I am a newbie on this site and reading some of the posts there are some comments which I am not sure if they are based on fact or assumption.
Firstly to introduce myself. My daughter was diagnosed with type 1 in Aug 2010 (just before 5th birthday). I work for DWP so although I know the DLA form is hard, I thought I would have an advantage over most people. I am also a previous DLA claimant myself - I was born with a dislocated hip and developed arthritis in my teens, but I lost the benefit in my mid twenties after having a hip replacement. So, even though I don't and never have worked for the DLA dept, I am familiar with how forms should be completed, but even I struggled. The diabetes nurse talked us through it, basically gave us advice, but then when I came to complete it after her visit it still took me 2 1/2 hours.
Anyway, one of the things I wanted to query at the top of my post is this age 16, becoming an adult thing. It is not the case that when you turn 16 you suddenly don't need help anymore. Anyone below the age of 65 can claim DLA (I know this for fact through my job dealing with other benefits). Under the age of 16 a childs affairs are automatically dealth with by their parent/guardian, but upon attaining the age of 16 when they are legally an adult, a decision has to be made as to whether they are capable of managing their finances themselves, or whether their medical condition causes them to be mentally incapable of managing their finances. Anyone who claims any benefit/takes out a loan/signs a contract etc has to sign for themself that the info they have declared when they have applied for/agreed to something is correct. Therefore, perhaps people are hung up on the idea that their benefit stopped 'because they turned 16/became an adult', when in fact it just coincided with them having to complete a form for themselves for the 1st time after years of parent doing it and therefore perhaps did not complete it in a manner which warrented a continuation of the award.
If anyone has solid experience of this issue I would be interested in any comments. ie has anyone actually been told 'your benefit has stopped because you are an adult now'?
BTW, my daughter was awarded HR care and LR mob, for 1 year as being newly diagnosed I have to reapply in 1 year to see if things have settled down.
Almost all diabetic children lose DLA at the age of eighteen and some are told at sixteen that they dont need any care from anyone else - but mostly the DLA are just trying it on and most sixteen year old's do actually carry on claiming until they are eighteen. The people who make these decisions think that a young person does not require any help at all and certainly no time time checks or help - so they lose the benefit. There are a few who go on into adulthood and can still claim - but this is not easy and there have to be other problems and/or complications. It is hard trying to complete the forms and you do need to use the correct phrases. I think it will get harder as we are facing changes in the whole benefit system and I think they will make it harder for anyone to claim.🙂Bev