Getting DLA but being independant (UK)

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DLA stands for ''disability living allowance''.

I have a friend who has diagnosed Autism and claims DLA, but lives independantly. She is in her mid-20s, has a part time job, and has a free buspass, what she uses to get to the place where she attends a social group every week to help with her social skills.

You wouldn't think she's Autistic when she's just walking in the street, and she can do her shopping and other things like that for herself, and she seems independant, and she is, but in other areas she struggles with anxiety, which is holding her back. She's prone to having panic attacks, frequent outbursts at home when something worries her, and still requires support from her parents with money handling, and has a social worker that comes to visit her and has a chat.

Is she entitled to DLA? I hear every week that somebody has gotten into trouble for frauding DLA and making out that they need it when they clearly don't. But I think my friend's situation is different from that, it's not like someone having a broken foot then still claiming DLA when they are better. She may be independant but lack skills in other things what come naturally to most people, and her abilities overlap her disabilities.

Also obsessions can be a very confusing factor for NTs. Like my friend has an obsession with Tescos (yes, very interesting obsession), and so always does her shopping there, but I don't know if she would be seen independantly shopping in any other grocery stores, but if someone was to watch her they'll think, ''oh, she's independant enough to do shopping, so she must be independant enough to do other things'', little do they know that a person with an ASD will go through hell and high water to pursue their obsession, but would have panic attacks doing smaller, more simpler things.

I'm just saying, does this mean she's not entitled to it? Will she get into trouble? Does anyone else here claim DLA but can also do things for yourself, but still need support in other things?

if she already claims DLA then as long as she has told the truth then there isnt a problem. DLA forms should be filled in using details about how you are at your WORST.

dla fraud account for 0.1% of claims. it has the lowest fraud rate of all benefits. The media and government make noise about these stories to stir up hatred towards those who are disabled so they can push through their disgusting agenda.

I find the DLA a bit strange.

The assessment criteria are meant to determine what aspects of living you need support for, however there is no requirement to use the payment to pay for the support needed (and the amounts awarded would definitely not pay for the support required).

I would have thought some form of direct payment to the support services would be a better option (or refunded for specific expenses), just giving money is not a solution. In the case of the person mentioned the social worker and support group will be paid for by separate funding.

The provision of the bus pass (for people not qualifying for the mobility element of the allowance) seems nonsensical to me (unless transport is needed to access the support services). Travel to and from work should definitely not be paid for.

Unless she has told them things which aren't true, she won't get in trouble. If she's been through the process, told the truth and they've awarded it to her, they obviously deem her in need of some assistance.

although what you say is a valid point, i also think that getting the money is of great importance. People who have disability issues dont have the same abilities as normal people to do things. I look "normal" but have many issues. i dont use my DLA for services but without it my disabilities would be waayyy worse. it gives people who are disabled a quality of life which is about to be taken away.

I don't begrudge your friend her benefit but it drives me crazy that I am struggling so hard to get my claim for DLA approved and I seem to encounter people all the time that are manifestly more independent and less requiring of assistance and care than me. I can't do any of those things your friend does alone, I am in *no* way independent right now and haven't been for a while. Yet I they are rejecting me at every stage (and it even appears they may have lied about the evidence they have used to assess my claim). WTF? I hate the benefits people and most of all I hate the conservative government who have given the green light to hate on and basically crap on disabled people. Also if you are male, of a certain age and have a certain appearance you can forget about being treated fairly when it comes to benefits; they will do EVERYTHING they can to stop you getting benefits no matter your problem; they take one look at me and have already made their minds up that I am just a lazy scrounger. It makes me SO SO ANGRY!

This rant is in no way aimed at your friend by the way, it's aimed at the unfair system.

edit: more on topic: yes there is a good chance your friend is legitimately entitled to DLA at some level. Perhaps not the higher rates of either the mobility or care component but probably something. Her psychiatrist/neurologist/whatever probably wrote a good report for them which helps a LOT. My first psychiatrist epically failed (same prejudices as above) and just wrote "n/a" on every part of the form. Once I am done with the whole diagnosis and DLA thing I will be writing SUCH a horrible letter to that psychiatrist.

