circumstances changing constantly in relation to DLA and eyesight - please help!

tilly-roo

Hi there -

I have been on middle care rate and low mobility rate for a fair while now for type 1 diabetes complications but my circumstances changed in May when my eyesight rapidly got worse to a point of needing help with most things. I had a very complicated op 6 weeks ago at which point I had 10 percent vision left and a few weeks ago my left eye cleared up but my right eye is still 10 percent. I can now do things more independently but I am due to have another op soon on the other eye which will mean I'll need care and help more than I have now.

I rang up to ask about my DLA rates as I know I probably should be on high rates of both, having diabetes, neuropathy (nerve damage) and such low vision, and they sent me a form but they said the claim would be done all over again and possibly backdated. However what I am confused about is how I would correctly put my claim through bearing in mind that my eyesight got bad in May, turned in to 10 percent vision in September and then I will have a few weeks of good vision until the next op. After my right eye has healed I will no longer qualify for high rates, so I'm unsure how to put my claim in.

Please can somebody help? I really want to get everything done before my next operation because the sooner my money is sorted out the better, as the constant hospital appointments (hour and a half train journey) are crippling financially!

tilly-roo

Anybody ? Very puzzled as to what to do!

BrianD

Have a look at the benefits and work website there are some very helpful people with good knowledge

Cpt.Scarlet

For HRM you need to be;
Be certified/ registered as severely sight impaired/ blind
Have a visual acuity, with appropriate corrective lenses if necessary, of less than 3/60 or
Have a visual acuity of 3/60 or more, but less than 6/60, with appropriate corrective lenses if necessary, a complete loss of peripheral vision and a central vision of no more than 10 degrees in total (sometimes called tunnel vision).

For HRC you need to show you have care needs during the day AND night.

rogerblack

tilly-roo wrote: »

I had a very complicated op 6 weeks ago at which point I had 10 percent vision left and a few weeks ago my left eye cleared up but my right eye is still 10 percent

Addressing only the vision.
To get DLA, you need restricted vision in both eyes, and that restricted vision has to have been there for the past 3 months, and will be there for the next 6.
You seem unlikely to qualify on these grounds.
If I've understood properly, you have had acceptable vision in one eye since early december, and it's likely to continue - even if the other eye is operated on.

This means you will not qualify currently for DLA on sight grounds.

You could have (if the vision was bad enough) applied for DLA in July (3 months after the vision worsened), if you had not had an appointment for eye surgery.

As I understand the rules, there is now no period over which your claim can be backdated during which for 9 months, you had bad vision in both eyes.

Have you investigated help with transport costs - http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Illorinjured/DG_10018959

?

I assume that when talking about backdating the person on the phone was referring not to backdating to some arbitrary earlier period, but to backdating to the time you requested the form.
So if you requested the form yesterday, then even if you fill it in in a months time, you still get paid (if eligible) from yesterday - the backpayment when the claim is decided.

rotoguys

Somebody is honest!

What most people do (as I have since found out from friends and acquaintances) is to put a claim in and obtain good medical evidence when you are at your worst.
Then when you have the DLA, whilst you are obliged to inform them of any changes, you should not do so until you are satisfied that the change will be permanent. With something that is so variable, you do not need to mention the improvements until you have been told by your consultant that the change is permanent.
If you do bring the improvement to the notice of the DWP, then they will reassess you on the basis that it is a permanent improvement.

gardenia101

I think rogerblack is correct - when I had eyesight problems I was told I couldn't apply for DLA unless the problem had been there for 3 months & would continue for at least the next 6 months.