Letter from DWP about my DLA application. Would you worry?

[zen1]

I finally sent off my DLA form at the end of August (18 months after I first requested one ). I had a letter last week saying they are processing it, then another letter today saying that my application is "taking longer to process than usual as they have requested a report from DS's school"

He is 3 and diagnosed with ASD. He also has some mobility problems that cause him to fall over more often than usual and he can't climb steps. He attends 2 pre-schools (1 MS and 1 SN), for two mornings a week each, both of which wrote a report for me to enclose with my DLA application.

I don't know why they need to request another report. Many of his problems are around tactile defensivesness and food (he doesn't eat at his pre-schools so they wouldn't get to encounter this side of him), and also his behaviours when he is with me. He is totally dependent on me for everything, not because he is physically unable to do things, but because he refuses to do a lot of things an NT 3 yr old would be expected to do for themselves.

I am worried they have requested a report because they don't believe some of the things I have put down, but the pre-schools won't be able to fully substantiate what I have written as they don't experience the extent of his behaviours.

Is there anything else I can do?

Speak to the pre-schools and just be prepared to go to appeal, but do use the CAB for this as they are very used to the system. Dont worry as sometimes asking for extra reports helps. I sent of reams of paper, but only on appeal did they ask consultants, and after 3 months we ended up getting HRC and HRM.

Ring em and ask them if they have read the school reports you already sent in? They may have been mislaid.

This is IME normal.

I had the same letter after my first acknowlegment letter.

Thank you. I will just ring them to double check they've read the other reports!

It sounds fine. It may be that the two schools slightly differed in their opinion, so they are writing for clarification. It may also be that they are looking for clarification for the mobility element, as he's three.

It all sounds very normal. Don't worry until you have to.

Thanks madwoman . I don't know whether he will qualify for the mobility element as he can walk, though he is unable to access anywhere with steps without physical assistance. He actually qualified for a 1-to-1 at the MS pre-school due to his mobility probs, not the ASD.

It's standard practice for them to contact the schools - I'm pretty sure the form asks who for the name of someone to contact there (or it did when we did DS's renewal). For that reason I don't bother to get them to do a report, but I usually have a chat with them so we are "singing from the same sheet"!

I share the same concerns but I did make it clear on my form that he is ok in school. I just hope the school don't scupper my application.

I was once concerned about this so asked to see my whole claim file. I saw the bit from the school and it is a very short form. I think it would be hard for them to scupper it as it asks specific questions. It wasn't at all what I thought it would be. I guess I am trying to say its more factual based than opinion.

I had a word with his MS pre-school when I picked him up today and they said if the DWP asks them to do a report they will show it to me before they send it off which is reassuring.

Just to let you know I got my letter saying my DS has been awarded DLA