eating, working and DLA

nabitus

If a person has Autism and doesn't work, and can't manage his eating properly, and when he has worked, he goes underweight.. but when at home and not working, then thanks to the flexibility and hours available, he manages to eat and not go underweight.. And so he hasn't gone underweight in years as he hasn't worked in years, then can it be said that he needs help reminded to eat? He would need help if he worked.. But by being at home most of the time, he manages to eat OK, as there's no rush to organise.

Muttleythefrog

I would think DLA looks specifically at the reality of day to day life... if working is not part of that day to day life and he only needs to be reminded to eat when working then for DLA purposes I would say he doesn't have the need to be reminded. If he works some times and sometimes not then it becomes a little less clear and probably comes down to an issue of 'reliability' in performing the task.

grummps

nabitus wrote: »

If a person has Autism and doesn't work, and can't manage his eating properly, and when he has worked, he goes underweight.. but when at home and not working, then thanks to the flexibility and hours available, he manages to eat and not go underweight.. And so he hasn't gone underweight in years as he hasn't worked in years, then can it be said that he needs help reminded to eat? He would need help if he worked.. But by being at home most of the time, he manages to eat OK, as there's no rush to organise.

I hate the regime of having to take medication and injections at regular intervals. My wife has to remind me every time - Have you.....?

Without her there I sometimes don't bother.

I hate eating food as I have to take medication and injections that are measured as to the amount and type of food I eat both from a point of view that I have no digestive system and my blood sugars are all over the place.

I love it when my wife goes out as i don't have to eat at specific times and just do without.

I hate having to be woken by my wife at 3am every night to check my blood sugar level and have an injection.

And I think I am fortunate that I am not dying of cancer!

I do receive DLA HRM & MRC, but not for any of the above reasons - in fact those problems above are minor compared to what else is wrong with me and the DWP aren't even aware of them!

I would doubt that not likeing something, or simply not bothering to care for my self counts for anything DLA wise.

GlasweJen

Surely having a routine at work where you go for meal breaks makes it easier to remember to eat compared to dossing about the house?

nabitus

GlasweJen wrote: »

Surely having a routine at work where you go for meal breaks makes it easier to remember to eat compared to dossing about the house?

well, because of my dietary problems I would try to bring food in ready made, often failing to get it ready, losing sleep trying, coming late trying.

mynameistallulah

nabitus wrote: »

well, because of my dietary problems I would try to bring food in ready made, often failing to get it ready, losing sleep trying, coming late trying.

So you don't need reminding to eat, you need reminding to prepare food. Can you not get around this by setting a reminder on your phone/ computer etc?

princessdon

Oh can we claim DLA and inability to work due to being underweight?

Or lets not be discrimatory overweight too, therefore only those in normal BMI range can work.

That is the most silliest reason I have heard! End of the day at work you get (in most jobs) time off for lunch - forcing time to eat (regular time), whilst at home I can forget to eat all day as busy.

nabitus

Why does the DLA form have a section asking about reminding and encouragement to eat? Who is it for?

Dunroamin

How underweight are you talking about?

nabitus

Well, was around 8 stone 5'8 and not a teenager , gender male, but we've established that going underweight isn't relevant as i'm not working.. and i'm at home and have time to eat properly.

So, just wondering then, who is that section for?

princessdon

nabitus wrote: »

Well, was around 8 stone 5'8 and not a teenager , gender male, but we've established that going underweight isn't relevant as i'm not working.. and i'm at home and have time to eat properly.

So, just wondering then, who is that section for?

I suspect they use it as part of the "overall diagnosis" for disability. But work/not work is irrelevant as this isn't a work related benefit.