Hello! back story and DLA renewal.

[FrancisUK]

Hello all first post here so be nice.

 

My stepson is in receipt of DLA and ESA for severe depression and severe anxiety and has had suicidal tendances and has tried to in the past to do thing but thank the good lord he hasn't tried anything for a good 4 years but sadly everything else is still the same if not worse not sure if i should go on and explain whats the matter with him but i will anyway.

 

His mental health problems started at 16 when he lost his dad to cancer during this time he was still in school doing his GCSEs and was ready to start college which he did begin, as with many mental health problems they only seem to surface a few years on, with my step son anyway. the first few years of his illness was the worst you never knew what you would wake upto the next morning this worry alone nearly put me into a mental breakdown but i had to stay strong for him.

 

He has been in receipt since around 19, he is 26 now. Incapacity has never been an issue for him he has been to a couple of medicals during incapacity and when that transferred to ESA i expected the worst for him as you could see him withdrawing himself because of it but to our surprise he got approved just by filling out the form and put into the support group. DLA is now ready to end on the 24th of this month and we have a renewal form ready to fill in and this one is actually quite stressful. I am not sure what the difference is between the two but i know dla is about care so here are my questions

 

His circumstances have changed in the sense that he hasn't tried to take an overdose or tried self harming (tablets are removed from the house all together i keep his medication and give it to him when he is ready for it) but other things are the same such as being house bound, he is scared to step out the front door because he thinks something or someone is going to hurt him, the odd occasion even in the home he gets scared and comes into my room and sleeps next to me, this can happen twice every month sometimes more, when he does goes out which is mainly for doctors appointments i have to be with him, his therapist tried to get him out by meeting her in town he gave it a good go until i got a call from him crying and in a mess so i went and got him, the bus stop is 5-8 doors down. He has had therapy as said this included group therapy you can imagine what that was like for him, his therapist in the group part said he wasn't cooperating with the group, i hit the roof. After some time we got him into one on one therapy thanks to his doctor. he is now waiting once again to see another therapist. His medication has been all over the place at the beginning he was on the normal anti depressants from the doctors this was when he was 19, more recently he was put onto psychotic tablets Duloxetine (from a psychiatrist) he was on these for quite a while but made him feel like a zombie (his words) so eventually his psychiatrist tried him with Venlafaxine which didn't make him feel like a zombie they seem to be just right for him.

 

He has no sense of money or the importance of money he is in rather a lot of debt due to his illness. He doesn't seem to be in reality if that makes sense its as if he is in a story, he panics about what if this happens and what if that happens, i think this stems from seeing his dad battle cancer i don't know. He is also in a slight danger of being attacked because of the things he says to people, he doesn't seem to understand that his words can hurt people, at Christmas and birthdays he has said a number of things to family that could be very insulting but luckily we have a very understand family who know of his issues.

 

This is the only place i can really talk so i am wondering do i add everything i have just said to the renewal form as they are all new problems?. I just can't remember what was put on the last form because it was so long ago, i have some info that i kept but i can't find it ill have a proper look around.

 

I personally think with him not attempting to harm himself is one big improvement, the DWP knew of his history and im slightly worried that they will see this as nothing is now wrong with him, surely they wouldn't be that cruel?.

 

Thank you for listening and im sorry if this was upsetting for some people, i have read through the forum for years and noticed how many people help each other with support etc.

 

Thank you again.

[FrancisUK]

Side note, sorry for the spelling and grammar.

[Nystagmite]

I would add everything.

 

Also, you can request a copy of your son's previous DLA forms from DWP / DLA department.

[oleg]

Hello Francis and welcome.

We're *always* nice - most of the time.

You paint a clear and vivid picture but it may not necessarily tie in with how the DLA bureaucrats need it to be, in order to match their assessment processes, points scoring etc..

If I were in your shoes I'd give the local mental health Users' Group a ring to ask whether they can offer someone to give you a hand with the forms, or point to someone who can.

