DLA Wait Times 2023 (Part 10)

[Pb12three]

Hi All,

I have been reading previous threads related to this which all seem to be full so apologies if this is wrong (Im new). Applied for DLA for my 18month old son, scan date was 11/04 and had letter saying upto 15 weeks for a decision. Question is, i received a 2nd letter from DWP asking for my sons original birth certificate to be sent in and it would be sent back immediately. Has anybody else had this?

Thanks

That’s amazing! Made up for you. I’m still waiting for my phone call back but I won’t hold my breath.

I wonder how the system works and if they have different teams across the country, because this just isn’t making sense.

I really feel for the people who are waiting during the school holidays! I rang again today, they said with it now been the holidays they will be even more delays they can not even tell me when it will go to dm. I’m fed up now lol

I definitely do think there are different offices up and down the country.

I suspect each office is sent say a weeks worth of claims, on rotation. This would explain why some April dates are being given a decision before some from end of march.

That said I do think there has been an issue with the batch from the end of march.. it just doesn't make sense why its taking so long.

I really hope you get a phone call back soon x

@Lo89 no not yet ringing first thing xx

I am 25th april and I have been told today its 19 week wait. Last week I was told 16

I rang last Wednesday for the first time and was told it wasn’t even with a dm yet. I’m going to ring tomorrow as it’s been 16+3 today and still not heard anything, scan date 27th march

Scan date 29th march
I’ve called twice this week and I rang this afternoon all ready to make a complaint. However she looked into my sons case and it has been done today ! Has been approved!!! Over the moon !!!! Good luck guys :) definitely worth ringing all the time !!

Ours was scanned April 20th. Called Monday to chase it and was told mid august earliest. Today i called and complained, stated these were unrealistic waiting times and it wasn’t fair. Didn’t actually expect a response of course but needed a rant 🙈

Just had a call that it is now with a DM and i’ll get an answer tomorrow! Speak loudly guys as it seems a way to get heard. I never actually meant to get an answer this quickly but being vocal helped.

Spoke to a lovely helpful lady around 4 oclock who wanted to try and help me before logging a complaint. She actually got in touch with dm to query why its been 8 days and that we need an update. She called me back after 5 once she had finished her shift to say the dm had got back to her to say the hold up was the fact the school refused to speak over the phone with them! Which im so surprised and disgusted about.
But that she will be making a decision today/tomorrow latest,

@Barefootandwindswept no way!! Amazing news that’s it’s with a DM already, hoping you get an approval tomo 🤞my scan date is 8 days after yours. I really don’t think they have any rhyme or reason to the timescales

@Barefootandwindswept wow that’s amazing! Do you just ring up and say you want to put in a complaint? They keep changing my waiting time I was suppose to get a decision on Monday now apparently got to wait another 2 weeks

Well done for speaking up. Could I ask how you phrased it all please? I'm the 19th and tried to call today and was hung up on so will give it a go tomorrow again.

my scan date is 21 April so might do the same

Wonder If its worth me trying to I'm 05.04

I'm 29/3 still nothing 😢

How do you go about complaining?

My scan date was 30/03 im ringing again tomorrow, they are going to be swamped with calls to complain by the looks of it 🤣 might give them a boot lol

@mooneigh I'm the same date it's with a case manager now but could be another week for decision 🤷🏻‍♀️

Anyone whos is with a Dm and has been for several days. (Mine being 9 days now). You can call up and request the call handler to send a direct email to the Dm in charge of your claim to find out why its taking so long and when you will get an outcome.

Hi all I’m new to this but been reading your posts for a while my scan date was 8th March and I’ve still not had a decision it’s driving me mad.. I’ve rang and the lady said the dm wanted to speak to my daughters school but the teacher said no she can’t speak over the phone but she will by email I rang to speak to the dm but the lady said the dm hasn’t got a email the teacher can contact so I don’t know what happens next?

That is beyond ridiculous! 8th March!!! I'd personally go down to the school to see why they can't contact via phone and refuse to leave until the have given you an email address and agreed to respond to the DMs attempt at contact. Is there are other professionals they can contact? I'd call first thing in the morning and give them their details if there is AND log a complaint with the rest of us

My scan date was 30th March, called for forms on 9th March. I'm one of those who complained today and got a decision a couple of hours later. I would say if you are waiting more than 15 weeks then absolutely complain as this means they have gone over their own timescales. If less than 15 weeks then wait until the 15 weeks to complain as otherwise you are potentially pushing those who have waited longer than you further back in the queue which I don't feel is fair. We all want the same thing after all. I just said to the lady that I spoke to that I'd like to raise a complaint and for it to be escalated to a senior manager as I've now waited longer than 15 weeks and the manager called me back less than an hour later and I had a text with the decision within an hour. Good luck to everybody waiting, I hope you get the decision your child deserves xx

My scan date is the same as yours @Hayles8 so im defo going to call tomorrow, its ridiculous this wait. I was holding off complaining because i didnt want them to be angry while deciding my award 🤣🤣🤣

Ah i was the same! But the call handler was nice, and I was nice to her as its not her fault.

The manager that called back was also very nice and apologised etc and I got the decision within 90 mins of my initial call to the helpline. I suspect if they've gone over the 15 weeks, once you complain they have to make the decision quickly to resolve the complaint as they have breached their own timescales which is their service agreement, and if you then take the complaint further you would then be entitled to compensation which going by this thread alone would cost so much money.

My son was awarded HRC and LRM so definitely worth the wait, and exactly what I felt he deserves with the evidence I sent.

I reallty hope you get your decision soon, the wait is horrendous but will be worth it. Its going to make such a difference to my sons life, I can't even begin to explain x

Im having the same problem.
the school have refused to speak over the phone.
are they allowed to do this?
so nervous that this will jeopardise my claim.

I'm 5th April. I'm going to give it until the 16th week and see if what I was told is true should off heard before then was told. It will be week 16 next weds so until then I'm holding back from complaining. Good luck all waiting and putting complaints it shouldn't have to come to that but they time frames are exhausting so I get where everyone is coming from.