DLA wait times 27 2024

[Robyn81]

Just starting a new thread as the old one will run out soon

@Bluecat11 was yours a renewal or is it the first time you've applied. As the first time does take pretty long, you can call up for an update still

Scan Date. The date they scan your application in their computer system and will go by that date to estimate your waiting time

New claim, but looking at everything I don’t think I will get it as it’s for my baby he is 9 month and has had this disability from birth, requires extra care day and night and had physio every 3 weeks

call today to confirm my bank details for my DLA claim, S/D 16/08, she advised decision will be made today but I won’t get the letter for 3 weeks! Surely if they want my bank details it’s been accepted? Do you think?

@Laura2106 Its got to have been I would have thought xx

@Leah3939 Inform UC ASAP as you will be entitled to the £400 UC disability element. Same with carers allowance - if you don't get that already apply ASAP, you can backdate up to 3 months or to the beginning of your child's claims (provide relevant info in application - very simple easy application process compared to dla or uc, takes less than 15 mins and they process pretty quick too)
Uc will subtract carers allowance from your claim and add a carers element of around £150odds( can't remember exact amount)

So to recap, UC should :
add £400 disability element
Add £150 carers element
Subtract the £340 odd Carers allowance
If you choose to phone the changes in , I would also put a note in my journal to confirm my recent phone call and detail the changes so its there in writing should there be any issues.

@Bluecat11 It's not about your child's age, it's purely about how much care he needs and if it is above average for his age and ability, also if there is regular hospital appointments ect. Just remember when you speak with them, not to sugarcoat or downplay your child and yours experience, people have a habit of not being brutally honest about what they have to do on a daily basis, be very very honest, some conditions get worse some improve, some conditions have support groups that have set up online help sheets with the correct wording to use to best describe symptoms/outcomes ect. It could be worthwhile goggling your child's disability and PIP application and see if there is anything that can give you some verbal back up. Please do not let it go if they say no at the first stage, always press the mandatory reconsideration and then last stage appeal. Its independent and 80% of rejected claims get approved at this final stage. You're doing a great job - the pip form is an absolute nightmare to deal with AND you are caring for a tiny 9 month baby!!! Sending lots of positivity!

The higher disabled child element is £487.58 per month if receive HRC
If receive MRC or LRC its £156.11

I'm waiting for mine to be added to my element and backdated payment of disabled higher rate since winning MR on 24.12.24 which is when I let them know also
On 30.12 they verified details and still waiting x

If I get MRC then will I get £400 disability element and £156.11 on top of the £400. Whats that element called?

No hun if you get uc the disability element is £156.11 for a child receiving MRC or low rate care
The higher disabled child element is £487.58 per month if receive HRC

That's paid in with UC they need to add the element to your claim and ask them to backdate to the beginning of the DLA awards not the date you found out so they will owe you however many months it took for your claim to be sorted out x

DLA for MRC is £72.65 per week paid every 4 weeks so £290.60 for care
i don't know if you receive LRM or HRM too of course that would be more paid every 4 weeks but doesn't make s difference to the disabled child element In with UC

But the disabled child element is determined by rate of care you receive in your case you would receive £156.11 disabled child element Per month payable in with UC as you receive MRC

Ask for your carers allowance and carers element to be backdated to beginning of Award if you don't ask they won't automatically do this but as carers allowance is £4£ they will say you owe most times iv seen on here I don't claim carers allowance or element as I have my own health conditions meaning I claim lcrwa which is more also than carers allowance and element but also in case of issues when due for renewal then my lcrwa isn't affected if Award temporarily stops so I leave it as my own health conditions means I'm entitled to lcrwa which won't stop if any issues with DLA renewal or so as tends to happen x

If you migrated from tax credits you will have to chase tax credits for disabled child element from start of dla claim to date of uc start claim
Sorry not caught up on thread so don't know if you receive any mobility on top but I imagine you should x

Hope that helps x

I am migrating soon to UC and I get child tax credit and the disability element and severe disability element of child tax credit as am getting HRC. I was told I wouldn't get any child tax credit and UC will take 5 weeks to process and the first week payment I will lose out on. Am I right in thinking I should continue to get the disability element for my child from the day I claim UC so I won't lose out. My migration date is 21st Feb. So if I claim UC from the 20th Feb what will happen?

