Lcwra - can I come off and go on carers element?

fayet27

hi, I was awarded lcwra in 2018. I was awarded on mental health however I realise I was wrongly diagnosed with depression and anxiety when it’s more than likely autism (I am not diagnosed autistic but I do believe I have it) medication didn’t work it caused me to become hypomanic (because I don’t have depression and strongly believe it’s ASD)

Anyways… I now have a child, he was born in 2020 and he has ASD and gets dla. Since I am feeling better (still have high social anxiety) can I just come off lcwra and get carers element instead for my child who gets dla?. I don’t feel entitled to lcwra anymore and I haven’t had any reassessments yet and I don’t want to wrongly claim it. Sorry if none of this makes sense, I can try and explain better. I just want to stop lcwra and get the carer element instead.

Rosie_Scope

Hi @fayet27, yes if you're not feeling as if you should be on LCWRA anymore, it's important to let them know by submitting a change of circumstances and go from there. What level of DLA is your son receiving at the moment?

fayet27

@Rosie_Scope thank you, I will do this. My son gets higher rate care and lower rate mobility until 2032

azurasword

Just so you know @fayet27 you can actually have all three of these at once, but best of luck with your diagnosis if you've put in for it, but also, you're on LCWRA because they assessed you as such, if they didn't consider your health problems that severe, you wouldn't be on it, so you are no less deserving than any of the rest of us that are on it.

Also, depression medications don't work out a lot of the time, I'm the same where I can react strongly to medication, you can possibly ask for different kind… I'm surprised if your doctor didn't suggest it, for me personally I exercise a lot which is a natural antidepressant. Some doctors will prescribe gym memberships if it's something you're capable of, but a walk also does good.

fayet27

@azurasword hi. Thanks for your message. So my doctor tried loads of different antidepressants and they just weren’t for me, they classed me as having anxiety and depression but in reality I didn’t have many depressive days, I would just say they were the same as someone who doesn’t suffer depression at all, but we’ve been back and forth for years and I just stopped taking it and got on with life as much as I could…

I haven’t took medication for years now & when my little boy was diagnosed with autism something in me clicked and I started researching about it and this is how I’ve come to the realisation that I have been wrongly diagnosed. People with autism can be wrongly diagnosed with A&D and medication can make their moods change which can look like a hypomanic episode - this was me!
I didn’t realise you could have all 3, I just feel like it’s been a long time and I don’t want to get into trouble for still receiving the payments when I am somewhat better, the anxiety is always there though, that doesn’t disappear but I wasn’t granted lcwra for anxiety alone so I do feel like I may not be eligible..I don’t really know how it all works but I have put a note into my journal stating that I care for my autistic son for more than 35 hours a week and made them aware that I am somewhat better but still have high anxiety.
thank you so much for your reply ❤️