High Rate Care Component DLA

Hi, Can anyone clarify to me what time scale 'prolonged' ranges from to qualify for the night time care component, I had on my appeal my daughter helped me for between half hour and an hour each night, The DM agreed that I needed this help for at least 30 mins but wasn't sure about whether I would need it for the hour. I am just wondering if there is a cut of time for this. Also can anyone advise me if it would be worth while putting another change of condition form in as after a recent fall damaging the tendons in my foot, I am now on the waiting list for corrective surgery on both my feet,they will both be broken and reconstructed with screws, I wont be able to wear proper shoes for about 3 months and it will take a year before my feet heal properly. At present I get the low rate mobility and middle rate care due to increased needs from fibromyalgia, B12 dificiency, folate dificiency prolapsed bladder, asthma, underactive thyroid and severe long term depression. Just wondering as I had the care increased not that long ago from low to middle, but because of recurrent falls I have since damaged my feet so much that it is very painful to put any kind of shoe on, living in open sandles, looks lovely in the rain., Any opinions would be greatly received.

Hi needmybed48, Have you got a welfare rights officer helping you with this? you do need face to face advice so they can go through all your conditions etc with you. Best Wishes

A very big thank you to this site, I have given up quite a few times, then a few weeks later got angry about the fact that I know I should be entitled to higher rates but feel like I am going in circles with no one listening (atos and DWP). I put in another change in condition just after losing my appeal as 'I hadn't turned up for the appeal, i had asked for a paper appeal as I was not mentally fit to go, i totally crumbled with the stress of the medical, the doctor not speaking very good english, she seemed to mix up can and cannot on the form, write one thing and the total opposite in next question. To cut a long story short, I put in another change when I had operation to break reset with pins and fix tendons in my feet and had extra medication for my fibro as it deteriorated, given bath and toilet aids while in hospital, sent in copies of reumatologists letter, psyciatrists letter, letter from my daughter, copy of prescription with new medications on it, copy of my blue badge the doctor got for me via letter to local authority, copies of motability cards for local shopping centres, appointment letters, everything I could think of. They kept rates the same but increased time to 2015, looked back on here, appealed, they then sent another doc for home medical 9 months after last medical. My daughter was working so she left a letter for him saying about my needs and things she does, gave him a set of copies of all the letters I sent in for the appeal, as I knew he doesn't get to even see these, I was so pleased that the doctor that came spoke english and had no problem asking questions or with my reply, he was really nice, apologised for putting me through another medical so soon. I was just so grateful that he understood me. Got letter back on Saturday saying the previous decisions had been overturned and the appeal would not be going ahead, high rate mobility and care. Checked my bank today and had £1,540.00 backdated money from 30th August 2010 paid in and I phoned income support to tell them of change in rates and was told I was due a backdated premium of roughly £350 and they would arrange for this to be paid into my bank. So to everyone who knows they qualify for a certain rate, don't give up, keep trying, take a week or two break, then keep going. I got so angry when I got letter from my daughters school about her being late most morning and I knew it was because she had been up with me during the night, I sorted it out with the school and they understand now but I thought no Im entitled to high rate and perservered. Now it has paid off, both high rates and till 2015. I have recomended this site to so many people who didn't know where to turn for help, so to all the mods, and everyone else, thank you, you are all doing a wonderful job.

Congratulations on your awards

Don't forget to have a nice treat now for you and your daughter for all of the hard work and perseverence.

Thank you suzy3, I shall definately be treating my daughter to some new clothes and a weeks easter classes at her drama school she deserves it, and a week of night duties, her sisters will come and take turns so she does exactly what she wants for a week, drama during the day and sleep during the night, all night for a change. Think I am still on cloud 9