Tell your story when claiming Disability Living Allowance for children
Benefits Advisor
With Shaun Clayton
A
lthough Personal Independence Payments have replaced Disability Living Allowance for adults, children with PH are still able to receive DLA. To be eligible, your child must be under 16 years old and need extra looking after, or have walking difficulties. To claim DLA, every child must be assessed as requiring more care and attention than other children of a similar age. You can claim DLA for a child as long as you look after them as if you’re their ‘parent’ (so guardians, grandparents, foster parents and even older brothers are able to claim if they fit this role.)
The DLA decision maker is not medically qualified. They may wish to contact the child’s medical specialist responsible for their healthcare, or any schools or nurseries they attend. This benefit is not counted as income for other benefits and tax credits. The funds are designed to help the child and they will not impact any benefits your family may already be receiving. You can make your claim for PIP either by calling 0345 712 3456 or going online to www.gov.uk/disabilityliving-allowance-children/how-to-claim You will need to complete the application forms and post them back. Once you have submitted the claim, you should get a reply within two weeks to let you know it has been received, and a decision should then be made within three months. Payments will be backdated to the date the claim was made. If your claim is turned down, or paid at a rate you don’t agree with, you are able to appeal, but must do so within one month. For further advice on DLA or making a claim, visit www.gov. uk/disability-living-allowance-children/overview
.
When you are applying, don’t be “afraid to tell your story. You need to give them as much information as you can to make it as difficult as possible for them to say no.
”
Like PIP, there are two different components of the benefit; care and mobility. Both are assessed seperately so you can receive either or both components. The care component is split into a lowest rate (£21.55 a week), a middle rate (£54.45 a week) and the highest rate (£81.30). Mobility is split into a lower rate (£21.55) and higher rate (£56.75). So the maximum you are able to claim through DLA is £139.75 a week. When you are applying, don’t be afraid to tell your story. You need to give them as much information as you can about your child and their situation to make it as difficult as possible for them to say no. Unlike PIP applications, which are now very prescriptive and have little room for additional information, your descriptive evidence can really count in a DLA application.
Shaun will look at different aspects of the benefits system in future issues of Emphasis. If you would like a particular subject covered please e-mail editor@phauk.org
SUMMER 2016 emphasis 41
