Getting DLA but being independant (UK)
£51.85. gets you about 1 hour of care a day. Someone who is earning £14K a year, would be paying £54.74 in Tax/NI/PAYE. So even at this level it's tax neutral and a lot better value for the Government than having them unemployed and costing up to £26K (coming soon) in a mix of benefits including DLA.
Jason.
DLA is paid due to care and /or mobility needs. Many people (including myself) receive DLA and other benefits on top.
Would love to know how other people on the spectrum manage to get the middle rate. Despite having Autism and a few other diagnoses which mean I need a lot of help, (which they've agreed with) I can't get it. Yet, they seem to say that I meet the criteria.
it comes down to how you fill in the form. im not saying you personally filled the form in badly but a lot of people do. the rule to remember is "it doesnt matter what disabilities you have, its how it affects you".
you have to fill in every box fully and extra paper as well and go into as much detail as possible. its their job to find reasons to refuse the benefits now so you need to make a stink (if you can)
YellowBanana
Veteran
Joined: 14 Feb 2011
Age: 50
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,032
Location: mostly, in my head.
Utterly shocked and surprised today to find out that I have been awarded low rate DLA Care component. Honestly did not believe I would qualify.
This could not have come at a better time.
I attempted suicide yesterday (unsuccessfully, obviously ... long explanation cut out, you don't need to know details... basically I had forgotten to take something into account and ended up being treated in hospital) and in hospital had made failproof plans to complete next week. Then I got home from the hospital tonight to find the award letter.
This letter with it's apparently trifling-to-many £20.55 per week award may not have saved my life. But it has at least postponed next week's completion of it until I follow through on trying to organise the specialist autism support sessions that were recommended by the local autistic society for me (for which funding could not be found and I could not afford to pay privately), which I said I would use the DLA for in the unlikely event of a successful application. The whole idea of this fills me with anxiety and fear (I know that makes no sense) ... but I think this low rate award is enough for an hour a week - the recommendation was 2 hours a week, but it's a glimmer of hope that maybe there is a way to get past this at a point where I had honestly lost all hope, motivation or desire to continue even for my husband.
But honestly. I didn't believe I would receive anything. I am stunned For info they based the decision not only on my form but the report from the autism specialist at the local autistic society and also they wrote to my psychiatrist for further information. My form detailed my communication difficulties and anxiety in social situations, and motivational (usually due to difficulties with transitions) / lack of energy issues that affect my personal care.
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Female. Dx ASD in 2011 @ Age 38. Also Dx BPD