Question re Domicilliary Care Allowance

Hi there,

I am due to have my son's DCA assessment in a couple of weeks. I've been waiting since July for this so am happy to finally have the appointment now. Have all my son's reports ready along with a letter from his pre school (He has Autism). I'm just wondering a couple of things. Basically everyone including the HSE Assessment Officer has told me we are entitled to this payment so i would be fairly confident that the assessment should go to plan. I'm just wondering about a couple of things:

Does the backpayment for DCA apply from date of diagnosis or date the HSE received the application?

And how long after the assessment are payments normally received?

Thanks!

Nearlywed

Hi there nearlywed,
from past experience, your DCA should be backdated to the date of diagnosis. If it isn't, you can/should appeal. However, can't answer as to how long it will take for you to get the payment.

Thanks for coming back to me. It took over a year for the reports to come back as Autism (HSE delays as usual) so it looks like July 08 for the date of diagnosis although there are assessments stating Autism there dating back to 2007.

hi there

my son is 13 now and i recive domicillary allowance,
if i remember rightly we recived it from the date of the appointment with the then health board, not from date of diagnosis, as my son was born with down syndrome, i dont know if it is still the same but all kids are not registered as disabled in this country untill they are 3, no matter what is wrong with them, how irish,

i do know that the hse likes to take its time, id say you will wait about 2 months but it will be backdated to the day of that appointment,

best of luck,

netty