DLA for bipolar

mandjaz06

Hi all.
I was wondering if anyone can help me as I have searched through posts and can't find anything relevant to my question.
I got my award through today as I have bipolar with psychotic features. I am unfit for work and have been for a long while but just never claimed anything and lived off my husbands wage.
My condition got worse over past couple months and now with an acute psychosis team who have been great. A cpn visits me every week and my husband has been a god send as he cares for me very well as well as juggling a full time job.
My award is for low rate care and low mobility. I really don't see where they can get low rate care from as the care I need is A LOT. I also sent away for DLA just last Wednesday and now this morning a week later, my decision to be awarded arrived. A bit quick don't you think? Not complaining but makes me wonder whether my claim was looked at properly.
What I am wondering, if I appeal, how long is the process and what are the chances of being successful? Do appeals even happen most of the time if you show you are serious and provide enough evidence for a re decision?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.

RazWaz

Can you give the reasons why you were awarded those rates? It should be on your award letter.

Indie_Kid

What are you like on an average day? This is what they care about.

My appeal took 8 months to be heard. An appeal will only happen if they keep the decision the same.

If you do appeal, you risk losing what you already have.

mandjaz06

Hi thanks both of you for getting back.
On an average day, I can either be depressed (suicidal) aggressive, forgetful, tired, wont bother with myself or the house hold chores or I can be full of life, to the point where I am disconnected from reality almost. I hallucinate, stay awake for days, if out then can jump in front of cars without realising (i love to dance and skip when manic lol)
I also suffer from panic attacks and do not go out alone ever.

Award form states... Guidance and supervision outside for comfort and reassurance nd because of panic attacks.
Care day attention, need help to bath or shower, dress and undress, eat and drink, manage treatment and meds and to communicate.

This is where I don't agree, it states, I do not need help to move about indoors but need help with personal care for an hour each day which is fair enough.
It says I am aware of common dangers, not a risk to harming myself, not at risk of anti social or aggressive behaviour or risk of neglecting myself. All of this is wrong. If being suicidal and threatening to take my life sometimes isn't a risk or being very volatile isn't a risk then what the hell is?

Night time care, need help to manage treatment and meds and although difficulty with sleep, do not need help to sleep comfortably.

Night watching over I am aware of dangers, not at risk of harming myself, not at risk of being aggressive. Well night or day, doesn't matter what time, if I am down to the point of suicidal thoughts, then I do not see this being entirely accurate either.

God, I sound like a right loony tune with all this but my extremes although shameful, this is what I can be like.

RazWaz

Right, hope this will make you understand the award (I have problems with depression as well and get DLA for that plus other problems).

Mobility sounds about right, you need help outside but you can walk around yourself, I get the same.
The care also seems right from what you have told them. If I explain how it works you might understand

Low - You need some help during the say, you seem to have written you need an hour of care which would fall under this.
Middle - You need some help a few times during the say, on separate occasions
High - You need some help a few times during the day, on separate occasions, and you need some help a few times during the night, on separate occasions.

I get middle as I need help several times during the day, but only once at night. If you get help a few times but just added it all up into that hour, then you need to appeal and let them know that it's actually help several times throughout the day.

mandjaz06

Sorry I worded it wrong. I need supervision all day, every day in my eyes and my families eyes. When my hubby is at work, my father comes to the house or my bro and sis. They cook or clean for me on days I can't or just generally keep watch on me.
The form states only an hour of personal care, well of course bathing and dressing is only about an hour for everyone on a day to day surely. Unless I am getting it wrong about what personal care means.
I am sorry to hear of your troubles, depression is a horrible, crippling thing to cope with. I just don't know how they came to conclusion of an hour per day if you could explain what personal care is please?

Indie_Kid

Personal care is washing, dressing, eating, drinking, moving around, communication, cooking a meal for one or supervision.

You'll only qualify if you need help from a person for at least 5 days a week on average.

mandjaz06

Award form states... Guidance and supervision outside for comfort and reassurance nd because of panic attacks.
Care day attention, need help to bath or shower, dress and undress, eat and drink, manage treatment and meds and to communicate.

This is what I wrote before, few posts above. This is what is on my award letter. So they take into account and accept I need this care but trying to say it is only for an hour a day obviously. Well it isn't just on one occasion every day. It is several times a day.

Do you think I have a strong case to appeal? I wish I had the photocopy back from my cpn or original claim form. She filled it in for me and not entirely sure what she has wrote but she was also shocked today when I told her my award of low rate care. Just don't want to risk losing what I have already been awarded.

Indie_Kid

You may need to explain why you need help several times a day - because for example, an average person doesn't need to bath or shower several times a day.

mandjaz06

That's what I was thinking. All the care they state I need cannot be crammed into once per day or one hour per day. Meal times are at different times and so is dressing and undressing. Meds are taken twice in the day too. Communication also isn't just once a day either.
Maybe it is just me but totally baffled at how their decision was made. Totally naive to all of this. Just hope I am heard and awarded accordingly. Thanks for your help.

Swan_2

mandjaz06 wrote: »

Award form states... Guidance and supervision outside for comfort and reassurance nd because of panic attacks.
Care day attention, need help to bath or shower, dress and undress, eat and drink, manage treatment and meds and to communicate.

This is what I wrote before, few posts above. This is what is on my award letter. So they take into account and accept I need this care but trying to say it is only for an hour a day obviously. Well it isn't just on one occasion every day. It is several times a day.

Do you think I have a strong case to appeal? I wish I had the photocopy back from my cpn or original claim form. She filled it in for me and not entirely sure what she has wrote but she was also shocked today when I told her my award of low rate care. Just don't want to risk losing what I have already been awarded.

you can request a copy of the forms that were submitted, just give them a call & they'll send them