DLA question

pupsicola

My young son has been recieving dla high rate care component since he was 15 months old. It isn't due to expire till October 2012. However he has now been discharged from all the proffessionals who have been working with him. I feel his condition is now manageable and am going to phone up and cancel the dla and carers allowance tomorrow. Never thought we would get to this day, am so happy to not need it anymore, mainly for his sake. Much prefer to have a healthy child than the money coming in.

My question is can I just do this over the phone or will they require anything in writing. If a letter is required would that just be from myself or from the proffessionals involved in his care as they have already discharged him?

Many thanks for any help

rogerblack

pupsicola wrote: »

<snip>
Much prefer to have a healthy child than the money coming in.

My question is can I just do this over the phone or will they require anything in writing. If a letter is required would that just be from myself or from the proffessionals involved in his care as they have already discharged him?

Many thanks for any help

You can stop claiming any benefit at any time, they require no proof generally to stop giving you money.

I _think_ this can be done over the phone, but a letter may be needed.
Do check that you've got the funds to repay any overpayment since the time your son got better - it may be recoverable.

thorsoak

pupsicola wrote: »

My young son has been recieving dla high rate care component since he was 15 months old. It isn't due to expire till October 2012. However he has now been discharged from all the proffessionals who have been working with him. I feel his condition is now manageable and am going to phone up and cancel the dla and carers allowance tomorrow. Never thought we would get to this day, am so happy to not need it anymore, mainly for his sake. Much prefer to have a healthy child than the money coming in.

My question is can I just do this over the phone or will they require anything in writing. If a letter is required would that just be from myself or from the proffessionals involved in his care as they have already discharged him?

Many thanks for any help

You must be so happy to have got to this stage - wishing you and your family all the best!

Hammyman

Likewise. Good luck for the future.

no-oneknowsme

pupsicola wrote: »

My young son has been recieving dla high rate care component since he was 15 months old. It isn't due to expire till October 2012. However he has now been discharged from all the proffessionals who have been working with him. I feel his condition is now manageable and am going to phone up and cancel the dla and carers allowance tomorrow. Never thought we would get to this day, am so happy to not need it anymore, mainly for his sake. Much prefer to have a healthy child than the money coming in.

My question is can I just do this over the phone or will they require anything in writing. If a letter is required would that just be from myself or from the proffessionals involved in his care as they have already discharged him?

Many thanks for any help

I was also in the same situation as yourself as in my DD recovered enough to no longer need DLA . I telephoned and they asked me to put my request to end the benefit in writing which I then did.

I am so pleased that your Son is on the road to recovery . I totally agree when you say that a healthy child is worth more than any sum of money BUT (and please dont take this the wrong way) you say your son has been discharged from all health professionals . Are you sure that he is totally recovered - as in his disability and need for help with mobility has totally gone ?

Would you be better to explain to the DLA dept exactly what you have told us here ? Tell them that you think he would benefit from being re-assessed , maybe he would still be entitled to a lower rate ? Maybe a reassesment would be the answer ?

Although in saying this , YOU know your own Son best .

Im pleased for you and your Son.

Graham29

That's great news! My parents claim DLA for my younger brother who has diabetes, I know they would rather he didn't have this awful condition and not get a penny for him.

I wonder how many people actually cancel their DLA claims if thier condition improves?

no-oneknowsme

Graham29 wrote: »

That's great news! My parents claim DLA for my younger brother who has diabetes, I know they would rather he didn't have this awful condition and not get a penny for him.

I wonder how many people actually cancel their DLA claims if thier condition improves?

I cancelled my DD's (she was almost 17 at the time and still had another year or so left to run on it) . Thought it was better that way rather than be found out and have a fraudulant claim against me !

Nothing matches the feeling of knowing that your child has recovered !

sjc3

no-oneknowsme wrote: »

I was also in the same situation as yourself as in my DD recovered enough to no longer need DLA . I telephoned and they asked me to put my request to end the benefit in writing which I then did.

Did they just need a letter from yourself or from any medical proffessionals that had been involved. My friend is in the same poistion with her daughter. Congrats OP on your son recovering.

starchild1972

You don't say how old your son is now, does he still have care needs that he cannot deal with by himself? Does he have needs above and beyond that of a child without illness/disability requires?
Is there risk of relapse in his condition which will require a reclaim in the future? (This is sometimes asked by those at the benefits line because they want to be sure that he will not need to reclaim in 12/18 months time)
Does your GP agree that he no longer needs help?

no-oneknowsme

sjc3 wrote: »

Did they just need a letter from yourself or from any medical proffessionals that had been involved. My friend is in the same poistion with her daughter. Congrats OP on your son recovering.

Just a letter from myself was all that I sent.

I think the people in the DLA Dept considered that if I as the Mum agreed that my Child no longer needed help then the info must be correct.

I did however write on the letter I sent to them that the health care professionals who had been looking after my DD were pleased enough with her improvement to discharge her from their care .

pupsicola

Thank you all so much for your advice. I have thought long and hard about this as I remember the effort it took to claim in the first place. My darling son is 5 1/2 now. When he was small he had the most horrific eczema, food allergies, developmental and speech delays. He wasn't weaned till he was 3 1/2 and had to be on very expensive dietary milk, needed specialist clothing etc.

We are now out of the thick of it and I feel he doesn't require any extra help than another child of his age. My sons paediatrician and dermatologist have kept a very strict eye on him this last year as they were wary of cancelling any help in case of setbacks and more problems. However we are all confidant that he will be okay now, him having got through the worst of the winter without any major flare ups.

I cant tell you the relief. Never been so thrilled to deny myself money coming into my bank. Id feel guilty not cancelling the claim as hopefully that money will now go to someone else who desperately needs it and it can make a difference to their lives.