DLA WAIT TIMES 2026

[Emssxo]

Hi everyone 👋

I thought I’d make a post in case it helps any other parents and also because I’d love to find some people to go through this waiting period with.

My eldest son (now 7) had his original DLA form received on 05/04/2024. He was awarded Middle Rate Care and Low Rate Mobility on 02/08/2024 until February 2026.

His renewal form was then sent off on 08/12/2025 and we received a decision on 14/01/2026, with the same awards continuing until 2028.

I’ve now submitted my 5-year-old son’s first DLA claim. It was sent signed for and received on 28/05/2026. I haven’t had confirmation that it’s been scanned onto the system yet, so the waiting game begins all over again.

As a single mum to two boys, I always find this process incredibly overwhelming. Sitting and writing pages about all the things your child struggles with and can’t do compared to other children their age is heartbreaking, even when you know you’re simply being honest. The forms take so much emotional energy.

When I applied for my eldest in 2024, I actually met some lovely parents through groups like this and still speak to some of them now, so I thought I’d reach out again.

If you’re currently waiting for a decision, I would really appreciate it if any parents can please comment with when your form was received and how long you’ve been waiting. I’d also be really grateful to hear if anyone has had a recent decision in 2026 and what current wait times seem to be.

Wishing everyone the best of luck with their claims. ❤️

Sd 5th june 26 so nervous good luck to you x

@Hmcc123Hello Lovely! Have you been informed it has been scanned in? I know it’s hard to not be nervous! Just know you’re not alone, I’m so nervous too 🤦🏼‍♀️x

Yes got a text saying xx

We have received your DLA Child claim. We aim to tell you our decision within 25 weeks. You only need to contact us if your circumstances change.

but I’ve seen some people only waiting 5/7 weeks for decision xxx fingers crossed for us both

@Hmcc123I’ve been reading lots of people’s experiences with DLA awards, and the waiting times seem to vary so much that I think it really is just a case of waiting and seeing. I’m hoping and praying it doesn’t take as long as my eldest child’s claim did!

I sent my son’s form off by Signed For delivery, and Royal Mail shows it was delivered on 28th May, so I’m just waiting for confirmation from DWP that they’ve received and logged it on their system. If you don’t mind me asking, do you remember when you sent yours off and how long it took before it was scanned onto the system?

You’d think having been through the process before I’d be more relaxed about it, but I still find the whole thing incredibly overwhelming. I’m really hoping neither of us has to wait too long for the support our children deserve!xx

Same I’m soo nervous I hate waiting I know we all have to but it sends my brain on overdrive xx
did you send lots of support evidence.

I haven’t my daughter is year 6 and she has been referred for adhd and autism test k just had referral letters but it’s years waiting times.

j just explained lots in detail why she needs more support than another child her age xx

i sent my form Thursday daytime and Friday at 1 o’clock I go the text xx

@Hmcc123Aww bless her, the waiting is horrible isn’t it? 😩 I completely understand what you mean about years-long waiting lists. My youngest has referrals pending too, so I know how frustrating it is when you know your child needs support but you’re stuck waiting.

I ended up sending quite a lot of evidence with mine, such as support plans (IEP), EHCP, ASD and Autism referral, speech and language, hearing referral at hospital etc; but I also made sure the form itself was really detailed and focused on why my son needs substantially more help and supervision than other children his age. From what I’ve read, that’s often the most important thing.

It’s reassuring that you got your text so quickly! Mine was received on 28th May but I’m still waiting for confirmation it’s been scanned onto the system, so I’m probably checking my phone far more than I should be 😂.

Fingers crossed we both hear something sooner rather than later and get the support our children need 🤞❤️ if you need to chat atall I can try send across my details so you’re not waiting alone and feeling isolated ❤️xx

Thank you so much hun it’s such a terrible thing having to wait.

