DLA Advice

Xign

Hey guys. As I posted a couple of weeks ago I have been placed in the ESA Support Group.

I currently get DLA HRM. Today my social worker came over and she advised me to get in touch with the DLA folks and apply for a care component.

I have major spine trouble, bad balance and persistent dizziness so I think I would qualify for LRC because I can't prepare a meal and have to buy ready meals? I also have several gadgets and adaptions around the house to aid bathing and getting dressed, etc.

If I did apply for a Care component; would my Mobility award be at risk? I'm assuming as I'm in the ESA Support Group because of my lack of mobility and my inability to use a self propel wheelchair due to neck tumours affecting the arms, I wouldn't be at much risk?

I just don't want any headaches.

Cheers for the advise guys.

Is it worth a go?

Horseunderwater

Applying for the care part should not effect the Mobility part. When filling in the form, put down exactly what your problems are I relation to needing care. Can you prepare a meal from scratch? Can you wash or take a shower unaided? Forget about adaptions etc for the moment. Can you get dressed on your own easily or not. Do you need help using a toilet. And describe it well on a day to day basis.

Xign

Thanks for your advice... That's good to know. I will give them a call tomorrow.

I don't think I'll be eligible for middle care. No one helps me to get washed dressed etc. I just have several adaptions that enable me to do it myself.

As for cooking, no I can't I really struggle and have to get microwave meals. So worth a go on that point!

atrixblue.-MFR-.

Horseunderwater wrote: »

Applying for the care part should not effect the Mobility part. When filling in the form, put down exactly what your problems are I relation to needing care. Can you prepare a meal from scratch? Can you wash or take a shower unaided? Forget about adaptions etc for the moment. Can you get dressed on your own easily or not. Do you need help using a toilet. And describe it well on a day to day basis.

actually it can trigger a review of the claim as a whole.

dont forget about adaptions as these are taken into account when applying for DLA Care companant.

you may recieve LRC based on preparing a cooked meal, you may recieve medium rate care if you require nightly supervision and required aid to dress yourself and aid to the toilet day and night.

if the adaptions have their purpose that aids you, then this can limit your claim to care not improve it for E.G if your require a hoist to get in and out of the bath and you can operate the hoist yourself to get in and out then thats 1 element discounted.

if you have a stairlift and this can be easily operated and you have adapted wider doors and a lower cupboards etc then you have no issues with getting about the house aid to get in and out of bed according to DLA and DLA appeal case law.

using microwaveable meals is not counted as part of the assesment, with that question you should be telling the DM why you cant prepare a main cooked meal for yourself, and if you were left to your own devices to try and cook a prepared meal will it endanger yourself or others.

aids and adaptions are counted as a means to stay independant within the home, thus reducing the amount of a physical stay in or frequent carer to provide the tasks the adaptions do.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

Xign wrote: »

Thanks for your advice... That's good to know. I will give them a call tomorrow.

I don't think I'll be eligible for middle care. No one helps me to get washed dressed etc. I just have several adaptions that enable me to do it myself.

As for cooking, no I can't I really struggle and have to get microwave meals. So worth a go on that point!

wording is key on these forms, if you put its and extreme struggle and takes me 30 mins then what you are saying is yes i can PREPARE a cooked meal but it takes me longer than an abled bodied person of my age.

interpration to you would be you have informed that you do struggle to them you are telling them you can do it with excess time than a normal abled bodied person.

so saying phrases like struggle to do, it maked me ill to do it, says you have done it and can do it in their eyes.

Xign

atrixblue.-MFR-. wrote: »

wording is key on these forms, if you put its and extreme struggle and takes me 30 mins then what you are saying is yes i can PREPARE a cooked meal but it takes me longer than an abled bodied person of my age.

interpration to you would be you have informed that you do struggle to them you are telling them you can do it with excess time than a normal abled bodied person.

so saying phrases like struggle to do, it maked me ill to do it, says you have done it and can do it in their eyes.

Cheers for the advice!!

Brassedoff

As atrixblue -MFR- has said. It's in the wording. Take a lot of time on the forms to ensure you get it right.

Just as a side thought, check when you think you might be called for the PIP swap over. It might avoid your having o o two sets of in depth forms and the medical assessment.

Horseunderwater

No one at this time will be on PIP unless they are in Merseyside, north-west England, Cumbria, Cheshire and parts of north-east England as it does not roll out to rest of the country till June 2013 onwards at earliest and even then there has been some delays. So just go for the DLA.

Xign

I am on indefinite DLA so I'm not swapping till 2015.

I just completed the ESA 50 not long ago so I know how to word things. But yea you got to explain things full because they are looking for a reason not to give you an award.