DLA WAIT TIMES THREAD 61

[macap]

Hey! Thought I'd make a new thread as previous one very close to being full!

These threads have been a big help whilst waiting for the outcome of our application. Sure they help everyone else too! It's stressful!

Please feel free to add your scan date and whether it's a new claim/mandatory reconsideration/change of circumstances or renewal.

New claims (NC) - people are being told the wait time has increased to 25 weeks! I would say most are done before this though around the 20 week mark?

Mandatory reconsideration (MC) and Change of circumstances (COC) is around 20-25 weeks.

Renewals tend to be between 15-20 weeks.

If you disagree with the outcome of an MR you can appeal and go to court (tribunal)

Scan date is the date DLA scan your application forms on to their system, if you downloaded your application forms then this will be from when your award will be backdated from. If you called up for forms then the date on those is the date yours will be backdated from.

If successful and claiming universal credit (UC) please update them as this will entitle you to disabled child element adding extra to your award.

DLA contact number is 0800 121 4600

She was awful aswell. Opening question was what does a school day look like for my daughter? I got upto she has a 1-1 full time and she cut me off and started asking about appointments. Constantly spoke over me or hounding for actually dates not just months and years. It was a lot to process if I’m honest. Hoping I sent enough off for my son now too

COC 30/7/24

hi ladies
hoping to hear soon but just wondering if it’s worth calling them and informing them my son has moved from his sen nursery to his sld school which he starts next week. The nursery are aware that they were put down on the form and have said they are still happy to answer any questions if needed as they’ve known him for the past 2 years while his new school has only met him a couple of times but don’t know whether that will help with his claim. His claim is from the form they sent me due to him turning 5 in August so maybe entitled to mobility. I also added more evidence as he is currently on only MRC but everyone believes he should be on HRC due to his night time needs. He’s 5 ASD GDD non-verbal and has Arfid.

many thanks

@DuffTrio Doesn't sound like she was helpful at all I'd be considering putting a complaint in and asking to be reallocated if that's possible!

As for wait times, they are all over the place depending on what pathway you are on, area etc we waited 6 months just to be seen for private ADHD assessment......CAMHS is years....

I would be complaining if I was you. Sorry you had to experience that, as if it’s not hard enough doing the claim without the DM quizzing you

I will absolutely be complaining come Thursday. She had me so confused and close to tears.

Goodness I’ve joined one of the Facebook groups and now I feel I’ve got no chance! ‘Suspected’ ASD and anxiety with a supporting statement of high social and emotional support from the school Senco. Wish I hadn’t joined it I feel very demoralised 🤦‍♀️

My son got hrc and lrm last year with no diagnosis for adhd and minimal evidence. I tho l it depends on how you fill in the form and the dm.

I think it's defo more about how you fill in the form and the DM you get, I've heard varying stories on here on how much or little evidence people have sent in and been awarded.

But I get where you are coming from, some days I'm confident I've put enough info on form and sent all the evidence then others I go into total self doubt and worry will be declined......that's why these waiting times are so hard

Yeah absolutely, some days I’m convinced he’ll get MRC and LRM then other days I’m convinced he’ll get nothing. As a single parent it’s such a huge life changing decision so to wait so long is a killer. Just feeling sorry for myself today. School holidays are very lonely!

Not sure if this is helpful at all, When I received my form I rang up all her consultants/care team secretaries & just said I am applying for DLA so i need supporting evidence/statements, I made them aware i need them emailed by a certain date (2weeks before forms deadline) & all of them wrote back within the timeframe. Her prosthetic team asked for a app to review her before sending statement so i sent form off anyway with the contact details, I also made it clear as horrible as it sounds i dont want any of the positive details as this has led to a decline in the past i just want to focus on her difficulties which i feel thats all the DM cares about. Hardest thing to do is be brutally honest about the struggles she faces daily, I have no idea if this application will lead to a award but were trying to get any help same as all of you, I wish this process wasn't as difficult but trying to focus on the end result. Specialists should make an effort to assist when sending of evidence etc dont give up ive seen so many decisions overturned so we fight till we get what our kids deserve 💪🏼

I wondered this but I don’t think we do? They are already getting the higher rate disabled child element so I don’t think HRM makes a difference? I’m not sure though tbh x

Yayyy I didn't call today 💪 well done me for some self restraint 😂😂 if I wasn't on the thread I don't think I would have managed it, so thank you all for keeping me updated and sane 🤪 ish 🤣🤣

Not the news we were hoping for… LR mobility which we expected but nothing for care 😢

Ive already asked for a statement of reasons and will be sending over the MR letter as soon as the letter arrives.

I just can't quite believe they are telling people 25 week wait.

That is so shit! I know they must be rushed but it's just unacceptable.

Hello, congrats, I would apply for carers allowance as you can ask for it to be backdated to 12/8 and get the back pay.

Sorry it's not the news you wanted, Hopefully you get the letter soon so you can start the process for MR, I can imagine the deflated feeling of another wait but good luck & really hope you get the decision adjusted/changed x

My letter from a couple of weeks ago said 15 weeks 🙄 we know thats not the case at all, I dont understand the rulings on timeframe at all
same as you i can get there's a rush but why is there such a huge backlog anyway?? Managers need managing
call handlers need training on empathy not saying all of them are the same but going of peoples experiences including my own its terrible
hopefully after new years they can get through the appliactions a tad quicker!
wishing everyone a Happy New Years & good news to follow x

Especially when you are told up to 15 weeks at start, then when you ring get mixed messages so I was told would hear by mid December then in another call end of Jan....surely they can't keep upping the weeks on claims that were in beforehand. I'm 19+6 today and no news but hopefully hear something soon as claims on and around my date now getting awarded.

I never understand this. If they acknowledge that your child has mobility needs then would it not be a fair assumption that they also require some level of care needs due to their mobility needs? I would pursue a MR too. Good luck

Unapologetically too. They say it as if it’s absolutely fine even when you tell them you have a letter from their department stating 11 weeks!

Go you! 😂 I managed it a few times but it was hard. Hope Thursday is your day 🙌

Scan date 16/08, I called 4th December and was told there would be a decision by 2nd Jan (20 weeks), after reading about the 25 week wait I called again today, lovely lady told me it is with a decision maker but is likely to be the beginning of Feb before I hear.

I’m absolutely dumbfounded… when I rang and the lady said nothing for care my heart sank, I don’t understand… surely if he was awarded mobility for his lack of danger awareness and needing to be constantly supervised why hasn’t he awarded at-least low care?? He has a lot of nighttime needs also. I’m just soo upset for him. The fact we need to wait another 20-25 weeks is heartbreaking.

The lady on the phone was lovely, when I was telling her how shocked I was she kept saying “the MR will go to ANOTHER decision maker so high-light everything again” - almost saying, some things may have been overlooked.

Lets hope the new year brings good news for everyone 🤞🏻

Guess what I got today!! Another later saying sorry they haven’t made a decision it’s taking up to 15 weeks blah blah blah. I’m on week 19!

Tomorrow is 20 weeks for me and i only got one letter, at the beginning informing me that they got form etc. Should I be worried. 😞