Should she make a claim

samtoby

My mother in law has Crohns and although she works part time has been told she can claim DLA for it.

She can walk and she is not disabled as such so I said I really wasn't sure. Does anyone know - I have looked at the forms but it seems to be aiming at whether you have a carer etc.

She has a lot of medication and uses ten tons of water as she goes to the toilet so much, I believe the water board might be able to help with that but unsure as she works 30 hours ish a week when well but does have time off sometimes due to her health condition.

Thanks

19lottie82

Hi OP - I know you can claim if you work PT, but i THINK that 30 hours a week may be considered FT in this situation.

Also, you might get a better response posting this is the benefits section of the board.

Mojisola

19lottie82 wrote: »

Hi OP - I know you can claim if you work PT, but i THINK that 30 hours a week may be considered FT in this situation.

You can work full-time and still claim DLA.

McKneff

DLA is paid for care and mobility.

You should read the criteria first and then decide or your mother decided whether she qualifies. It isn't sounding so to be honest from what you say.

Person_one

Water providers do offer capped bills for people who need to use a lot of water due to a medical condition, have a look at the website for yours.

I don't think she'd qualify for DLA though I'm afraid, as her condition doesn't cost her money as such.

Tiddlywinks

DLA is there for people who have additional care or mobility needs - it's not about whether your condition costs you money - it's about your level of independence and mobility.

https://www.gov.uk/dla-disability-living-allowance-benefit/what-youll-get

Person_one

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

DLA is there for people who have additional care or mobility needs - it's not about whether your condition costs you money - it's about your level of independence and mobility.

https://www.gov.uk/dla-disability-living-allowance-benefit/what-youll-get

I thought the money was to pay for those care needs? Can you claim it even if your care is free to you?

devildog

It is reasonably difficult to claim DLA for Crohn's disease and it all boils down to 'needs' and not the illness. I know some who do receive DLA for it but many more who were turned down. Maybe an idea to look on the NACC website where they go through it in more detail.
Re water usage, in our area if you have Crohn's AND receive one of the following

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseekers' Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Housing Benefit
• Council Tax Benefits (not Discount or Relief)
• Working Tax Credit
• Child Tax Credit (except families in receipt of the family element only)
• State Pension Credit
• you can go onto a special tariff where you payments remain the same no matter how much water you use.

Spendless

Person_one wrote: »

I thought the money was to pay for those care needs? Can you claim it even if your care is free to you?

If you meet the criteria for claiming, yes. One of the aims of the Welfare state was 'to compensate for additional costs' so things like child benefit which was universal (until very recently)to those who qualified (ie had a child) came under that. What might cost the OP relative in financial terms is that she needs to buy/avoid certain foods which (might) be more expensive, or she is unable to do certain jobs that might pay more as she needs to be able to access a loo (eg I once worked with someone whose husband had Crohns and he packed in his job as a bus driver due to not knowing when he'd need to go).

Saying all that, there is different cuts and benefits coming and I don't know if/when any changes are to be made to DLA.

Claire212

Hi,

My partner has Crohns, he also works full time. He has had several metres of his bowl removed, takes several medications, and is currently having infliximab treatment.

The comments of users such as 'Tiddlywinks' really make me mad, as they obviously have no idea about the illness, or the effects it has. If you had Crohns you would know about how it effects you mobility and independence, and dignity.

My belief of DLA is that you use the money you are given to make your life easier, if you suffer from an illness or disability that effects your level of independence and mobility, either employing a carer, or paying for Taxi's to make life easier. A Crohns sufferer should be no different.

My partner and I both work and claim no benefits.

He suffers from a condition that makes him double up in pain several times a day, so badly that he can not walk. Then, the pain eases and he can continue, until the next time. Much of his stomach has been removed and so he can never be too far away from a toilet as he has immediate continence problems. This disease is terribly painful, and effects everything about day to day living.

However, he still goes to work. When he needs to go for his treatment, he must have a day off work (often unpaid, or he uses his holidays, he can get special leave, but it does not pay as much as he would recieve if he worked at full pay.) and travel 20 miles to the nearest hospital and pay for car parking fees, (he needssomeone to be with him and drive him home) it can take all day depending on the clinic.

The reason why someone with Crohns has difficulty claiming DLA? Because it can go into remission and some days you can be less effected than others.

There is always a case for DLA, and you can always claim and get told no. You will never know unless you try. I hope one day it will be recognised as a serious illness, and eligible for DLA when awareness of the condition is raised and people understand what it is like living with it. Just asking for help with added costs others do not have should not be met with dismissal. After all, with most illnesses you have better days than others.

By all means claim. We always rejoice when someone manages sucessfully. After so many are refused.

I have Hypothyroidism. On Thyroxine. I am eligible for free pescriptions, as I need to be on them for life (lifethreatening illness if not treated) people with Crohns, an incurable, painful disease are not. Enough said of an unfair system.

room512

With DLA it doesn't matter if you work full time or not and you always fill in the form saying how you are on your worst days (the form states this - well the last time i filled it in it did).