DLA WAITING TIMES THREAD 64

[zoeybrooks45]

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.

Does anyone know how many times they try and contact health visitor etc , my health visitor is so busy and not always easy to get hold of , just concerned as she has so much information about my daughters needs
Thankyou

It’s a long agonising wait, hopefully we will all get the right award for our children. I know money worries make things 10x harder, I’ve had to give up my job now my ds is in part time school so life feels so much more stressful. It’s like fighting just to keep your head above water. You’re not alone, you’ve got beautiful children around you. Keep strong and fighting for what you deserve x

What a lovely message, it's just what I needed to hear, thank you so much 🙏
It really is long and agonising.
The debt builds as the weeks pass, as her needs increase, I just can't do it anymore, everything was OK and flowing until my daughters extreme sensory/autistic needs progressed, I can't afford in ear defenders, the list of foods she will.only eat, the type of clothing she'll only attempt to wear.
Youre right every day is a challenge to survive.
We will do this for our children ❤️

Scan date 24/2/25 new claim

Hi all good someone can help, son is 11 it’s the dreaded time for renewal of the forms, mine sins is due to run out in June, I have sent mine back, and also sent 3 more seperate post with more evidence, we only had an adhd diagnosis at the time a few agin when I done this , fast forward to now I now have an autism diagnosis, the ados assessment he scored well above the high score for this. He also has tics/ Tourette’s not sure what one it is yet, waiting for an app. We also have speech and language report which the school filled in and we have now for a blue badge. I’m hoping this will all be enough to get his claim again. I’m hearing so many horror stories of people not getting their claim. His meds have also been upped aswell . I have also attached his iep from the school. Currently going thorough the EHCP process . Xx any advice would be amazing x

Hi I’m in a similar situation. Sent coc mid September after being advised by a call handler not to wait for the renewal but still haven’t had a decision 🙄 The award actually ended last week - I sent the renewal back a couple of weeks ago but they said on the phone to me on Friday that it should be sorted by end of the month which is before my next payment is due. Part of the reason my renewal went back so close to the deadline was because I was hoping they would increase the award from the change of circumstance and then I could just tick ‘nothing changed’ on the renewal form for an easy life 🤣 but I wish I hadn’t waited so long. Saying that though, you’ve got a while until your renewal so you won’t be cutting it as fine as I did. Unfortunately when I rang they were confused about the two claims which didn’t fill me with much hope.

I’m a new one!
I moved to England from Ireland and scan date is 15th December 2024.
Just been asked to send passport and proof of address. Can’t send the passport as I need to take my son back regularly to Ireland to see his father, and when I sent the passport for child benefit it took 6 weeks to send back!

Urgh, it’s tough isn’t it. My son has diagnosis of multiple disabilities - dyspraxia, autism, Tourette’s, has been in specialist education. And now I’ve moved and trying to get my own home, living with family, and have the benefits in Ireland stopped and now have to wait potentially months - also not knowing what the outcome will be.

Do you think that higher level DLA and lower level mobility are possible? My son can’t be left alone at all, he has not real concept of danger, social norms, needs help even to shower and brush teeth.

See if they will accept a photocopy faxed/sent over from the job centre as proof . If it's an official document from the job centre authorised by them it may be allowed

Thanks @Frankadoodle I’ve sent off a photocopy and crossed my fingers! But unfortunately didn’t see your post so it wasn’t authorized. Is it worth phoning in a couple of weeks to see if that was accepted?

It’s such an exhausting process.

Yes I'd phone and ask . They might just accept it . I just know about the job centre accepting certain documents as I've had things faxed across from the before to departments

I’ve had a random £145 into my bank this morning from DLA. Not enough to be back pay for the coc I sent 5 months ago for a claim that has now ended. I’m guessing a small amount to round off the claim that’s now ended? I’m still waiting to hear if the renewal has been successful. Anyone had this before?

In the evidence I sent it states from her development review, my 1 year old was offered to try melatonin to help with her sleep as she doesn’t sleep really at all, I said I’d rather try go without it because of her age, would that have an effect on their decision?

I have had £3,441.25 go in to bank today would have been backdated to the 28.08.24
Does this look like hrc? Not very good at working this out. Thanks.

@UpsideDownAndBackToFront i don't want to worry you but I'd be calling them.
How can they renew a closed claim?. Wouldn't they just ask you to complete a brand new claim.. I'd be checking if your child is still entitled because it's another 20 odd week wait for new claims and you'd want to know the correct info
I could be wrong though

@StaceSplatt congratulation for your award! 🥳🙏🏽 I think it’s correct what you said, hrc, when was your date you called them for your claim? Xx

It’s ended as they haven’t looked at it in time. I rang last week and she said as I got the form in before the end of the claim, they’d honour it as a renewal and would be sorted before my next payment is due in March. Will trying ringing though. Hate this. Wish they could get it all sorted without the stupid waits and lack of communication 😣

M/R update requested 17th September. Called this morning for an update and advised has been allocated to a decision maker. Not a clue how long it'll be now but progress non the less. Wanted to update for another M/R waiters

Thank you for the update it seems they are in September for MRs now.

October for New claims and September for COC

I'm not an expert but I'd say yes .

I just rang and both ladies I spoke to were so lovely. The random payment was an automatic thing because the claim ended on Saturday but they’ve awarded the renewal today and backdated it to when I returned the change of circumstances, too. We’ve gone from MRC to MRC+LRM. Award ends August 2026. I did think I might get HRC as we have lots of problems with sleep but I’m just glad it’s been renewed at this point.
My boy is due his renewal early next year so in 6 months I’ll be doing this all over again 🙈😂😅

I’m confused a few pages back people were posting coc awards for beginning / mid October ??
x

Has anyone seen any more October dates on Facebook groups awarded? I'm early November but hoping we see the awards head towards mid/end October soon! Thanks x

I really wish DLA had an online portal you could just upload everything too and keep track of the progress! Surely that would save millions , and stop all us anxious parents a ) worrying and b) save on staff awnsering the constant call chases and they could actually be trained to do the applications!!

NC SD 25/10- 5 year old ASD sent diagnosis letter, SALT report, paediatrician letter, hospital letter of broken arm due to her climbing, ehcp in progress.

NC SD 30/12- 2 year 8 months ASD and GDD sent diagnosis letter, portage report, SALT report, report and statement from nursery.

Renewal sent 05/02 for May 9 year old ASD in a Special school sent ehcp, diagnosis letter and CAMHS letter stating medication for insomnia.

😬

It does vary but I don’t think all COC from September have heard back as of yet. But you always get an overlap with weeks now.