I sent her autism and adhd referral my youngest is diagnosed with autism also it’s just I didn’t notice it as much I guess with my first I thought that was just her it’s so hard waiting and having to fight for everything all the time can be so mentally draining I also think I’m prob on the spectrum too 🙈🤯🤣 don’t worry I’m checking my phone waiting for a response I know is not coming any time soon lol xx

@Hmcc123Ahh just realised I put ASD and Autism referral in my last comment 🤦‍♀️ I meant ASD and ADHD referral! The school put those in for my 5 year old!

Honestly don’t be hard on yourself about not noticing it as much with your first. I think so many of us look back and realise things we didn’t recognise at the time because we’re just seeing our child as themselves ❤️.

I completely agree though, the constant fighting for support, referrals, assessments and then DLA on top is so mentally draining. Sometimes I think the waiting and uncertainty is the hardest part of all.

And honestly, I’ve wondered about myself too for quite a few years now. I’ve been stimming for as long as I can remember – my thing has always been twiddling my hair. Apparently I was doing it when I was still in a pushchair and my family were forever having to untangle my fingers from my hair 😂. The more I’ve learned over the last 4 years especially, the more I’ve started questioning things about myself too.

Oh gosh yeah the phone checking, that’s a whole separate issue in itself 😂. I still haven’t had a scan date yet – all I have is Royal Mail confirming it was signed for on 28th May. Now I’m sat here wondering where “there” actually is and whether I even put the right address on the envelope! 🤦‍♀️ I swear I second guess absolutely everything once I’ve sent these forms off. Even though I know I checked it all a hundred times beforehand, my brain still convinces me I’ve somehow messed something up.

Fingers crossed we both get some good news sooner rather than later. It’s lovely being able to chat to someone who actually understands how overwhelming it all is ❤️ xx

Yeah it’s strange been waiting my youngest 9 she been waiting since 5 years old and half only diagnosed 7 months ago and when doing all the courses I thought omg my eldest is 11 hits every criteria more than you youngest are just doesn’t struggle at school as much as youngest only reason I realised with youngest is cause school said i just thought she was like me 🤣🥲🤯🙈❤️xxx

I hope you get your scan text too xx

I have read some don’t get a text and just get paid or a letter we will have to keep eachother updated with any news xxx

trust me 🤯I have been over thinking my form ever since I sent it I typed some out cause my spelling and writing is awful hope that won’t affect it. And if I have explained everything well enough we will see xx

I'm waiting for my daughter's renewal decision. I haven't had a text, but I know it's been scanned in because they sent DDs deed poll back to me, and then I got a phone call questioning a discrepancy in DDs name and address.

They were adamant I hadn't updated our address, except we moved house while waiting for a decision on the last renewal. I updated our address before we moved, and all correspondence has come here since we moved in!

They were also adamant I hadn't sent DDs deed poll, until I pointed out it had been returned to me via post, they looked on the system and voilé, it was there 🤦🏽‍♀️.

I have no idea when we'll get a decision, I'm just hoping the decision maker is more capable of reading paperwork than the person who called me about the non discrepancies!

@Iyamnotayam Oh gosh, that sounds incredibly frustrating 😩. That’s exactly the sort of thing that would send my anxiety through the roof. You do everything you’re supposed to do, update your details, send the paperwork, and then end up having to convince them it’s actually there!

To be honest, stories like this are probably why I’m second guessing myself so much. Royal Mail says mine was signed for on 28th May but I still haven’t had a text or scan date, so my brain keeps going straight to “what if I put the wrong address on?” or “what if it’s gone missing?” even though I know I’m probably overthinking it 🙈.

Hopefully the fact they’ve already been in touch about your daughter’s renewal means things are moving along behind the scenes. Fingers crossed you get a decision soon and it’s a positive one ❤️. The waiting really is the worst part of the whole process xx

Don't worry too much, I've only had a notification text once or twice with my daughter's applications and renewals! But if you're worried, I would just ring and make sure it's been scanned in.

I know it's easy to be anxious, but I honestly think issues like mine are just down to outdated/inefficient systems.