Last edited by invisiblesilent on 23 Sep 2012, 2:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.

So you use it to pay for things that you would not otherwise need if you were not disabled?

i use the money for whatever i see fit.

So how would not getting the money make your disabilities worse?

I feel that everybody on the spectrum should receive the type of disability pension that their countries have to offer them. The reason I feel this way is because even though people are affected differently, we're affected in many different areas from one another, and that money can help out with pricey costs for what ever help, food or supplies that each of us as individuals on the spectrum will end up needing. That money could also serve as a safety net for when we're between jobs or if we're unable to work.

Well my friend was lucky to get the part time job she's in now. Otherwise, she does have a lot of barriers with work, like she can't get into work that requires customer service, too much multi-tasking, or things that involve too much intelligence like higher class jobs, because she's like me, not very clever for an Aspie.

well having little money gives you two things. stress and worry. the more stressed and worried i get, the more angry and volatile i become.

There seems to be a common consensus that the tax payer has the right to dictate to us what money we should and shouldnt get and what we should and shouldnt spend it on. Maybe if the tax payers out there were a bit more accomodating, then maybe there wouldnt be so many of us on disability benefits and more of us doing jobs that we can actually do.

at the end of the day, we didnt ask to have conditions and most of us would wish away any bad parts of any condition that we have. just because we have disabilities doesnt mean we shouldnt have a decent living standard.

Yes. Since she is able to keep a part-time job only, she fits the criterion of "unable to work a full-time job due to disability". People who cannot keep a full-time job, or who can only work in supported employment, would be homeless and unable to support themselves without DLA. Since she can live independently, she probably has the potential to find work given the proper training, but she may not be able to access that training; or she may not be able to take advantage of it while still remaining independent--taking care of herself may be her "full-time job". This is my situation: I am semi-independent, and going to school, but only because I get help with some of the everyday things. With that help, I can get an education and maybe one day a job. Without it, just taking care of myself would be my job. Since you are her friend, and you feel she could work, you can encourage her not to give up on seeking full-time employment--but it is very possibly true that employment is not a realistic option for her. Maybe that part-time job is her best option.

I am a little concerned sometimes about our tendency to "police" each other, to question whether this person or that person really needs this or that sort of assistance. It seems to be a manifestation of self-directed prejudice. Society often says we ought to be grateful for whatever scraps we can get, because our disability makes us innately inferior. Insisting on our rights as human beings is often seen as "taking advantage" or "giving up"... We're supposed to hate every bit of help we get, reject it as much as possible, be slavishly grateful for what we get. In a more realistic, just world, we would get what we needed simply because we needed it, and that sort of help would be a matter of course rather than something we're taught not to expect, to be grateful for when we do get it.

There are people who "cheat the system", but there are far fewer of them than it seems. For every one that makes the news, there are hundreds who are honest and trying to get by; and those honest people don't make good news stories. Plus, "cheating the system" doesn't really benefit you that much. It's life below the poverty line, with the bare minimum of necessity and none of the luxury.

Not part of the criteria for DLA.

Oops, yes--my bad. You can actually be working full-time and still get DLA. However:

This is probably what is getting her DLA. She's not fully independent.

I am what most people would call independent though I obviously I struggle in several areas - for example I am off work sick again with stress having had 4 months off last year, now into my second month this time round - and receive a lot of support from my husband. I always said I would never apply for DLA because I have a (part-time) job, am independent in most things etc. It just didn't seem right. In fact, it still doesn't seem right.

However, I have recently applied for DLA. I had been referred by my psychiatrist to a specialist at the local autistic society to further assess me and suggest what type of support I might need. The specialist recommended that I have regular support sessions with a member of staff from the autistic society. However, after meeting with a member of the social work department, it was decided that due to my income they would not fund these sessions. I may have a reasonable income, but I cannot afford to pay for these sessions myself so it was suggested that I apply for DLA and use this (if successful) to pay for the support I have been recommended.

I filled in the form describing my difficulties at their worst (as I was advised to do). DWP have now written to my psychiatrist for further information. I await a decision but do not believe I will be eligible for it. I guess we'll wait and see. If I don't get it I won't be appealing that decision.