Oh I see OK I'm unsure but I believe you should get migration protection which means you shouldn't be worse off then they will slowly lower the payments unless a significant change happens they then stop them and you will receive the generic uc disability child payments
As you are tax credits if this DLA is a new claim you contact them to backdate to beginning of award of disability child payments
Sorry not sure if iv been helpful as a little different with tax credits and UC
I myself was getting disabled payments for myself when was on tax credits and income support so when they forced me to migrate to UC uc paid me the migration protection until I ended up with LCRWA which was significant change which stopped my migration protection if that makes sense
In terms of child disability payments via tax credits I know that to be more than what uc pay as I believe the severe disabled child element on tax credits to be 108 per week or the disabled child element on tax credits to be around 72 per week ish sorry not actual figures just from what I researched prior therefore tax credits will need to backdate you 108 per week if this is a new DLA claim or if they stopped whilst DLA renewal was sorted out they will have to backdate you 108 per week since start date of renewal if this makes sense
In terms of carers allowance and carers element check with tax credits as you are not under UC atm they will also have to backdate this to beginning date of award make sure younask them to backdate if they say no fill in a form on .gov via your gateway sign in for mandatory Reconsideration should have an answer within 15 days but it's special circumstances as long as informed them within 30 days of finding out the award x

I was reading about the transitional protection. But why does it get lower?

My son turns 5 in a few weeks, currently gets MRC and no mobility although I requested a mandatory reconsideration months ago….when he turns 5 will they automatically pay LRM? (He has a blue badge as he is autistic and prone to doing a runner) or will this be another thing to request and wait for?

They try to ease you off slowly but any significant changes will stop this that's what happened to me my daughters original award was LRC/LRM awarded august 2024 i knew was wrong and they clearly didnt read evidence put in MR 22.8.24 they didn't reduce the amount of transitional protection sorry not migration protection lol but when they were on me to work despite knowing I had numerous health conditions i disclosed again and again and I was awaiting DLA outcome as I'm unofficially my daughter’s carer yet no one told me what to do by chance I found out to provide fit notes as originally I was going to go through that route and leave my ill health out of it as would have been easier but DLA took too long
Anyway I provided fit notes which my Dr backdated 6 months and fast forwarded 6 months they sent me uc50 form then had assessment they awarded me lcrwa which stopped my transitional protection so wasn't better off financially which is OK I just knew I couldn't work being a carer to my diagnosed ASD 10 year old who I just won the MR for but also 2 other ASD living children and due to my own ill health which I could prove

Point is I'm only claiming for 1 ASD child as its taken me so long due to my own stuff going on never had strength anyway sorry some big changes can stop the transitional protection but I don't believe the children being granted their DLA falls under that so should be OK unsure on carers allowance and carers element though but maybe best speak to a jobcentre advisor to understand how it works unless anyone here can help
I understand carers allowance to be £4£ but I believe contributes towards national insurance contributions for future
If someone in receipt of LCRWA you cannot be both carer to someone and receive LCRWA so I stick with LCRWA as that was sorted before DLA outcome

I find these groups so supportive and so helpful I uploaded a whole bunch of stuff on previous thread to let people know what they are entitled to as I find government even people don't like to help with things like this which I find sad but I want to be able to help people like me who have never had help in accessing anything making things very difficult

If I'm incorrect on anything someone jump in and please advise but this is what happened to me
I personally believe you will be fine re child disabled element and if its your own disability element when you migrate to UC by date given make sure not late you will receive transitional protection maybe a little less than you were receiving prior but that will stay the same for a while then they intend to drop it slowly unless significant change triggers it to stop x

I'm unsure on this one but the fact your son has a blue badge works in your favour as he is ASD and tends to run off and unaware of dangers etc he can qualify for HRM under SMI or VUW
Autism falls under severe mental impairment but as its a spectrum you need to prove he falls under SMI if he does not all ASD children do or he may be able to walk but is virtually unable to walk (vuw) this can mean if he's like my daughter he will refuse to walk drop to the floor lay down have a meltdown not care or be aware of surroundings and how inappropriate this is meaning refusal to walk again its about proving this with evidence both these criterias are fit for HRM but need to meet every aspect of each criteria I believe
My daughter should receive HRM under VUW but I cannot be asked as too many battled but if she's still the same when due for renewal I shall make sure I prove this

Hope this helps x

Hi all,
Looking for some advice please, got declined DLA for my son today so going in for mandatory reconsideration, was just wondering how many people were successful and how long it took, SD was 12/08 so waited 21 weeks for a decision to now go back and argue it, the process is so draining!!

Form request date 24th June 2024.
Sent 7th August 2024.
Scan date 13th August 2024.

