DLA questions

celticfc

I had a tribunal last week and was awarded HR Mobility and LR Care. I received a notice informing me of the award straight after the decision makers had reached the decision. I won after 2 appeals. I got quite a grilling from the person dealing with the care aspect. The mobility side was straight forward. It was quite an intense feeling being questioned by strangers wanting to know intimate details about myself. I found bit's quite distressing if I'm being honest, mostly as I am trying to come to terms that I do have a long term problem which has just stopped me in my tracks. I'm nowhere near as bad as some other folk but having a young family and only being 38 years old is really difficult.

This was my third application for DLA. The first two were refused and I didnt have the mental strength to appeal at the time having had a period in time where everything seemed to be going wrong. With the third application I sought help from a Disability Advice Project in Pontypool Gwent and without their help I would never had got my award.

I have searched for the answers but can't find a great deal of info so I was wondering if anyone here could help.

The notice I was handed on the day of the tribunal is this the official award?

What are the rates for High Rate Mobillity and Low rate care?

How long will it be before this is sorted and I begin to receive payments?

I will apply for a blue badge for parking, how long does this take?

Does this award affect IB and IS?


If anyone has any advice or anything they can point out which I've not asked but should know concerning my award then please tell me.

thanks.

Morglin

You will recieve a revised award notice from the DWP, together with any back pay they owe you. Depending on how busy they are, this seems to be taking between 2 and six weeks.

DLA rates:

Care:
Higher rate £64.50
Middle rate £43.15
Lower rate £17.10
Mobility:
Higher rate £45.00
Lower rate £17.10

You can apply for your BB through the local council, who may accept the tribunal letter, or may need the actual award notice from DLA unit. Most councils take about 2 weeks to process them, although this varies.

DLA awards can affect IS and Housing benefit (although they won't affect IB). DLA unit should advise your local benefits office, but it might be an idea for you to let them know of your award.

You are entitled to exemption from car tax:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVehicle/TaxationClasses/DG_4022042

and, you can, if you want to, lease a car from Motability:

http://www.motability.co.uk/

You can also get train fare reductions:

http://www.disabledpersons-railcard.co.uk/

Lin

Crying_over_spilt_milk

celticfc wrote: »

I had a tribunal last week and was awarded HR Mobility and LR Care. I received a notice informing me of the award straight after the decision makers had reached the decision. I won after 2 appeals. I got quite a grilling from the person dealing with the care aspect. The mobility side was straight forward. It was quite an intense feeling being questioned by strangers wanting to know intimate details about myself. I found bit's quite distressing if I'm being honest, mostly as I am trying to come to terms that I do have a long term problem which has just stopped me in my tracks. I'm nowhere near as bad as some other folk but having a young family and only being 38 years old is really difficult.

This was my third application for DLA. The first two were refused and I didnt have the mental strength to appeal at the time having had a period in time where everything seemed to be going wrong. With the third application I sought help from a Disability Advice Project in Pontypool Gwent and without their help I would never had got my award.

I have searched for the answers but can't find a great deal of info so I was wondering if anyone here could help.

The notice I was handed on the day of the tribunal is this the official award?

What are the rates for High Rate Mobillity and Low rate care?

How long will it be before this is sorted and I begin to receive payments?

I will apply for a blue badge for parking, how long does this take?

Does this award affect IB and IS?


If anyone has any advice or anything they can point out which I've not asked but should know concerning my award then please tell me.

thanks.

I'd just like to say "well done" for fighting your case. I know only too well how very very hard it is to do so. (I was knocked back at a medical by a dr who LIED outright about my replies to her questions so that my Incap Benefit was stopped! I then won at appeal but was terrified that I would meet with the same treament - fortunately I didn't!)

celticfc

Thanks very much both of you for your replies.

Lin thanks a lot for the info you have supplied there and for the links. I'll have a good look around them shortly. I'll contact the benefits office Monday and let them know what's what and hopefully nothing changes with the benefits I'm currently receiving. It took me over 18 months just to get the IS award, problem after problem there, which is part of the tough period time I had.

once again thanks for the reply.

Crying_over_spilt_milk

celticfc wrote: »

Thanks very much both of you for your replies.

Lin thanks a lot for the info you have supplied there and for the links. I'll have a good look around them shortly. I'll contact the benefits office Monday and let them know what's what and hopefully nothing changes with the benefits I'm currently receiving. It took me over 18 months just to get the IS award, problem after problem there, which is part of the tough period time I had.

once again thanks for the reply.

You're welcome! I know it's good (even though i can't be of any/much practical help) to know "we are not alone"!

...and I thought my IS support was a nightmare at 6 months!

Good luck anyway!

diddlydum

DLA is separate to any means-assessed benefit, as it pays for disability living costs, and anything you receive won't be classed as income for the income support or housing benefit assessment.

As you're receiving lower rate care your applicable amount probably won't change, and any carer you have won't be entitled to carer's allowance. If you receive middle or higher rate care in the future your applicable amount may go up by about £48 (if you live alone), or your carer may be able to get carer's allowance.