In some areas CAB have specialists trained to deal with this but the service is inconsistent across the country.

Well done for coming on here and finding the wherewithall to explain your complex circumstances.

[FrancisUK]

Thanks to you both i feel so welcome now , i have left it a bit late now i think to see if i can get back the first claim form, usually im not so slow with filling in forms and to top it off next year i think it is he will get a PIP form, thats if he is successful this time which he should really, i feel for everyone who has to go through filling these forms out. Ill do as you said oleg thank you! ill keep you upto date on things.

 

Its what to put which is the hardest, its easy to say things on it like "well i need to be with him most times" they want to know what will happen if he is left alone etc won't they and how he would react, i have tried sitting him down but all im getting is i don't know i can't keep bothering him with it, so its best i go to a group, thanks again.

[**Margaret**]

:FrancisUK:

 

Yes, most of the natives are friendly, and you're very to join us.

 

Like incapacity benefit was, employment n support allowance is an income replacement benefit for claimants who can't work cos of sickness or disability. Disability living allowance (n personal independence payments) are non means tested benefits to meet the costs of personal care and mobility for disabled claimants, whether or not they're able to work.

 

There's some guidance for completion of a renewal form for disability living, with some tips for supportive evidence, on Rethink's site;

 

http://www.rethink.org

(Search for 'disability living allowance factsheet'.)

 

Doesn't sound as if your stepson's needs have changed much, so everything that's relevant to the questions should be included. Have you thought about keeping a diary for five to seven days? Helps to quantify exactly how much help's needed, and what with. Enclose a copy of the diary with the form. And if it's supportive of the DLA renewal, a copy of the ESA85A report of his assessment for ESA. Available on request from your stepson's benefit delivery centre. Address and phone number on the last letter he received from them. A subject access request will get you a copy of the initial claim form for DLA and any other info you want, ESA85A included, but probably not before you have to return the renewal form;

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-request-for-personal-information

 

Best wishes, Margaret.

 

 

 

 

[FrancisUK]

Hello everyone just a quick update.

 

I done everything you lovely people said, we went to HOPE and the lovely man helped us out, we sent it off last week and today we rang them because i wasn't sure if my step son put a date down when he signed it BUT the lady on the phone said a decision was made yesterday!, Wednesday?!, never have i known for them to be so fast.

 

Nerves are in tatters, my son went to the doctors on Monday for a medication review to check how he was getting on with them and i discussed the stress this form has done to us, me mainly and the doctors said he will supports us till the end. Surely DLA would had contacted him for medical information because the doc said if they get in contact he'll write everything up of his problems/conditions. So confused.

[FrancisUK]

Great news! just contacted them again and they said he has been awards high rate care and low rate mobility, he has never had the mobility component, a bit of a surprise.

 

Thanks to everyone for the help and support and i wish you all the best.

 

P.S Was pretty lucky his dla expired 2 days before the PIP migration date for renewal claimants.

[abc123def]

That's really good news.

 

I've just posted off my DLA renewal form and thought it would be ages till I hear because they'd need to write to the GP/Consultant/Care co-ordinator etc. but maybe then, they won't necessarily?! I wonder how long your award will be for, with PIP happening in the future.

[FrancisUK]

That's really good news.

 

I've just posted off my DLA renewal form and thought it would be ages till I hear because they'd need to write to the GP/Consultant/Care co-ordinator etc. but maybe then, they won't necessarily?! I wonder how long your award will be for, with PIP happening in the future.

 

Very strange isn't it! his doctor has had no contact and it was only sent off last Thursday and they made the decision yesterday!, maybe they are rushing through them i don't know. I think its likely you'll only need to wait a week also. we rang because he forgot to put the date next to his signature so thats when they said.

 

I forgot how long his last one was for i think 4 years if i remember, i doubt this one will last long maybe a year with as you say PIP coming in.

 

GL abc!