I cannot write so am filling out my DLA application (novel) with hubby and he is doing the writing. It makes it quite clear that it cannot be signed by somebody else. I cannot sign it because my right arm doesn’t work. Hubby usually signs everything for me and assumed this would be OK but it isn’t. How do I get around this? Pat
Hi Pat I’m struggling with writing at the moment due to weakness in my wrists and elbows. Is it at all possible to use your left hand? And does it matter if it dosen’t look right it will show that you have problems. Sue x
Hi Pat I agree with Sue, sign it as best you can and maybe put a covering letter in explaining the difficulty. Xx
Hi Pat,that’s a real *ummer with your arm,and ain’t it typical that the form needs doing.I’m wondering if there is a Help Line number in all the lovely twaddle you got with the form.If there is a number,ask your question,get the name and note the time.Whatever the solution get Himself to explain on the form about what has been done.
Just wondering if they’d accept an X in crayon?..Silly,but we won’t know 'til we do.
Good luck,
Wb
It’s a long time since I applied for (and got) DLA, so I don’t know if the form has changed. I’ve just checked my form. Where you have to sign, there’s a box for somebody to fill in if they have signed for you. It asks for their name and address. It’s page 22 of my form, page 53 of 55 of a pdf file.
If your form is the same as mine was, somebody else could sign for you, Pat.
Good luck with your application.
Hi, yes I seem to recall there being a space for someone to sign for you, if you cant do so yourself. Or have the forms changed and dont allow for that now? if they dont, then I would ring the DWP and ask.
luv Pollx
My advice would be to get hubby to sign it and never mention it again. I’ve filled out two DLA forms so far and there was never any question over if it was me who signed it, they don’t even have my signature beforehand to compare them!
Oh right!
best ring up for advice then, eh?
luv Pollx
I agree, Poll, I’d ring 'em and ask.
Incidentally, there’s no requirement in law that a signature has to be readable, or even look like the person’s name, so being able to write at all, with either hand, should be sufficient. I doubt they are going to cross-compare with anything, to see if it matched or not.
I wouldn’t get someone else to sign, for the simple reason that if part of the case is that you don’t have [much] use of your hands, one of the questions might well be: “Well how did you manage to sign so neatly, then?” At that point, you’d be forced either to admit you hadn’t (and risk invalidating the whole procedure), or accept you’d “somehow” managed it, with the resulting conclusion that your manual dexterity couldn’t be all that bad…
T.
the form that is used in scotland , someone else can complete on your behalf, there is al;so an area for them to put their experience of your condition
Pat, if your right arm does not work, but the left one does, try this:
Rest your right forearm on the table (palm down resting on the muscle)
Put a pen into a writing position held by your right thumb an the first two fingers.
Grip your forearm with your left hand, halfway between wrist and elbow, and move the pen around with your left arm.
It will be a bit shaky, but it will be your signature.
Tina is right. An X is a valid signature. It does help if someone else endorses it “her mark”, but if this is legal, then a shaky signature of your own must be better.
Geoff
The answer to that one is easy, Pat.
Yes you can make a meaningful mark - but you need both hands and a table to do so.
Geoff
A witnessed X has always been accepted as a legal signature.
I would imagine that if it was not accepted by those nice people who “process” the DLA forms, they could be torn to pieces by any halfway competent civil rights lawyer.
If yu went down that road, it would demonstrate that you could not write (does not matter that it is down to disability rather than lack of education), and that should exclude you from any job where handwriting is a requirement.
Geoff