DLA - aids and adaptions question

debbieletts1980

hi there im new here and filling in this dla form for my 4 yr old so , in on the question about - Does the child use, or have they been assessed for, any aids or adaptions? im going for the high rate but i dont know what to write here, any help would be most appreciated, thank you.

steve51

Hi @debbieletts1980

Good Morning & Welcome 😃😃

I am one off the Community Champion’s here at Scope.

We have got a senior member who will be able to help you with your DLA.

Hi @Adrian_Scope
Can you please offer me some help with this post?????

Many Thanks.

@steve51

mikehughescq

You’re going for higher rate care for a 4 year old? So, they have night time needs i.e. needs which occur after the household shuts down for the night and which are substantially in excess of the norm for a child of that age? Can’t really comment on the appropriateness of that without knowing a little more about the child.

Not clear why there would be confusion on the question either. It’s a yes or no answer. If your child uses any kind of aids then unless you bought them privately they will have been assessed? Or not! Am I missing something? 

The only thing to be aware of is that aids for DLA are treated the exact opposite of how they’re treated for PIP. For DLA they show that personal care is not needed in connection with any bodily function where an aid is the simpler way to meet the need.

woodbine

Hi @debbieletts1980 how are you this evening, totally agree with @mikehughescq dla for a four year isn't easy but you "don't go for" a rate you apply and see what is awarded or not, as with all the questions you answer them as fully and honestly as possible.
Good luck

katho31

[Removed by moderator - we do not allow personal attacks on the community. Please familiarise yourself with our community guidelines.]

Adrian_Scope

Hello @debbieletts1980 and a warm welcome to the community.

As mentioned above, for high rate care component of DLA you would need to be able to evidence that they have substantial care needs day and night that are above the expected for a child of their age. 

With regards to the question you've asked, does your child use any specific aids? 

mikehughescq

woodbine said:

Hi @debbieletts1980 how are you this evening, totally agree with @mikehughescq dla for a four year isn't easy but you "don't go for" a rate you apply and see what is awarded or not, as with all the questions you answer them as fully and honestly as possible.
Good luck

Think we may have inadvertently misunderstood each other here @woodbine. I’m actually a big advocate of knowing exactly what rate you’re going for. 

Many WRAs are understandably reluctant to commit as it carries obvious risks of over promising and under delivering. I’m more of the view that the decision on whether to challenge an outcome has to be informed by what you were expecting in the first place. If no-one can tell you what your entitlement ought to be then that begs a fair few questions. Obviously not good to predict an outcome on a forum with incomplete info. though. 

My point was more that DLA for a 4 year old is hard work for even the most profoundly disabled child. When the OP says they were going for HR I was just making sure they understood what would trigger high rate as well as, hopefully, a sweating the question re: aids.