DLA or Incapacity Benefit changes during Pregnancy or after birth?

delluver

Does anyone know if during pregnancy or after the birth you're entitled to increased benefits on Disability Living Allowance or Incapacity Benefit?

Penny-Pincher!!

Will your disability effect you worse whilst being pregnant?

PP
xx

delluver

Penny-Pincher!! wrote:

Why Sorry dont understand! Will your disability effect you worse whilst being pregnant?

PP
xx

Yes it would as it would make my condition worse, therefore I will most likely need more care during pregnancy, and help with the infant after. Just wondering. Sometimes you can gain more benefits on top of these benefits. No harm in asking is there?

SMC_2

No harm at all.

I can understand that pregnancy would make some conditions worse and also caring for the baby could be a problem.

I don't know the answer but am sure someone on here will!!!!

Penny-Pincher!!

Hiya

Werent being funny hun!

If your health is going to get worse and you will need more help for your disability then it would be worth asking. You would need to prove that you need more help than the average person because of your disability.

Social Services maybe able to help you with extra care after the baby is born if needed.

May I ask what your disabilities are?

PP
xx

delluver

Penny-Pincher!! wrote:

Hiya

Werent being funny hun!

If your health is going to get worse and you will need more help for your disability then it would be worth asking. You would need to prove that you need more help than the average person because of your disability.

Social Services maybe able to help you with extra care after the baby is born if needed.

May I ask what your disabilities are?

PP
xx

Bi Polar Affective Disorder - So I'm all over the place at the moment as I'm unable to take my usual meds and I need people around me during the day in case I relapse while my partner is at work. I might suffer with depression after the birth, but will take on that hurdle on if it happens.

Penny-Pincher!!

Have you spoken with your CPN? They should be able to offer the best advice as they know you best IYSWIM. Its going to be a tough time for you as alot of the drugs with Bi-polar cant be taken whilst pregnant, but they should be able to offer safer alternatives;)

I think social services would be able to help you out after baby is born.

Are you member of any support groups?

Hugs hun. PM me if you want a chat. I have had MH problems off and on for many years now, so may be able to help a little.

PP
xx

delluver

Thanks PP.

I have a CPN meeting on Thursday, so I will bring these issues up then. I have a social worker, but she's not always available. Next appointment with her is 18/06.

I wonder how involved social services would be after the birth? That would be most useful - I think that most people would like to have help with their first born. I wouldn't turn help down if there is some to be had out there.

I'm not a member of any support groups, no as I've been almost fine on drugs. Maybe I need to be a member now I'm not stable and off the meds and need as much support as I can get.

Hugs back. It's nice to know there's understanding people out there to talk to

Ted_Hutchinson

Apart from Terminal Conditions (which for obvious reasons are an exception to this rule) the need for extra care, or support for mobility problems, has to have existed for 3 months prior to the award and be expected to last for 6 months from the date of the award.
Someone suffering a stroke (which caused major damage which would take more than 9 months to recover from) could apply from any point after the stroke but the award would only start from 12 weeks after the incident which gave rise to the extra requirement for help. However someone with say a broken leg which may be expected to recover reasonably quickly would have to show the need for mobility had existed for at least 12 weeks and had medical evidence to show these needs would last a further 6 months.
I therefore doubt that DLA would be appropriate for complications arising from pregnancy.
With IB the situation is slightly different in that the PCA test sets out the criteria and if you meet these criteria All Work Test Calculator providing you have sufficient NI contributions etc you should have no problems. There is a little more about pregnancy and IB here however you must realise that pregnancy itself is normal and healthy state of afairs and is not in itself considered a reason /excuse to take time off work. Illnesses arising from the pregnancy may be treated somewhat differently see pages 54 onwards from Incapacity Benefit Handbook for doctors

With regards ensuring a balanced mood during the pregnancy I would suggest you draw your health professionals attention to [url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16741195&query_hl=13&itool=pubmed_docsum]Omega-3 Fatty acids and mood disorders.[/url]
Efficacy of ethyl-eicosapentaenoic acid in bipolar depression:
From which you will see a dose of at least 1g EPA is beneficial.
If you also pay attention to your Vitamin D status throughout the pregnancy by reading
Assessment of dietary vitamin D requirements during pregnancy and lactation

and Randomized comparison of the effects of the vitamin D3 adequate intake versus 100 mcg (4000 IU) per day on biochemical responses and the wellbeing of patients
You can by ensuring you don't get sunburnt, safely raise your vitamin d status by getting into the sun for at least half and hour every day (exposing as much skin as possible) otherwise use supplemental CHOLECALCIFEROL VIT D3 to reach an effective amount.

delluver

Well I'm already on both benefits - I just thought DLA at least would take into account that my disability has worsened from coming off the drugs and that I need more help than I did by perhaps stepping up an entitlement grade. Obviously it's worse being pregnant and incapacitated than it is to be pregnant and non incapacitated. lol.

Ted_Hutchinson

delluver wrote:

Well I'm already on both benefits - I just thought DLA at least would take into account that my disability has worsened from coming off the drugs and that I need more help than I did by perhaps stepping up an entitlement grade. Obviously it's worse being pregnant and incapacitated than it is to be pregnant and non incapacitated. lol.

Well when that extra need has existed for 3 months and should that level of need be anticipated to last for a further six months (medical evidence required) they will consider what you have to say and the evidence you provide.

They are stuck with the rules set down by parliament and DLA is meant for permanent disabilities and pregnancy isn't a permanent situation.