go for it, for night time supervision probably.

Having your condition controlled does not mean you are no longer entitled to DLA, having all the adaptions and aids does not mean you are not entitled to DLA. If, for example somebody cant get up and down the stairs, or in and out of the bath without assistance or supervision, the DLA isnt stopped when they get a stair so they can get upstairs by themselves, or grab rails in the bath. Its about care needs not unmet care needs.

And you dont always needs doctors letters or reports, etc, having a private consultant is ok. Out of the past 10 or so DLA and AA forms I've done ony one has required a medical examination (and that was because of an appeal) and 1 required a doctors report. The rest went on what was put on the form.

Theres nothing to lose by filling in the form, remember the golden rule of all welfare advisers though, fill it in regarding your worse days, the one when you have the greatest care needs!

Good Luck!

dmg24

Emma1973 wrote: »

As part of my overall job I do benefits advice, including filling these horrible forms in, and as with Glaswajen I would go for it, for night time supervision probably.

Having your condition controlled does not mean you are no longer entitled to DLA, having all the adaptions and aids does not mean you are not entitled to DLA. If, for example somebody cant get up and down the stairs, or in and out of the bath without assistance or supervision, the DLA isnt stopped when they get a stair so they can get upstairs by themselves, or grab rails in the bath. Its about care needs not unmet care needs.

And you dont always needs doctors letters or reports, etc, having a private consultant is ok. Out of the past 10 or so DLA and AA forms I've done ony one has required a medical examination (and that was because of an appeal) and 1 required a doctors report. The rest went on what was put on the form.

Theres nothing to lose by filling in the form, remember the golden rule of all welfare advisers though, fill it in regarding your worse days, the one when you have the greatest care needs!

Good Luck!

If you are giving benefits advice in a professional capacity, you need to go back to training. The highlighted section is 100% wrong. The DLA application should give a balanced description of the overall condition, not just the worst days.

What you are suggesting (and I hope not doing in practice) is fraud. Please stop doing this, your 'clients' could end up in a lot of trouble as a result of your incorrect information.

mum-of-3

I agree with dmg24, definitely dont fill it in on your worse day. They need to have an accurate picture. My welfare rights advisor filled it out on how I change throughout the day etc, this way you are accurately awarded!