DLA?

[pettsuk]

Hi

This week my husband was diagnosed with Major depressive disorder and has a 90% chance of developing bipolar.

Over the last few years I have been careing more and more for Martin, especially at night time and it has been suggested that he could apply for DLA only the care componment as he plays badminton at least 3 times a week! but was not too sure if it would be accepable as it is a mental illness and is only for the care componment. Has anybody been granted DLA for a mental illness and was it hard for the claim to be accepted.

Thank you

Jan

[poppett]

Whatever the reason for needing "care" whether physical or mental apply for the DLA. The form is very long and can be repetitive, but I have an ongoing file which I just add to, then print off when required for anyone official and used it for my OH`s DLA application. Before you start completing the form read it over and make notes to yourself what you are going to say, and where.

Don`t be disheartened when your application is turned down (and it will be unless done on special needs grounds....i.e. terminal diagnosis) as almost every new claim is refused. It may take up to 28days to hear back and sometimes they stall even further asking for additional information, but when the award is eventually made it will be backdated to the original date of claim, as recorded on the forms you receive from the DWP. When claim is refused you need to appeal, and don`t give anymore detail than to return the front page of their letter with "I wish to appeal your decision to deny DLA care component" and it needs to be signed and dated. They then send you the reason they came to their decision, and that gives you the ammunition to pick holes in it for the appeal! If the appeal is refused you can elect to have an independent tribuneral look at the decision makers decision, and by this stage, most claimants have given up as the premises the tribunerals are held in are notoriously user unfriendly, but you can ask for a domicillary (at home) tribuneral.

Lots of other folk will be along with other advice.

Positive mental attitude, and if you don`t ask for the benefit it will never appear by magic. When the powers that be say "no" you need to always ask "Why not??"

Take care
Meg

[fluffycat]

Hello Jan

My husband is mentally ill and he has been receiving DLA (care & mobility). My husband does not apear disabled as he had some career, got degrees, can be seen "presentable" and "reasonably coferent" as like many folks are. But there are many simple things & daily tasks he is unbale to do since he had breakdown. We had to appeal which was easier in a way than going through so many questions on the form and medical.

I suggest that make sure you are filling in the form (with support) about detailed condition of your husnand, which should be focuced on "what he is unable to do" & "what kind of support he is required". It does not mean that he does not need any support because he can play badminton. Mentally ill people needs a lot of care and supervision at home as well as outdoors.

I also suggest to find an advocacy worker who can help you to fill in the form. They are experienced for this kind and they know better wording. And, if you can have a supportive letter from psychiatrist or / and GP would be better. Advocacy worker can be found via your local Carers Support Service, mind and psychiatrist.


Best wishes & take care.

[sue31didit]

Yes, I appealed on behalf of my husband, I had to attend a tribunal and yes, we won! as long as you know your 'stuff' they cannot dispute this. I had 4 people sat there trying to ask me this and that, and I was ready, I knew what I knew and they back dated it a year from that day, that was over 10 yrs ago now, so keep pounding at it, its your right, and his

[pixienubbins]

now where is picesmaid-- she cares for her hubby and is very knowledgeable also

if some one needs care then u should get it
and he plays badminton?????? AND its most proberly quite a realease for him

[Kell-Lou]

Hiya my husband has been diagnosed with Bipolar disorder & we are getting DLA but we are getting the mobility allowance, the care componment is alot harder to get. We get the mobility because my husband needs someone with him all the time. I find having back up from the mental health team helps as they will take it more seriously & if you get turned down for DLA appeal we had ours stopped after a period of time but appealed against the decision as they did not give a reason to why they had stopped it & none of our circumstances had changed, we managed to get the payments back again after appealing.

[sue31didit]

the mobility one can be got by choose of wording, like, he cannot judge the speed of traffic when going thru an 'episode' so he cannot go out on his own, he gets lost, confused etc, that sort of thing, and that no one knows when these attacks can happen

[berniew1963]

Hi all,
We had trouble to start with my wife's DLA. She was diagnosed six years ago with bi-polar. We contacted the local Law Centre and they filled in the forms and to cut along story short it ended with a tribunal hearing in which they awarded Dawn both parts of DLA for fives years with a review at the end of the five year period to see if there are any changes, but I assume that once your in the system it gets a little easier to renew.

Good luck to all,
Bernie