Crying_over_spilt_milk

diddlydum wrote: »

DLA is separate to any means-assessed benefit, as it pays for disability living costs, and anything you receive won't be classed as income for the income support or housing benefit assessment.

As you're receiving lower rate care your applicable amount probably won't change, and any carer you have won't be entitled to carer's allowance. If you receive middle or higher rate care in the future your applicable amount may go up by about £48 (if you live alone), or your carer may be able to get carer's allowance.

I'm afraid DLA DOES affect IS. DLA & Incapacity Benefit are not means-tested, that's true; but as they are (obviously) income THEY impact upon the means-tested benefits you receive. I'm not sure how the following applies to everyone, but: if you apply for IS and receive disability benefits you get a slightly higher threshold awarded by the govt as "the amount they consider you need to live on". In my case it's £34 pw!! (I don't have children).

However, as my partner is my carer, she gets virtually nothing because my benefits are supposed to support her as well! So as usual, they open a finger on one hand and a big paw takes with the other hand!!

In addition, as we have a mortgage on our house we have to pay part of the INTEREST paymnets too (we've only got an interest-only mortgage) becasue they'll only pay a portion of that (£130 pw) and not all of it. (If only we were renting!) so it'll depend on your circumstances as to what you get IN ADDITION to DLA & other sickness benefits.

Penny-Pincher!!

Crying_over_spilt_milk wrote: »

I'm afraid DLA DOES affect IS. DLA & Incapacity Benefit are not means-tested, that's true; but as they are (obviously) income THEY impact upon the means-tested benefits you receive. I'm not sure how the following applies to everyone, but: if you apply for IS and receive disability benefits you get a slightly higher threshold awarded by the govt as "the amount they consider you need to live on". In my case it's £34 pw!! (I don't have children).

However, as my partner is my carer, she gets virtually nothing because my benefits are supposed to support her as well! So as usual, they open a finger on one hand and a big paw takes with the other hand!!

In addition, as we have a mortgage on our house we have to pay part of the INTEREST paymnets too (we've only got an interest-only mortgage) becasue they'll only pay a portion of that (£130 pw) and not all of it. (If only we were renting!) so it'll depend on your circumstances as to what you get IN ADDITION to DLA & other sickness benefits.

Income Support is NOT effected by your DLA award. DLA is not counted as income for any benefits and you will receive this on top of any IS, IB etc. You will receive a disability premium on your IS though:D ...I am not sure of the amount though-sorry! If you rent and pay CT, it would be a good idea to inform them too as you mabe entitled to more help if you are not receiving full amounts already.

The blue badge took 2 weeks to come through for me and remember you are also entitled to FREE road tax- you will get the aplicable forms with your official DLA letter. Any road tax you have currently will be refunded till the beginning of your claim award.

Are you sure you would not be entitled to more care? Maybe think about it over the next few weeks...seriously..them you can ask for a reconsideration if so chose.

well done.

PP
xx

Crying_over_spilt_milk

Penny-Pincher!! wrote: »

Income Support is NOT effected by your DLA award. DLA is not counted as income for any benefits and you will receive this on top of any IS, IB etc. You will receive a disability premium on your IS though:D ...I am not sure of the amount though-sorry! If you rent and pay CT, it would be a good idea to inform them too as you mabe entitled to more help if you are not receiving full amounts already.

The blue badge took 2 weeks to come through for me and remember you are also entitled to FREE road tax- you will get the aplicable forms with your official DLA letter. Any road tax you have currently will be refunded till the beginning of your claim award.

Are you sure you would not be entitled to more care? Maybe think about it over the next few weeks...seriously..them you can ask for a reconsideration if so chose.

well done.

PP
xx

I don't know where you get your info from but mine is from my IS award letter where my DLA and IB are added together to calulate my (& partner's) IS, which is pitiful BECAUSE of my DLA (middle rate) and IB (long-term rate). Now if you can refer me to some evidence that they are doing it wrong I would be delighted! (It would be the latest in a long-standing catalogue of fatal errors on their part.) I've got no desire to mislead; just help those in the same sinking ship!

diddlydum

Disability Living Allowance is NOT classed as income for income support assessment purposes.

It can affect the applicable amount by giving you extra premiums, for instance severe disablement premium, but it does not reduce your entitlement.

DLA is to pay for the costs of being disabled, which is why it is paid according to disability not income or NI contributions.

Incapacity benefit does reduce your income support entitlement, as it is designed to replace your salary when you cannot work.

If your income support is being reduced because of your DLA income you need to get specialist advice, give CLS Direct a ring on 0845 345 4345.

Crying_over_spilt_milk

diddlydum wrote: »

Disability Living Allowance is NOT classed as income for income support assessment purposes.

It can affect the applicable amount by giving you extra premiums, for instance severe disablement premium, but it does not reduce your entitlement.

DLA is to pay for the costs of being disabled, which is why it is paid according to disability not income or NI contributions.

Incapacity benefit does reduce your income support entitlement, as it is designed to replace your salary when you cannot work.

If your income support is being reduced because of your DLA income you need to get specialist advice, give CLS Direct a ring on 0845 345 4345.

THanks will do!