Allotments 4 All

If you can help me help a young mother of a diagnosed child, I (and she!) would be very grateful. I'd like to know if she can claim a Carer's Allowance and if there are any other 'benefits' she can apply for.

If you can help with any info. you could reply here, or PM me. I need all the info I can get for Monday.

Many thanks,

Lishka

hi ya  Hyacinth ,
I can help with this as my oldest son got diagnosed autism several years ago.

first you can claim carers allowance yourself for looking after them - it was about £70 pw
  second you can claim an disability living allowance for your child and this is set at low , medium and high depending on how much they can do for themselves or relies on other to do it for them - it was about £ 250 pcm.
  I think you get the forms from the job centre.
These figures are about 3 years out of date as my son moved back to his mums , but where correct at the time and sometimes does not effect other benefit calculations.
hope this helps

Don't get their hopes up too much- both these benefits depend on the severity of the condition . I would consult the Autism Society, and also get help completing the forms, from CAB for example- the people know there what the decision-makers are looking for.The forms and info can also be found on the DWP website.

http://www.nas.org.uk/

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/

You may like to know that MPs are being urged to support an Autism Bill in Parliament.  100 MPs signatures are needed by 27 February if it is to have a chance of being passed into law.  You might want to ensure your MP backs it.  There is some information here:

http://www.24dash.com/news/Communities/2009-02-20-MP-helps-to-bring-autism-law-a-step-closer

Yes I would agree with Caroline...don't get their hopes up. Still it's worth a try if you can cope with the stress on top of the Autism!

Thank you all and bless you! - once more Lotties doesn't let someone down 8)

I'll research over this w/end, meet the mum on Monday & praps, who knows, be able to help her move forward a bit. Fingers crossed, eh. In passing, it was only because of the cooking thread and reading how some of you cope with children with special needs, that made me think of asking here today, so once again...thank you :-*

Lish x

http://www.autism.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=528&a=11046
try this one, Hyacinth, might help.

Quote from: manicscousers on February 21, 2009, 15:58:13
http://www.autism.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=528&a=11046
try this one, Hyacinth, might help.

You're a Gem Manics..many thanks :-*

Do go to the CAB, because i was turned down for disability a few yrs back & Dr suggested i go there & low & behold i got the disability allowance with back dated payments.  They really do know what the decision bods are looking for & need to know they were extremely helpfull to me Lish.

That's a good suggestion Rosebud I might take your advice myself! I have to help my son through a claim for the Disabled Student Allowance partly for his Asperger's but also because of his height. The disability people at the Uni he's wanting to go for have already told me that getting help with his accommodation costs because he will be too tall for the standard accommodation (it's not just that the bed is too small the room is cramped for someone of his size). If he wasn't also autistic he could get a room in a house but he needs the security of university managed accommodation as well.

The whole process of applying is not explained very well by anyone...everything has to be done in the right order they're just not that keen to give you quite enough info though...I guess so you're put off applying.

Also try      www.familyfund .org.uk     for people on low incomes.
They give grants for things like holidays, washing machines and fridges
worth a try
Gill

Quote from: gixer on March 03, 2009, 18:38:02
Also try      www.familyfund .org.uk     for people on low incomes.
They give grants for things like holidays, washing machines and fridges
worth a try
Gill

hi Gill, I just clicked on that link cos it seems a really useful one to pass on...the page is 'currently down' but I'll try it again or see if I can find out about it via Google, when I've more time. Thanks anyway, Lishka

Hello Hyacinth

I've not been on th'internet for a few days so haven't spotted this post.  I'm a Welfare Rights Officer with lots of experience of filling in DLA forms and claiming Carers' Allowance(CA).  In fact, I just helped someone claim DLA for her son who has Aspergers and she was awarded Middle rate Care and Low rate Mobility ( approx £46 & £17.75 respectively).  The person who is being looked after has to be in receipt of at least the middle rate of the care component in order for someone to be able to claim CA for them. CA is currently around £50 per week.

