AIBU to seek a mandatory reconsideration of my son’s DLA award?

It isn't necessary, especially if you have something more recent confirming that he has Autism. They aren't really interested in the diagnosis, they are interested in care needs and evidence supporting his care needs. A diagnosis isn't required for DLA.

They aren't that interested in diagnosis itself, but looking for evidence of how it impacts on his mobility and care needs now, which may be very different to 5 years ago. Recent paediatrician/OT/school reports could be helpful. Many children I work with in paediatrics never get a diagnosis beyond
a very vague 'developmental delay' 'genetic abnormality' etc which tells you almost nothing, but they get DLA based on the reports from professionals which describe needs

You’re all assuming that the assessors are making logical decisions. I also made a formal complaint about ours because despite the first interview going well, the centre manager decided without meeting him that he wanted to study computer science and was doing the Duke of Edinburgh award. Neither is true. I have no idea who that child is but it’s not mine. But on the basis of this hallucination and despite getting high level everything since he was diagnosed, they dropped him to lowest for everything. It’s like EHCP appeal - they see if you have the minerals to push back.

That will be it. They also want current evidence, they won’t be interested in evidence from years ago.

Anyone with any sort of complex disability or health need will tell you how absolutely diabolical the NHS can be in terms of waiting for treatment and the actual treatment offered. That’s not me knocking the NHS, I think it can be wonderful and it’s saved my life several times but equally I’ve had times I’ve paid for treatment (on a credit card when I couldn’t afford it really) in order to simply have some quality of life. If someone can afford treatment privately for their child why wouldn’t they do this, and / or use DLA for this: many, many parents do this.

How much evidence did you send? If you sent a lot, it’s possible that they didn’t read it all because they don’t get a lot of time to review claims. DLA doesn’t tend to consider GP evidence strongly because it isn’t specialised.

They are interested in care needs only so just be sure that any evidence is very clear about his care needs.

Hopefully it will just take MR for someone to look over it better.

Ah okay that probably comes under 'prompting' for toileting & continence rather than needing physical help.

It's still worth a mandatory reconsideration though due to the amount of time you spend helping.

Is the continence problem a disability - not expecting it to improve over the next 12 months or is he recovering from an illness/episode that's likely to improve? That's likely to make a difference.

If it's more of an illness that will improve then try to focus on the care needs as it relates to the autism.

Why are you paying for these things though? The NHS can support him with his gastro issues, prescriptions would be free on the NHS and if he’s got an ADHD diagnosis already why did you need an updated report?
I have absolutely no qualms about children of reasonably wealthy parents receiving DLA, but I do think you’re wasting money here that could be going towards his school fees. Do you have enough in income and / or savings to fund private school for the next 7 years without the DLA?

Sorry that’s what I meant.

That seems an odd reason for turning it down. My son is AuADHD gets middle rate care and low rate mobility, no other health issues, no EHCP, mainstream school.

It is not so much how you fill the form in as what you include especially with numbers, how many minutes, how far etc as these might be judged in blocks so you could fall just outside another band. I would strongly suggest that you get help from someone to complete an appeal, not sure if you submit more for the mandatory reconsideration, CAB will do this or some condition specific charities can help too.

I agree.

He has significantly higher needs than a 12-year old without those difficulties and, while I haven't done an awful lot of DLA applications for children, middle-rate care sounds right to me.

If he needs help dealing with incontinence or other issues during the night, make sure you mention that, too. That could meet the threshold for higher rate care.

I got middle-rate care for a friend's son who had significantly lower needs than your boy, OP.

DLA will have no issues with OP using it towards private school. They don’t even ask about what it would be spent on anyway.

It just goes into my bank account into the general “pot”.

I dont think YABU, but is the money you get used to pay for additional or extra care. It doesnt sound like it from your post. You are paying for a private education and you say you use the extra money towards the private school fees. No doubt you are saving the state money and ensuring he will be a contributing member of society but they wont see the logic of this.

You say it isn’t a race to the bottom yet that is exactly what your comment is.