claiming DLA but no doctor's reports

24skins

If the OP's daughter gets DLA (and the family meet income criteria) she may be able to get one grant from the Family Fund - they now cover children up to 17 years in Scotland (and I think UK-wide).

ETA You can get assistance from the Family Fund without a DLA award, but I'd concentrate on the former first.

jackieb

Updated: Just got a letter today saying she's been awarded low rate mobility but no care component. I got a phone call about 3 weeks ago saying they'd contacted our GP and was told they'd confirmed what i'd told them. The GP had also told them that she receives extra help at school and they were just phoning to ask her school and guidance teacher's name so they could ask what help she gets.

On the award letter we got today there are several points that are clearly the opposite of what I put down on the form. Do they actually read the forms? I will be appealing. However, I do think the lower rate of mobility is right.

jackieb

My sister-in-law says that they might have refused because they're wondering why i've waited until she was 16 to claim if she's had these problems all along.

GlasweJen

If you appeal it the whole award is looked at again. It can go up, down or stay the same so that's something you need to consider.

Your daughter will need to attend the tribunal and talk to the panel about her condition, do you think she would be willing to do that?

jackieb

GlasweJen wrote: »

If you appeal it the whole award is looked at again. It can go up, down or stay the same so that's something you need to consider.

Your daughter will need to attend the tribunal and talk to the panel about her condition, do you think she would be willing to do that?

I know, i'll just have to take the risk.

If I take her, she won't talk to them, but that's how she is. One thing that was said on the award letter was that she didn't need help with communication. I wrote on the DLA form that she did. She obviously does. If she has to go to a tribunal they can see for themselves.

GlasweJen

As she is over 16 the tribunal will address your daughter and not you, you will not be allowed to speak for her unless you have a power of attorney, court of protection order or similar. These sorts of orders are made for adults who cannot make decisions for themselves or communicate their decisions in any setting.

If your daughter is not severely impaired she will be expected to address the tribunal and you will not be allowed to speak for her. This is an award for an adult receiving DLA, although she's your child she is not a child in the eyes of the DWP. Allowing her to simply sit and stare at the panel will not win you any favours. They will ask how she manages her continence needs, they will ask what she does if she has problems at school/at night etc.

You are going to need to show her everything that goes on behind the scenes to make sure she knows the extent of her own care needs before the tribunal date, help her to keep a diary to talk through with the panel but don't bank on her keeping quiet getting an award, more likely the award will be withdrawn for not co-operating with the panel.

jackieb

Sorry Jen. I must've missed your last post.

She has been diagnosed with selective mutism so I can't see why an award would be withdrawn because she's not co-operating? That's one of her problems, and I even sent in a copy of the psychologist's letter (9 pages), where it says she has selective mutism, amongst the other things. If people try to force her to talk she often just starts to cry, and she's not normally one for crying, so it's not like she does it at the drop of a hat.

jackieb

I also sent photos in with the appeal form. I don't know if you're supposed to do this but i've read of others doing it. I apologised for the graphic nature of the photos but hoped it showed the kind of difficulties my daughter had to put up with. I didn't send pictures of my daughter, but 4 pictures which were a soiled bed, soiled jeans, soiled underwear and soiled pull-ups. I think whoever opens the envelope will be in for a shock. I just hope I don't get done for sending dirty pics through the post!

jackieb

My daughter's appeal was today. The panel was very nice. They have awarded my daughter MRC, as well as the LRM she was awarded earlier in the year, up until 2015.

In the end my daughter did speak a bit. A lot of the time she just didn't say anything. They would ask a question and sometimes they just got a blank! She spoke more than I thought she would though. I think they got a pretty good idea of how she is, just by seeing her. After they had finished with her they spoke with me.