DLA visit...help!!

carol_a_3

My 15 year old son is in receipt of DLA and has been since he was 3. At Christmas I filled in all the renewal forms (40 odd pages) not entirely sure if they would consider his slowly improving situation still elligible. But, after the usual long wait, they informed me that he would get it for another two years...phew I thought. Then I had forms to say that, as he is coming up to 16 (not for another 6 months) did I think he was capable of handling his own affairs or will he be taking over etc etc.

I have enough trouble with the forms myself despite being adequately intelligent and am sure that he would not cope with filling them in, he only has a post office savings book too which I pay his money into and I don't think he is ready for his own current account yet to receive the benefits. So I asked that they continue to be paid into my account and that I would deal with his affairs. I then got a repeat of the first letter stating that it would continue to be paid until 2007.

Then, this morning, out of the blue, I got a letter from my local job centre stating that they are coming to visit us on Wednesday (no time given, do I sit in all day?) Will they need to see my son who is on year 10 work experience this week or just me that deals with his claim? If they have just awarded us another two years benefit why are they coming round to check up on us or is it just to check that we are who we say we are and live here? It didn't mention doctors or anything just "to talk about your DLA". If they want to see my son he will get really upset as he doesn't like to admit that he has a disability (ASD) and will do his upmost to make out that he is "normal".

Please reassure me. Thanks.

sarahlouise210

Imagining that there is nothing sinister in their visit.... they could be coming to have a chat about his employment options. Did you know that if he works for 16 hours a week it is possible he could get tax credits at 16 because he is on DLA! Assuming he could work those hours at weekends say, he could take home several thousand pounds extra in tax credits if he gets a 16 hour job on the minimum wage...worth thinking about!

margaret_3

You should phone them and ask the purpose of their visit. Ask them what time they propose to come, or even suggest a time yourself.
As for your son not admitting to a disability, they should listen to you and I'm sure they will.
I can't work out why the job centre is coming round unless it's from the disabled section and they could well be coming to see if they can be of help as he will soon be of school leaving age.
Anyway, whatever you do, don't keep your son at home and DON'T WORRY!
Margaret

gravitytolls

Indeed, do call them. You have only to explain that your son will be at school, and ask tehm if they neeed to see him?
Could they come after school?
Does he need to stay at home that day?
Do you need to have any paperwork for them?
They should answer all your questions and set your mind at rest.

Fran

I would give them a ring on Monday and ask if they had expected to see both of you and that he is on work experience and also you'd rather not keep him out of school either when he's back. I know it's easy to worry about visits but it probably is some kind of routine check.

carol_a_3

Thank you all for your suggestions. I don't think it's to do with his future employment prospects because he sees someone from the "connexions" service for that and he is intending to go on to do A level maths anyway so will not be leaving school for another three years. I will ring them tomorrow though to try and get a time and try and find out why they are coming. I don't want to keep my son home though, it will take me days to explain to him what it's about etc. I don't think he'd cope with a part time weekend job either yet but thanks for the information about the tax credits, maybe in the near future that may be a possiblilty.

carol_a_3

All that worrying for nothing. I rang the office and asked why they wanted to come round. The lady said that it was because I had filled a form in stating that I didn't think my son could handle his own affairs at 16. I explained about the bank account business and how difficult forms would be for him and she said that all it meant was that the letters would be written to him in future, that I could still help him with the forms as long as he signed them and that he could "nominate" my bank account to receive the money. She said that she did have to see him in person though to make sure he understood all this and, coincidentally, he was home today with a tummy bug so she came almost straight away, explained a bit to him, he signed the form and that was that (I hope) Thanks for all the good advice anyway. I think if the forms/letters were worded better all this could have been avoided.

margaret_3

That's excellent!
Often when one is too near to the problem it takes other folks to see it more clearly.
I, like the others I'm sure, could see nothing to worry about. There was always going to be a simple explanation.
You can relax now!!!!!! :-)
Margaret

fezza_2

Hi Carol
Im glad things turned out well.You are right about about the letters that they send out, you start worrying about things no end when you get such official letters for home visits! Though it is reassuring that they have the interests of a potentially vulnerable person as a priority.

gravitytolls

great, glad it was nothing to worry about. It's easy to forget we're dealing with human beings when it's all in writing - faceless individuals always appear to be malicious.

well done.