Can you ride a bike whilst on DLA??

Savvy_Sue

I'm not sure why this post was revived after 5 months, but for those worried about safety, the OP said:

hoggle wrote: »

Thanks for everyones' advice, we have decided to stick with the exercise bike for now, better to be safe than sorry, until he is a lot stronger!!

back in February.

A_Flock_Of_Sheep

SingleSue wrote: »

To be honest, I didn't even think to challenge the LRM. He does also have a physical disability (well two actually) but not enough in my mind to warrant an award of HRM.

I know someone with an Autistic child and they get HRM for them. He has no other physical disabilites as I know the family well so know this and I have seen him chasing round and round their car and round the garden and bouncing about on the trampoline. How this translates into Virtually Unable To Walk I am not sure.

This in mind, in my role of a benefits advisor there was a case (not my client) where a girl who had Cerebral Palsy using a wheelchair was denied HRM but had to go to appeal and get it.

I know that the Coalition want to look at DLA claimants of working age but I think it should be looked at where child claims are concerned too.

ShockingPink

I know this is an old thread, but I have a question about trike riding. I have an electric assisted trike, but I'm too scared to ride it! I'm worried that the speed might run away with me, that I might topple over when negotiating ramps, and that using the brakes (which have been adapted to make them easier to squeeze) will be difficult in an emergency.

Does anyone know of anyone who does training courses for adult novice riders (I used to ride a bike, but have been unable to for many years). I'm in rural Cumbria, which is a problem.

Thanks for any advice or suggestions!

adouglasmhor

ShockingPink wrote: »

I know this is an old thread, but I have a question about trike riding. I have an electric assisted trike, but I'm too scared to ride it! I'm worried that the speed might run away with me, that I might topple over when negotiating ramps, and that using the brakes (which have been adapted to make them easier to squeeze) will be difficult in an emergency.

Does anyone know of anyone who does training courses for adult novice riders (I used to ride a bike, but have been unable to for many years). I'm in rural Cumbria, which is a problem.

Thanks for any advice or suggestions!

Contact the cycle touring club or ask your local education dept if they have a cycling proficiency officer or similar? They should be able to help you out or put you in touch with someone who can, good luck.

starchild1972

A_Flock_Of_Sheep wrote: »

I know someone with an Autistic child and they get HRM for them. He has no other physical disabilites as I know the family well so know this and I have seen him chasing round and round their car and round the garden and bouncing about on the trampoline. How this translates into Virtually Unable To Walk I am not sure.

An Autistic child (or adult) can be classed as "virtually unable to walk" if their condition causes them to refuse to walk. Some cannot cope with walking in public, some cannot cope on public transport (my 7 yr old refuses to use a bus because there are no seatbelts). They may wander when walking and not be aware of dangers when walking. They may be extra clumsy or find walking extremely stressful.
http://www.cafamily.org.uk/pdfs/DisabilityLivingAllowanceLearningDisabilities.pdf

For example, children with Autism
Spectrum disorders often have ‘refusal

episodes’, where they refuse to either

leave the house or go where parents
want them to or will, whilst out, refuse
to go any further. These refusals are not
down to naughtiness or wilfulness and
cannot be overcome by any threat of
punishment or promise of reward. They
occur because of the extreme rigidity of
thinking associated with Autism and the
inability to deal with unexpected events.
These refusal episodes can be seen as
a “temporary paralysis of will” which will

count towards a “virtual inability to walk”.

A_Flock_Of_Sheep

starchild1972 wrote: »

An Autistic child (or adult) can be classed as "virtually unable to walk" if their condition causes them to refuse to walk. Some cannot cope with walking in public, some cannot cope on public transport (my 7 yr old refuses to use a bus because there are no seatbelts). They may wander when walking and not be aware of dangers when walking. They may be extra clumsy or find walking extremely stressful.
http://www.cafamily.org.uk/pdfs/DisabilityLivingAllowanceLearningDisabilities.pdf

This is very interesting.

Do you think this would also cover people with Mental Health Problems who due to anxiety, hallucinations find they are unable to walk or move?

Some people with severe anxiety disorders, psychosis also cannot cope with walking in public and cannot use public transport. In effect a deprivation of will.

At the severe end they can also wander, concentrating on other things and not be aware of dangers.

All claimants I have helped with severe Mental Health issues such as those have only ever been awareded Lower Rate Mobility for supervision and guidance outdoors.

Is this criteria you detail specifically for children or adults too? Reading this PDF you post to. I am wondering if this would cover conditions such as Hypomania and Schizophrenia.

starchild1972

Well, as you know DLA/HRM is done on individuals and it does depend on the individual. I have 2 autistic cousins, one is working full time and living independantly and managing well although does get DLA LRC as he does need checking up on daily. The other (his younger brother) is banged up in a psychiatric secure unit after not being able to deal with their parents dying within 2 years of each other he tried to stab older brother.
Their sister has an autistic son who will not walk outside of their garden and also (like my youngest) will not use a bus he is 14 and gets HRM. She has to drive him everywhere as he will not go to school by supplied taxi as the taxi firm cannot guarantee the same driver each time.

If they hadn't had to wait over 40 yrs for a proper diagnosis then the rest of teh family would have been able to deal with things better.

AFAIK if a phychiatrist agrees that someone with mental health problems needs help getting around and is willing to write that in a report then there should be no reason why they wouldn't get HRM unless of course their conditions can be controlled by medications. I don't knowe anyone who has an autistic family member where their condition can be medically "controlled".
DLA is after all done on need not on diagnosis.