DLA and PDSA Eligibility

cruickgl

Hello, just a quickie. As a family we have just qualified to receive Disability Living Allowance for our daughter. Obviously as her father I am being paid the benefit on her behalf until she reaches age 16. As a household does this make us entitled to register with PDSA for reduced cost vet treatment for the family pet? The entitlement letter has my name on it as the appointed person and my daughter's as the beneficiary. Any clarification would be gratefully accepted. Thanks.

MikeJXE

How to check if you are eligible

Use our automated checker below to see if you are eligible.

Please fill in your postcode and the benefits you receive, and we'll let you know if you are eligible and where your nearest practice is.

If you find that you are eligible for our services once you’ve completed the form below, you will visit an online registration form so you can register at your nearest PDSA Pet Hospital or Pet Care practice.

Please note: If you are an existing PDSA Pet Hospital client, you need to complete the eligibility checker below with your current benefit status. This form will then take you to the online form to renew your registration.

poppy12345

Unless you're claiming a means tested benefit then DLA would only qualify you for low cost treatment and medication, if you have a PDSA in your area.

Low Cost Service – low cost treatments and medications

To qualify for low cost treatments and medications, you must live within the postcode catchment area of one of our Pet Hospitals and be receiving at least one of the following benefits:

• Child tax and working tax credits
• Universal credit without housing element
• Pension credit
• Income support
• Job seekers allowance
• ESA – (Income Based Only) Employment Support Allowance
• Disability Living Allowance (DLA) / Personal Independence Payment (PIP) / Adult Disability Payment (ADP)
• State retired pensioners who are householders living in council tax bands a – d

Our low cost prices are typically 20% to 30% lower than private veterinary practices. This can vary, depending on the treatment.

There is no limit to the number of pets you can register for our Low Cost Service.

https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/eligibility

cruickgl

Thanks, but obviously you have copied and pasted what I can already see. What I am saying is that it isn't me that is entitled to the benefit but my young daughter, however it is me that receives it on her behalf so does that entitle me to get reduced cost care for our family pet as it would be me that takes the animal to the vet? I suspect it does, but I wanted someone who may be in a similar situation to confirm.

Newly_retired

Assuming you are not yourself in receipt of any of the listed benefits, my opinion, for what it is worth, is that you won't qualify for the PDSA discount. Or does the pet actually belong to your daughter?

Muttleythefrog

My opinion would be same as Newly above... but I think this is one you'll have to ask directly for answer... fill in form with first listed enquiry type.... assuming of course there are PDSA services in your area... many don't have.
https://www.pdsa.org.uk/contact-us/contact-us

cruickgl

Hence why I asked the question.......see their form specifically says DLA and PIP, but as far as I am aware only children get DLA now as anyone else is moved onto Personal Independent Payments from age 16 upwards. But children can't get the payment so it is paid to a parent or guardian.  Anyway, I've asked PDSA now and it's up to them. As for ownership of a pet, do we really expect a child to register themselves with a vet as an owner?

poppy12345

cruickgl said:

 but as far as I am aware only children get DLA now as anyone else is moved onto Personal Independent Payments from age 16 upwards.

No, not everyone claims PIP. Some people still claim DLA even though they are over 16. There's some still haven't been invited to claim PIP. Those that will be before 9th April 1948 will still be claiming DLA too because they are excluded from claiming PIP because of their age.

It's not always possible to get the answer to some questions here.

Spoonie_Turtle

cruickgl said:

Hence why I asked the question.......see their form specifically says DLA and PIP, but as far as I am aware only children get DLA now as anyone else is moved onto Personal Independent Payments from age 16 upwards. But children can't get the payment so it is paid to a parent or guardian.  Anyway, I've asked PDSA now and it's up to them. As for ownership of a pet, do we really expect a child to register themselves with a vet as an owner?

There are adults who are still on DLA and haven't yet been made to claim PIP, and adults over a certain age won't ever be.  But I can understand the confusion, I would have thought the same if it weren't for this board, as I wouldn't have known about adults still claiming it.

Asking them definitely seems the most sensible option - nothing to lose by asking, and at least you'll know for sure either way

cruickgl

I will post an update when I hear back from them as it might help others going forward. They can only say no......but they might say yes.

cruickgl

As promised, and just to let people know, I have received my reply from PDSA this afternoon and they have accepted my application at my local PDSA hospital. So, just to confirm, as I am in receipt of Disability Living Allowance on behalf of my daughter who is under 16 then that has entitled us as a family to access to reduced cost  PDSA emergency care at our local PDSA surgery/hospital for the family pet. I had to provide proof of DLA and the level of payment we receive, which in my daughter's case is the Medium rate. 
I hope this may help others in a similar situation. Thanks for the replies I received yesterday.