DLA messed up and now I’m screwed!

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Got my DLA form through in May, completed and sent back tracked through post office. It was due to be paid yesterday and didn’t show as pending and didn’t arrive so I called them. They’re claiming they never received the renewal so have cancelled my claim. They asked if I still have the receipt, which I don’t. It was May, it was delivered, I don’t even remember what I did with it 😭 they’ve said I need to start a new claim from the beginning, they’ll send the forms out now but it’ll take a week to ten days for them to arrive, and then two to three months to be decided. I know it’s pathetic, but we survive on this money. My child has complex additional needs and I’ve had to reduce work hours twice to accommodate his needs. He can’t attend wrap around care and school holidays are a combination of me taking time off and family helping out. I don’t know how we are going to survive the next three + months without this money. I’m already struggling to make ends meet and now I’m losing a massive chunk. I tried arguing with the DLA person but he just said there’s nothing they can do because I can’t prove they received the forms?

has anyone been through anything like this, did they manage to get payments to continue somehow? I’ve got no proof I sent the forms, I’ve torn the house apart and the receipt is long gone. I just want to cry

Can you try going on to the Royal Mail site and clicking in the box where you type the number? My phone often remembers the code I last entered, so it might come up as a suggestion. That would then show the proof of delivery.

Did you take a photo of the receipt by any chance ?

Alternatively, did you scan the form to keep a copy before you sent it? That would be date stamped if you used a digital scanning app.

Did you pay postage on debit card?

Could you print off the forms on the website instead-it might speed it up a little?

Try your local council for the household support fund/crisis funding-and if you claim universal credit they may be able to help with an advance in the meantime.

Hope you get it sorted soon!

Surely they write to you if the form doesn’t get submitted?

Did you not twig when you didn’t receive a text from them saying the form had been received ? Did you not call to ask if it had been received ? Without poof of postage/delivery I think you’re a bit stuck tbh. If the renewal is accepted you could possibly do a mandatory reconsideration and ask them to backdate to May but that’s probably a long shot

Also if you are claiming UC you need to tell them that DLA payments have stopped otherwise you’ll have an overpayment

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disability-living-allowance-for-children-claim-form

If you have a PC, you can fill it out online. Or you can print it. You don't need to wait for them to post you a form.

Luckily children's new claims are only taking around 6 weeks currently, so even if you have to do a new claim it won't take too long and you'll get a backpayment. Always send by special delivery 1pm.

I’m guessing you don’t have a copy of the form? Proof of postage?

OP says she threw away the receipt of postage once she had seen that it was delivered.

Ah okay.

Time to complete a new application OP? Remember to scan a copy and keep the receipt. Also send special delivery.

Good luck.

Thanks everyone. To answer questions- no i didn’t scam the forms, but will in the future! I don’t have a copy of the receipt or number, I’ve looked everywhere and I’m sure I’ve thrown it out. Yes I claim UC, please tell me they won’t reduce that as well, I have no idea how we will manage as it is.
someone said about trying to back claim from May, they only stopped paying this month, that’s when I chased it up. I know every penny in and out of my bank because money is tight. We literally live on this at the moment.

a lot of people have suggested printing the forms- I asked about that and the DLA people said that because I requested it to be posted then that’s the date it will be back paid from, if I print and post then it’ll be from the date the receive it, so it’ll take slightly longer in the long run, but it’ll be back paid to make up for it.
thanks for all the help, I really don’t know what I’m going to do

I'm really sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but potentially you will lose the disabled child element of UC (about £150) and if you claim it, the carers element too (£200).

You can maybe apply for a budgeting load from UC, to help keep you afloat until you can get this sorted.

Maybe print the form and plan what your going to put, then you can just copy it over onto the posted form as soon as it arrives.

This is awful for you OP and I feel for you. Unfortunately, it will be worse as you will lose those elements off UC as well. Objectively, I suggest you just put in new forms asap and you will have to just cope with the loss of money. I know it's not what you want to hear but I just have experience of it all, and I know that they will just keep saying 'computer says no' etc. It's futile.

I also suggest you register with citizens advice as they can help with food banks/benefit help also. They might be able to suggest something else.

Not everyone receives those texts I never have.

Unfortunately it probably will be reduced a there is a disabled child element ( severe if thr child gets HRC()😪

You may be able to find the tracking number from your browser history. It should have a record of the web address that contained the tracking number when you searched for it.

Us parents of disabled children are generally overwhelmed juggling their care and educational needs that we don’t get the chance to “twig” anything !

Try calling citizens advice to either see if you can get an appointment or if they can signpost you to relevant local help or national orgs. You can at minimum get a food bank referral and some bills relief (edit : as in depending on bills and provider you can somewhat delay some payments while you figure everything out, it’s not hugely straightforward and depends on your individual circumstances) pretty quickly. Possibly you will need a loan to tide you over, they can help advise how to.
I don’t have advice for your specific case unfortunately, but citizens advice and your local council are the usual reliable routes - if you can go in person it can help sometimes, otherwise push through the hours on the phone.

Good advice there. I’d definitely try and get to a CAB office and see someone face to face. The advisors may even be able to make a phone call on your behalf to see what can be done? Maybe fast track the application form?

My daughter got hers in 4 weeks and 5 days. Very lucky, my sons took 16 weeks last year x