30th Sept 2024 I received a letter apologising for the delay and to expect to wait up to 15 weeks.

6th Jan 2025 According to my banking app £1,971.55 is landing into my bank account tomorrow DWP DLA.

I haven't received a letter/texts informing me of the outcome/award.
I assume DC must have been granted the care middle rate as they are under 3 and have global development delay?
I think I make that 21 weeks from scan to payment as it's about 28/29 weeks from my form request date?

Very happy that DC has been awarded something, I had originally requested the form 6 months before, but didn't have the energy to fill that one out at the time.
I had been put off by the admin and not having any understanding if I would be successful or not.
Was advised by DC's nursery to apply because apparently having DLA will help with getting help with classroom support in the future if needed so that gave me the kick up the bum I needed.

I personally didn't find the form too bad, (I have ADHD, so did need a time extension) and I pity the person who had to try and read my terrible handwriting, no idea why I even attempted to write it by hand! It was a hot mess!!

DC does have lots of either diagnoses or is under several hospital departments for ongoing assessments, never actually had any treatment/help yet, there appears to be nothing majority serious, but they have noticeable delays in all areas, and lots of professional who have noted that in their letters/reports.

It did also prompt me to apply for PIP a couple of months ago, (which I never in a million years would have even considered) because I realised my own health issues and my ADHD make life so much harder than the impact on DC's in terms of their current health concerns/problems.
So I'm hoping that will be accepted first time too (I did type/print that form's information as I learnt my lesson!)

I took 2 extensions and still missed the deadline 🤗 but they kindly accepted it as they had noted my ADHD on my application request call.
Hopefully because I told them I had ADHD, I can't remember, not because it's that obvious !!!

The money will really help toward mitigating the financial impact of our disabilities, because although we both luckily have lots to be grateful for in terms of our health, we both struggle significantly compared to our non-disabled peers who have much greater capacity over their entire lifetime.
Life is more expensive when you have to buy in support/help or aren't able to employ strategies to save money because our health is more fragile and our needs are greater.

my son was declined I requested MR which I think took about 18 weeks (I can't remember exactly sorry) I sent off more evidence and went into more detail about how his condition affects him and he was awarded HRC. Put as much detail as possible in your MR

It could be worthwhile goggling your child's disability and PIP application and see if there is anything that can give you some verbal back up.

Googling PIP won’t help with a DLA claim. They are different benefits with different criteria.

80% of rejected claims get approved at this final stage.

It is worth going to Tribunal, but the success rate is not 80%. The most recent official government statistics released last month state in 57% of DLA appeals the decision is overturned.

First time we got it DS was only 9 months, it stopped when he was around 2-2/half.

Strange thing for us is as he got older the more help he needed. And yet he wasn't awarded again. After trying again and failing when he was about 7 weeks gave up.
Honestly the stress wasn't worth it. And fighting left right and centre to get the evidence we needed has took us this long. He is now 11.

And still we have had to ask for reconsideration. Been waiting more than 15 weeks as it is. I don't hold out much hope. But I've seen families get it for a lot less so this time I will take it to tribunal if I have to.

Suppose what I'm saying is you never know. They are happy to give it to babies who need round the clock care anyways.
And yet not children who can't wash or dress themselves, Cross the road or even go to school things are so bad!
The whole thing is supposed to be on a system. But I'm starting to believe it depends on the mood of the decision makers at the time.
Good luck. I hope it all works out for the best 💐

Thankyou for replying and letting me know your outcome😊

Hi ladies,

Sorry off topic, my child's currently 4 in nappies still due to his needs abd under an Ehcp
However I had a call from a school receptionist to question whether I'm doing anything about getting him out of nappies and that I seriously need to get a move on considering his age. I found the discriminating are they allowed to do this about a child with needs?

Hey ladies. I got my sons review letter April 2024, it was just yes or no have our circumstances changed. I’ve never heard anything back & just got a letter from motability about renewing the car so I phoned dla to ask about his claim and was told there’s a backlog I’ll hear in due time about a decision. It’s been 9 months 😬 I’m really worried now incase it’s rejected and I’ll be 9 months in debt. Has anyone else’s taken this long

I’ve just checked and what looks like backdated DLA has been paid into my account - so I’m thinking HRC has been agreed after i submitted a mandatory reconsideration. I had also requested HRM
in view of his dangerous behaviour (he has a blue badge for this reason) - if this was agreed would they pay it in at the same time? Does this mean the HRM was refused? Thanks xx