Mobility rate?

Question

my daughter is severley autistic with no speech, no sense of danger cant read and is very repetitive in her behaviour, public transport is an absolute nightmare were she will attack people without warning...stop dead in middle of roads and even run across them without warning, she can only go out with 2 people at a time so as you can imaging holidays are hard to do. She has been on the lower rate mobility since agd about 4 but i really think she needs higher rate so we can obtain a car, would she recieve it as i am not sure, i thought that the recipient needed to use some sort of mobility aid like a wheelchair. Anyone who knows a bit about this would be great if you could answer

Answer 1

I have a daughter with exactly the same problems as you describe. My daughter is autistic but is very intelligent and her speech is very good. But, like you I cannot take her on public transport and she is a danger to herself and others when out. Because the disability living allowance people look at the form and see she can walk they will not allow her the higher rate of mobility, they don't seem to read the rest of the form that says she does run away and has been known to attack other people. I am currently appealing the decision with the DLA and have been to a tribunal. At the tribunal I was told that autism is not classed as a mental illness and therefore she was not eligible for the higher rate. I am now in the process of going to court to appeal the decision made by the tribunal. People fail to realise just how hard it is to live with an autistic child on a day to day basis. I would suggest you contact as many people as you can such as your MP and local media just to make people aware of how you struggle everyday. Keep appealing to the DLA and never take no for an answer, if enough of us do it they might listen to us and start to take us seriously. I wish you good luck.

Answer 2

Most do not use mobility aides to get around but still

get mobility allowance then use it for a motability car.

Go to your Doctors and ask the receptionist for the claim

forms.These you fill in then your Doc needs them back

for him to fill in his/her assessment of your child,a lot depends

on your Doctor if  he/she thinks she should have it,also have a word with Doctor about Mobility allowance.

Long time recipient.

Answer 3

ask the SENCo at school for her/his support too

Answer 4

Go to welfare rights adviser and get them to help you. You should be able to get the middle or higher rate of mobility allowance.

Go to a website, www.cerebra.org they have a booklet you can download that gives excellent advice on claiming DLA. It takes you through the questions asked and gives you examples of the language you need to use.

Appeal the decision. It can be done.

Answer 5

Not sure about the mobility element, I know my son gets it because he needs someone with him at all times when out and about (he's autistic too).  The people who helped with our forms were the Parent Partnership Service - I can't praise them enough for help with special needs etc.  The lady who helped me even came out on a bank holiday weekend and I can thoroughly recommend them for this and for anything else to do with schools, local authorities, etc . . .   If you want to contact me direclty please post a reply message and we'll make contact . . . .

Answer 6

Extremely hard to get high mobility for a child with autism ...i had to fight to get it and it was only because it was becoming impossible for us to go anywhere and we had letters stating Thomas was being removed from public transport from the bus comapnys and it was having an affect on his twin sister who was also becoming very down about the situation so we were stuck completely...he has only been getting it a few months and he is coming up to ten ..all i can say is i wish you lots of luck

Answer 7

i would get advise from your doctor or specialist whoever sees her the most and see if they think she should as if you want it reviewed disability will ask her main doctor or specialist for there opinion to see if she is more in need good luck i hope it all goes well for you x