And thank you! I absolutely hate waiting for a decision. I've evidenced everything, but it still always depends on whose desk it lands on 🤦🏽‍♀️

Good luck with your son's application xxx

@IyamnotayamThank you, that does make me feel a bit better ❤️.

I think because this is my youngest son’s first claim I’m second guessing absolutely everything. Royal Mail says it was signed for on 28th May, but because I haven’t had a text yet my brain keeps going straight to “what if I put the wrong address on?” or “what if it’s gone missing?” 🙈.

You’re probably right though, it does sound like a lot of it comes down to outdated systems and different processing centres. I think if I haven’t heard anything by next week I’ll give them a ring just for peace of mind.

I completely agree with what you said about it depending whose desk it lands on. That’s one of the hardest parts isn’t it? You can spend hours filling the form in, provide loads of evidence and still end up worrying about how it’ll be interpreted.

Thank you for taking the time to reply, and fingers crossed your daughter’s renewal comes through soon with the outcome you’re hoping for ❤️ xx

Thank you! I hope your son's comes through quickly as well. They will be able to confirm it's gone through if you call, I usually call at 4 weeks if I haven't heard anything!

The being entirely dependent on whose desk it lands on is really frustrating. On our last renewal we got dropped from high rate care to middle rate care because there was apparently no evidence DD was being treated for a sleep disorder. One of the reports I sent was specifically about her sleep disorder 🤦🏽‍♀️.

My mandatory consideration literally just said "There's a letter specifying her sleep disorder and treatment", everything got reinstated but it was another 6 months of waiting which was rubbish.

Thank you for replying to me as well. It makes everything a little less isolating when people "get it"

@IyamnotayamHonestly, that’s exactly the sort of thing that worries me 😩. Imagine sending a report specifically about your daughter’s sleep disorder only to be told there was no evidence of a sleep disorder. That must have been incredibly frustrating.

I’m really glad the MR put things right for you in the end, but another 6 months of waiting after already going through the whole process must have been awful ❤️.

It does make me wonder sometimes how much depends on the individual decision maker and whether they’ve properly read everything that’s been sent. That’s probably one of my biggest worries with my son’s claim. I spent so long filling the form in and included as much detail and evidence as I possibly could, but then I start thinking “have I explained it properly?” and second guess everything 🙈.

Thank you for sharing your experience though. As frustrating as it is to hear what happened, it’s actually reassuring to know that decisions can be changed when something has clearly been overlooked.

And you’re right, it really does make it feel less isolating talking to people who genuinely understand the process and the emotional side of it ❤️ xx

Hi,
I sent off my application for my DD on the 15th of May and they scanned it in on the 18th. Did you manage to ring to find out your scan date?
im extremely nervous waiting for a decision! It’s putting me on edge. I’ve seen some people from the 13/14 of May getting decisions

@JoyousMauveBearHi 😊

I still haven’t rung yet. Royal Mail shows mine was signed for on 28th May, but I’ve not had a text or confirmation that it’s been scanned onto the system. Reading everyone’s timelines, it sounds like there can be quite a delay between them receiving the forms and actually scanning them, so I’m trying not to panic too much and have some patience 🙈.

I completely understand how you’re feeling though. The waiting is awful and I seem to spend half my time checking my phone even though I know nothing is likely to change overnight 😂.

It’s interesting that you’ve seen people from the 13th/14th May getting decisions though. Hopefully that means things are moving along and you’ll hear something soon ❤️.

And if it helps at all, you’re not alone in feeling on edge about it. I’m sat here worrying and overthinking every little thing too, so if you ever need someone to chat to while we’re both stuck in the waiting game, feel free to reply anytime ❤️.