As soon as a child is awarded any rate of DLA the parent gets the disability element added on to their tax credits award, so that goes up too.  However CA is counted as income for tax credits purposes.

Please feel free to PM if you need any help, but I think you'd be as well going to your local CAB as they should do a full benefits check for your family.  When you're filling in the form make sure and put down everything you do to help your child, no matter how minor - it all adds up.  Oh, and speak to your specialist or GP and let them know that you're putting a claim in so it doesn't come as a surprise to them when they are asked by the DWP to provide evidence.

Cheers

Ali

Thanks Ali, I'm PMing you,

Lishka

Quote from: Hyacinth on March 03, 2009, 20:26:07

Quote from: gixer on March 03, 2009, 18:38:02
Also try      www.familyfund .org.uk     for people on low incomes.
They give grants for things like holidays, washing machines and fridges
worth a try
Gill

hi Gill, I just clicked on that link cos it seems a really useful one to pass on...the page is 'currently down' but I'll try it again or see if I can find out about it via Google, when I've more time. Thanks anyway, Lishka

There's a typo in the URL.  This works:

http://www.familyfund.org.uk/

Ooh, Ali, you might regret revealing your expertise- your inbox could be overflowing soon! ;D

Yes I agree Caroline....and here's the first one Ali!

I have to help my son (Asperger's and 7ft tall) put in an application for Disability Student Allowance. I've never applied for any disability stuff before. Can i get help from someone like you and where do I find him/her?

I'm very worried about the whole thing particularly the height issue as i'm told it is not considered a disability unless caused by a medical reason. There is a medical reason that could be the cause but as the cause is not life threatening the research is lacking, the consultant thought it was possibly the cause and most literature says/implies but it's all a bit vague. Obviously he needs a room with a bed that fits him and there are rooms with larger beds but they cost £15-20 a week more and he's already short on funding.
The Uni disability people suggested he get a room in a shared house that might have a bigger bed but unfortunately he does also have Asperger's and coping with flatmates without help will be beyond him.

just to say..I've ducked in, briefly,  this morning, on the site of the Family Fund (URL still down but Google gives other links which I could access) and I'll be returning to it over the w/end. I've PM'd greenstar already, and thank you so much for telling us about this Fund - it's certainly going to be of use to peeps I know.

So now I'm ducking out, and thanks again, everyone, for the leads you've all given me 8)

And best of luck, Kea, in finding your way through the quagmire that helping your children undoubtedly is :'(  Keep strong! Lishka x

Hi Kea

The route to all help is via Disability Living Allowance - once you've got that many other doors will open to you.  You really do need the help of somebody with specialist knowledge of welfare benefits to help you out as the DWP routinely refuse first applications and they have to be appealed, and appeals are much more likely to succeed if you have representation.  You're local council will have Welfare Rights Officers, but there may be a long waiting list, or they may only be for a specific client group (eg, I only work with HIV positive individuals in the West of Scotland) but they should be able to point you in the right direction.

The other option is to find your local CAB, but again you may have trouble getting seen depending on what they're like.  You could also try a web forum: http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/ is very good, but you do need to pay a small subscription to use it.

I'm assuming you've tried the student hardship fund at the university?  Other than that it would be a case of trying hardhsip/charitable funds - the family fund from Family Action as mentioned above may be able to help.  There also may be charities local to your area that could help - you should be able to find information on them in your local library.

Hope that helps.

Do you think I should set up a surgery?

Next....

Thanks Ali,

I guess they hope you give up at the first hurdle.
One of my son's friends has Cerebral Palsy and his Mum told me it was relatively easy but I guess it's a very obvious condition. Her younger son has Asperger's and it's interesting to note that she considers the Asperger's is going to be the more difficult disability at Uni. She said quite correctly the older son can speak for himself and communicate his needs and get help where as the younger son can't.