Disabled Living Allowance

[Banned]

Hi John,

If you cannot walk 10metres safely, then you qualify for high rate mobility automatically.

If you need help with bodily functions (feeding), then you qualify for medium rate care automatically. If you need assistance turning in bed, then you qualify for high rate care.

Your OT can assist by doing the forms for you.

Best wishes

Graham

[soniamm]

My son had no trouble at all with the application for DLA, his neuro completed support paperwork and we completed the rest under special rules as advised by the hospital, he now receives the higher rate. He has had to give up work, one weak arm, 2 weak hands and one leg now losing muscle tone but he is able to get around ok at the moment. CAB also advised him recently to apply for housing benefit which will give him £150 per week towards housing costs; rent etc, council tax to be covered by benefits and a living allowance. This all added up to £430 per week incl. which has seriously come at the right time, as we have as a family, been financially supporting my son and his girlfriend for the last year; they are also two weeks away from the birth of their new baby. So far this has all proved pretty easy to access, in fact the services were surprised he had left it for a year ( from dx)

Maybe it is a postcode lottery, if that's the case then I agree that there needs to be a national standardisation, maybe MNDA could take this up, its a real important issue.

( We live in Kent)

Sonia

[G60dubber]

, i need help getting dresses,

john

is there something you're not telling everyone ;-)

[Robyn Copley-Hirst]

Hi All,

I've posted this in another thread as well as this one. We only have a week to gather your views on the topic of benefits. We saw this was a topic of much discussion and confusion on the forum so we're trying to improve the information we give out as guidance to people on the area.

If you can spare a minute we'd love to hear what you think to help inform us here

Best Regards,

Robyn

[Ange M]

I completed my husbands DLA form in and each time it was awarded his circumstances had deteriorated,
I struggled to get a disabled badge for him and when we had a GP visit we discussed this and he told us that we would have to make things sound worse and tell white lies to get it, so instead of being truthful and my husband not wanting to admit he needed help we went to grabbing everything we possibly could with both hands
I also fill in loads of attendance allowance forms in my job at a care home.
You must put every little detail down, even if it only happens once a month, if you need assistance to do it, you need to have it down on the form.

Ange

[Guest]

Exaggerate, Exaggerate, Exaggerate, that's all I have to say on the matter.

[Barefoot John]

Hi, i have MND and filled in the DLA form, it took them 7 weeks to decide that i was not eligible for any kind of payments, i can still walk but am losing the complete use of my left hand and arm now, is this correct that i dont get any payments?

I have made an appeal and now they say i have to wait for up to 11 weeks to hear from them.

Can anyone tell me where im going wrong?

John

[jadedjohn]

John

What hospital due attend? Normally GPs won't sign the DS 1500 but heavy but if you have a decent neurologist they will, as Jeannie says above the advice I was given was when you fill in the form fill it in as though you're talking about. You're very worst day- i.e. exaggerates everything. Alternatively, your citizens advice bureau are experts in filling them out!

john

[Z3 Driver]

find out when your next local MNDA branch meeting is, someone there will be able to help and speed things up with the DWP. if its not for a while find out a contact name / number. Im with the South Yorkshire branch and they are excellent at sorting out your DLA.

[Barefoot John]

Hi guys, thanks for your help, yes i was told about the DS1500 for and also told thats its for 6 months or less to live, i hope but think i have much more time than that lol, i am under kings college London where i see the professor there who diagnosed me so if im quick and he can help then maybe i should get some kind of payment that's if im entitled for some kind?. I am really looking forward to the meeting down here in London next Sunday as i feel totally alone and to be truthful very scared as i have 2 small sons that i care for on my own, not so much scared for myself but for y little boys, i don't have family and choose to have a very small amount of friends, its got that bad now, that i now need to get a touch screen phone as my thumbs don't work any more and cant text , being on benefits, its going to take a long time to save to but the phone i need as all my money goes on my kids and home, so yes DLA would really help me out so much.

[elle]

Hi barefoot-john,so sorry you feel totally alone and scared i think most of us do it goes back to saying were all frightened of the unknown,more so for anyone bringing up children on there own, as for DLA try not to worry too much as i did but like you i appealed and won as i'm sure you will it's just so frustrating having to justify this horrible cruel disease, good luck they will backdate when you WIN xellex

[Barefoot John]

Thank you Elle for your support, yes this disease is not known by many when i tell others but im going to do my bit by public canvassing etc. to allow more of the public to be more aware of MND,

I really do hope that i get some financial help for my kids and myself but many so that while still can, i want to take my kids to so many kids places theme parks etc. so to give them so many good memories etc. plus also get a few things to make my own life more comfortable etc.

[miranda]

John, it may be worth contacting your local MNDA branch for advice about putting in a bid for funding of your phone. Branch funds are there to help with the provision of items such as this.

[computatec]

Hi, i have MND and filled in the DLA form, it took them 7 weeks to decide that i was not eligible for any kind of payments, Can anyone tell me where im going wrong?

Hi John, this is a very common occurance and is due to the fact that we don't know the criteria we have to satisfy to be awarded a payment so we don't use the correct form of words. I got Age Concern to fill in my forms and I actually got payment back dated to the date I first applied. Age Concern and the Citizens Advice Bureau have specially trained staff to help you and they know exactly how to fill in the form to get what you are entitled to.

[Barefoot John]

Ok, it looks to me that the DLA dont give any kind of payment to recently diagnosed people with MND, as again they have sent back their decision stating that " I DO NOT FIT ANY OF THEIR CRITERIA " lol so now i been told to get a DS1500 from either my joke of a very un-knowledgeable to MND of an excuse called my GP or my specialist but as its for people with 6 months to live, he wont sign the form ffs what do i have to do to get some kind of payment?

If i was claiming under the mental health then i would be guaranteed payments, lol the way things are going and with all these wasted phone calls and form filling, maybe i might have to claim as mental health as its all a total waste of time and effort and its driving me crazy