Fingers crossed we both get good news and aren’t waiting too much longer 🤞❤️ xx

Yeah I’ve heard it can take up to 6 weeks!!, that’s such a long time. I thought mine was going to take up to that time but thankfully it was done on the Monday it arrived there!
fingers crossed they’ve scanned yours on the system and just missed the text.
never applied for DLA before so the whole process has been scary😂. I’ve been constantly on DLA Facebook page, just reading everybody’s comments. Really need to find something else to do in my spare time😂.
I’m terrified I haven’t sent enough evidence but I know I did and it’s still playing on my mind haha. Hoping and praying we get accepted!
if I hear anything this week I will update. It’s slowly creeping up but I know sometimes people still wait longer, just hoping the evidence I sent was enough so they don’t have to contact GPS and specialists etc.
yes, I hope we both get good news❤️

@JoyousMauveBearHonestly, I completely get that 😅. With my eldest son’s first claim I feel like I lost half of 2024 waiting for the decision. His form was received on 05/04/2024 and we didn’t get a decision until 02/08/2024, so by the time it finally came through I was mentally exhausted from checking my phone, reading forums and second guessing every single thing I’d written.

What’s funny is I’ve been through the process before and I’m still doing exactly the same thing this time 🤦‍♀️. I keep worrying I didn’t send enough evidence, even though I know I included everything I had and was as honest as possible. I think once you’ve sent it off there’s just nothing else you can do, but that doesn’t stop your brain going into overdrive!

I really hope you don’t end up waiting as long as I did with my eldest. From everything you’ve said it sounds like you’ve provided plenty of evidence, and it’s reassuring that yours was scanned so quickly too ❤️.

Please keep me updated when you hear anything, and I’ll do the same. It’s actually really nice talking to other parents who understand how stressful and consuming this whole process can be. Fingers crossed we’re both celebrating good news soon 🤞❤️ xx

Honestly it’s easy to do, I’m constantly checking to see if anyone with same date as me has received anything😂. It’s just all the nerves I think because we know our children are entitled to it but it’s the fear of rejection and the ‘did I mention that’. Little things like that haha. I sent so much evidence that I think I’ll be a little mad if they decline😂. I will keep you updated!,
I always think about the stuff I may have forgot to mention, but I know if I do have to do an MR I’ll have some more evidence because her dosages have been upped from the doctors and she’s been in hospital twice since sending her forms off!!

@Emssxo hey hun just updating you xxx

as I said I would.
scan date 5/6/26 new claim and received a letter today been awarded omg that’s 10 days!! Never ever heard of that I didn’t get a text or anything my letter was posted with the date the 8th on so that’s 3 days for a decision any news on yours? Xxx

@Hmcc123Oh wow, that’s amazing news! ❤️😄 Huge congratulations to you. I really hope the award was everything you were hoping for and that you can finally breathe a little easier after all the waiting and worrying.

Thank you so much for coming back and updating us as well. It’s genuinely really helpful to hear real timelines from people who are going through it right now, especially because the process can feel so uncertain.

I’ve still not heard anything on mine yet, so I’m very much still in the waiting game 🙈, but hearing positive outcomes like yours definitely gives me a bit of hope that things are moving along behind the scenes.

I’m so pleased for you and your little one ❤️. Hopefully you’ll be able to relax and enjoy not having to think about DLA for a while now! Fingers crossed I’ll have some news of my own soon 🤞❤️ xxx

@Emssxo

thank you very much please keep me updated I hope you hear soon!!! ❤️❤️ I wasn’t expecting to hear so fast tbh xxxx I hope you get everything you deserve xxx

@Hmcc123Aww thank you so much ❤️. I’m genuinely so pleased for you because I know how stressful all this waiting can be.

I definitely will keep everyone updated when I hear anything. At this point I’d settle for just knowing it’s been scanned onto the system 😂🙈.

It’s actually really encouraging hearing that yours moved so quickly though. It reminds me that every claim is different and that timelines can vary so much.

Thank you again for coming back and sharing your outcome. It means a lot when people update rather than disappearing once they’ve got their decision ❤️.

Wishing you and your little one all the best, and enjoy finally having the DLA stress off your shoulders! ❤️ xxx

@Emssxo thank you so much your so kind.
I reckon yours will be done asap I have read that lots of people don’t get a text and just get a decision so that’s probably what will happen to you because you signed delivery. It’s definitely there. Xxxxx I hope you get everything that you need and fast if possible. Xxxx