Should I mention our DLA Award on the ESA Form

Gardening_Girl

Off again filling in the ESA form when I had a thought. It asks if my OH can walk 200 yards. The answer is no he flippin well can't and that's why he's been awarded full rate Mobility.

All ranting aside can anyone tell me if I should mention on the ESA form that my OH has been awarded full rate mobility as part of the answer to their question about his mobility. Or do ATOS just ignore people pointing out the bleedin' obvious. It seems daft to me that he fits the criteria for DLA and a blue badge but yet has to have another assessment for ESAwhere they can decide whether or not he gets points.

Please be kind when answering, I also know lots of people who can't walk and do work including me when I broke my back several years ago, my OH also has brain damage following an SAH and lots of other problems.

pwales_2

yes you should

Gardening_Girl

Thanks I will

hoggle_2

Apologies for jumping in on this thread but does that mean that you can claim DLA whilst in receipt of ESA? Also does DLA affect any claims for housing benefit, council tax benefit and child tax credits? Any advice greatly appreciated.

Gardening_Girl

Hi Hoggle
DLA is not means tested and does not affect your claim for any benefit. You are eligible for DLA if you fit the medical criteria. I asked this question (and realise now that I didn't word it very well) because we had received a form from ATOS wanting to drag my OH in for a medical on the same the day we received a letter from the DWP awarding full mobility 'cos he can't walk and care 'cos he can't wash dress or feed himself. I wanted to point out to ATOS that if the DWP agree that he can't walk he already qualifies for at least 15 points on that criteria alone and the DLA is the proof so why are they hounding us. Anyway I did put it on the form and am waiting to see how desperate they are for their fee.
I would say that if you feel you should be claiming DLA do so. Good luck with it all!

Tehya

Hi Gardening Girl, I'm my husband's carer and know the frustration you feel. The reasoning the DWP will give is that the two benefits are separate and have different descriptors and that's why they won't/can't assess for both benefits at the same time.
There has been occasions on these very boards where a person has been turned down for either ESA or DLA and it has directly affected their other claim obviously we don't know all the circumstances involved but it does seem a little bit like double standards.

But saying all that and after reading all the horror stories my husband’s claim was handled brilliantly and quickly by both the DWP and ATOS. He was awarded ESA Support Group in 14 weeks and then DLA within 4 weeks and didn't have a medical for either. We were never told why he didn't require a medical but I assume it's because of the nature of his illness and the excellent backing of all his doctors.


Hi Hoggle like already mentioned if you claim DLA alongside other benefits it won't lower or cancel them out but what hasn't been mentioned though is if you get certain levels of DLA (usually MRC or above) this can have a positive effect on your other benefits meaning they may well go up. This happened to us last year when my hubby got awarded MRC and HRM his ESA was raised and we ended up about £20ish a week better off plus the DLA award it has made things much more bearable plus I was also then awarded Carer's Allowance as I have had to give up my job to look after him.

celinepatricia

Hi... My husband gets HRM. He can walk, not very far and not without a great deal of pain. Went for ATOS medical and was awarded zero points. I know that the criteria for DLA and ESA are different, but, come on..that is just a joke..

Gardening_Girl

Hi Tehya
I also gave up my job to care for my husband, and one of the most stressful things is dealing with the benefits system which is completely alien to me. I would say though that everyone we have dealt with at the DWP, DLA, job centre and council have been really brilliant even the frontline people at ATOS are really very helpful but flippin' heck my labrador could pass the work suitability test.