Are you able to backdate a Disabled Child Tax Credit

Lighteagle

Hello all,

Our chid has always acted a little different from the others within his school year or in comparison of children his own age. When he was at school in the infants and juniors they called us in many times because of how he was acting. They believed he could have Asperger but we attended CAMS and it came back negative. It is apparently normal for a child to sit no where near anyone else, who lives to a routine every day and if that routine is affected he will go nuts, cannot comprehend jokes or banter and takes it as insulting, having to eat the same thing day in and day out with no change, will have huge hypertensive episodes, chews everything and destroys them, and I can go on and on. Now the school believe we could be looking at either ADD or ADHD problems.

So I know that there is a disabled premium on child tax credits for a disabled child, however we have never bothered to claim it, we have just looked after our son and never took him for another diagnosis. But he is 16 this week, and will be going college very soon and I think we really need to get this diagnosed, if not for us definitely for him. But if we are right and he does get the diagnosis of ADHD or ADD would we be entitled to claim back dated tax credits for the disabled element we never claimed for and just dealt with by ourselves or can we only claim from the point of diagnosis and onward's?

I hope this makes sense?
And thank you all. I know this is not under the citizens advice section, but they are not allowing anymore posts.

My regards

poppy12345

Lighteagle wrote: »

Hello all,

Our chid has always acted a little different from the others within his school year or in comparison of children his own age. When he was at school in the infants and juniors they called us in many times because of how he was acting. They believed he could have Asperger but we attended CAMS and it came back negative. It is apparently normal for a child to sit no where near anyone else, who lives to a routine every day and if that routine is affected he will go nuts, cannot comprehend jokes or banter and takes it as insulting, having to eat the same thing day in and day out with no change, will have huge hypertensive episodes, chews everything and destroys them, and I can go on and on. Now the school believe we could be looking at either ADD or ADHD problems.

So I know that there is a disabled premium on child tax credits for a disabled child, however we have never bothered to claim it, we have just looked after our son and never took him for another diagnosis. But he is 16 this week, and will be going college very soon and I think we really need to get this diagnosed, if not for us definitely for him. But if we are right and he does get the diagnosis of ADHD or ADD would we be entitled to claim back dated tax credits for the disabled element we never claimed for and just dealt with by ourselves or can we only claim from the point of diagnosis and onward's?

I hope this makes sense?
And thank you all. I know this is not under the citizens advice section, but they are not allowing anymore posts.

My regards

To claim the disabled element of child tax credits you must claim DLA or PIP for the child, without that then you can't claim this. See this link.
https://contact.org.uk/news-and-blogs/extra-tax-credit-payments-if-youre-claiming-dla/

poppy12345

As your child is almost 16 then it would be PIP and not DLA. You don't mention in your post if DLA is currently being claimed. If not then PIP is possible but you'll need evidence to support a claim. A diagnosis isn't needed because it's how those conditions affect you daily. I'll pop some links up that will help you further.
http://www.focusondisability.org.uk/personal-independence-payment-PIP-assessment-points.html

You can take an online PIP self test to give you some idea. It's only a guide so please bear that in mind.
http://www.mybenefitsandwork.co.uk/pip/indexxx.php

To start a claim you will need to ring the PIP helpline, once he's 16.

If your child is unable to take care of their own finances, fill out and sign forms and make calls to DWP then you can become his appointee.
https://www.gov.uk/become-appointee-for-someone-claiming-benefits