Notifying improvement in condition?

zaksmum

My sister has a severely disabled 18 year old, for whom she gets higher rate DLA. Yesterday someone who hadn't seen him for a while said his condition appeared to have improved. This apparently was because he shouts and wails a lot and wasn't doing it when this person saw him.

My sister is concerned now that if there has been a very temporary improvement - if he's calm for whatever reason - there would be a requirement to notify the authorities.

I think that's nonsense and you'd only have to notify a definite permanent improvement.

But it did get me wondering how you know when an improvement is permanent? You could feel loads better for weeks on end, notify this and then suddenly crash right back down again as bad as ever.

Are there any actual guidelines regarding this?

kingfisherblue

Does your nephew still need the same level of care? That is what DLA is based upon, not the condition or disability. One person commenting that the young man wasn't shouting or wailing does not mean an improvement in his condition, although, of course, it might indicate this. Only your sister will really know.

Indie_Kid

Personally, I would keep a diary for a week or two. There is no point in reporting a change when this change has only been for one day.

Will what happened yesterday last for a few months or so?

[Deleted User]

For a number of reasons i would usually recomend notifying an improvement if its been for at least 3 months AND is expected to be permanent,to notify after one day would be madness tbh

zaksmum

Yes he does still need the same level of care. Who knows how long any improvement may last?

There is no improvement expected by doctors but they're not infallible. Sometimes like yesterday, he's calm and quiet but that's far from his usual state.

His condition is such that you can never predict whether he's going to be calm or manic, just cope with each day as it comes. But if he does have a very unusual calm phase lasting, say, a week, and my sister fails to report an improvement, could she get into trouble for that?

[Deleted User]

zaksmum wrote: »

Yes he does still need the same level of care. Who knows how long any improvement may last?

There is no improvement expected by doctors but they're not infallible. Sometimes like yesterday, he's calm and quiet but that's far from his usual state.

His condition is such that you can never predict whether he's going to be calm or manic, just cope with each day as it comes. But if he does have a very unusual calm phase lasting, say, a week, and my sister fails to report an improvement, could she get into trouble for that?

No definately not

zaksmum

woodbine wrote: »

No definately not

Thanks woodbine. I will reassure her on that today.

Billy_two_speakers

zaksmum wrote: »

Thanks woodbine. I will reassure her on that today.

you cant reassure your sister based on something you heard on a forum, its no better than saying you heard it in a pub, you need advise from someone who knows what they are talking about, say the boy is autistic, then call the autiistic society and speak to a benefit advisor if its something else find the right charity that supports that problem and call there help line.

your local council have advisors you can speak with and in some areas the CAB do too.

if advise given here is wrong, and your over paid, then the fact advise was given here would not help in court

Indie_Kid

Billy_two_speakers wrote: »

you cant reassure your sister based on something you heard on a forum, its no better than saying you heard it in a pub, you need advise from someone who knows what they are talking about

Many DLA claimants do know what they're talking about. It's pointless phoning the DWP to report a change when the change has been that way for one day.

petrolhead.

I understand what is being said, but why is there this much controversy involved? Yes I will agree one day is a little silly, but say a couple of weeks and then you should contact the DWP. Conditions vary dramatically but where something is becoming the norm you do have a responsibility to inform.

I can't see the problem, if the condition goes up and down during a year then should not the DLA follow suit?

There is nothing that says that you can't have a couple of reviews in a year. Or is it that you worry than when you say there has been an improvement and the benefit goes down with it, but then months later it gets worse again, you will have problems having it increased?
If so then that is no excuse or reason not to inform. Just because you might have a fight on your hands to get back what you had originally, does not form any part of the reponsibility to keep the DWP advised.

This seems to me to smack of - don't say anything, it was hard enough getting it in the first place - I don't want to go through all of that again!

Indie_Kid

petrolhead. wrote: »

This seems to me to smack of - don't say anything, it was hard enough getting it in the first place - I don't want to go through all of that again!

No. If I have one good day and the rest of the month it's bad or average, why do they need to know? It's a waste of my time and the call staff.