DLA WAITING TIMES THREAD 65

[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.

Erugh this wait it horrid aint it

@Frankadoodle I'm not to sure on your individual claim as i wouldn't know if DM is waiting for any input from school or medical professionals ect.. But what i do know is all Sept Oct and first two weeks of November new claims are all open to the DMs... So you shouldn't be much longer now..
I know that don't help really 😂 but it's kinda like how long is a piece of string 😳🤦🏻‍♀️

Thank you . Exactly that ! Could be an hour ago could be in 4 weeks time . I really do think it's luck of the draw!

And here was me thinking this will be my last thread 🤣

@Glitzxx I think we will be in the next thread 😂 hopefully that WILL be the last one 😂

Fingers crossed 🤣🤣 x

@Frankadoodle Exactly... What they really need to do is get their text alerts sorted as if we all knew once a decision is made we are guaranteed a text we wouldn't need to call to find out.
As the letters take two to three weeks to arrive.
The only good thing is that payments are sent within 3 or 5 working days so you would know within 5 working days of a decision anyway.
But yeah because of the atrocious wait times they should revise the whole system to keep claimants upto date and not act like they are being disturbed when you call and say the same lies and speal about 25 weeks ( it's literally the call handlers job to answer the phones and give updates) 🙄

They definitely need a better system . Even if there was an account like the UC journal where updates are posted .

Yes I always find it bizarre how payments are made before a letter arrives . But it's funny when you get a payment then you get a letter notifying you of said payment and your like "I know, it happened 2 weeks ago" 😂😂

I think it's also weird how people ring up and are told , no notes on account and no decision made then the next day they wake up to a pending payment , so obviously a decision had been made between it takes 3-5 working days for the payment to be received 😂

SD 24.10 NC - just called up and he was awarded this morning HRC and LRM 🥹 this will help him so much and give him so many more opportunities. I'm so happy for him!

Thank you for all being here in this wait with me, and I hope you all hear back soon. I've just done my change with UC as well so I hope I did all that correctly

When I rang up last week I was told a decision would be made by 18th March... I'm not hopeful though 😂

I called. There systems are down. Got told to call back in a hour 😕

When a COC is done will they only change it until your renewal date or would they change the award length?

NC SD - 12/11, looks like been awarded as have a pending payment showing , no letter as of yet and I haven't called.

Hi, first time posting but have been lurking for a few weeks! NC 29/10.

I've been reading the decision makers guide and it seems to suggest for an award to be made for autism/ADHD there needs to be a diagnosis or they will consult a HCP who has worked with the child. We haven't got any HCP evidence or person that can be contacted, referral was done through school when he started a year and a half ago and we are still waiting so he hasn't seen anyone yet. Sent lots of evidence from school, previous nursery and holiday club but nothing from a health perspective. We were fobbed off by HV at his 27 month and 3.5 year check ups as "he isn't non verbal so there's nothing we can do" so we just left it until he was in school. Should have pushed harder I realise that now! But I'm sure I have seen others awarded for ADHD/autism without diagnosis?

I've seen awards made for autism without diagnosis . My little one doesn't have a diagnosis and currently waiting on award decision although he does have quite a few agencies involved such as speech and language and senses etc and is on the autism pathway after having an initial assessment but we haven't been seen since accepted. Still waiting on a backlogged appointment wait list . He is also nonverbal .

But I'm sure I've seen some being awarded who haven't had a diagnosis and aren't non verbal

I rang a decision was made on 28th February she couldn't tell me what decision was. Said I have to wait for letter. Is that bad 🫤🫤

Ring back and press option 4 . I think it says something like "all other enquires press option 4"

After you have pressed "if you calling about DLA"

They will usually tell you the decision

My son has just been awarded HRC LRM for autism without a diagnosis. We do have health professionals involved including CAMHS, SALT and Occupational Therapy though and he has an IEP in school

It was declined. I dont know what to do now 😕

@Kimmum1 sorry to hear that , but don't give up !

What disability does your child have ? What evidence did you send ? How old is the child?

Once you receive a letter stating the decline you will be able to piece together a mandatory reconsideration where they look at the application again .

She has been referred buy the doctor back in October for suspected adhd. Camhs have contacted school and her teacher said there part. But iv not heard anything. I can only imagine its a long wait. I filled out the forms to best I could. No evidence was sent as dont have any 😕

Thank you this is good to know! He does have an IEP in school and other reports like incident log, safeguarding and notes from meetings with the Senco, but I think the lack of diagnosis or any kind of health input will be a barrier! Hopefully if we have to go to MR we will get seen by the ND team at some point during that 6 month wait

My daughters award was successful without diagnosis then when she was diagnosed eith autism I sent a copy to them which the then extended the length of the claim x

Update for those who aren't on Facebook.. November claims seem to be getting decisions today. Fingers crossed we all don't have much longer to wait x