DLA WAIT TIMES 2026

[Kirstylou91]

New Claim - NC
Scan Date - SD
Change Of Circumstances- COC
Mandatory Reconsideration- MR

Low Rate Care - LRC
Middle Rate Care -MRC
High Rate Care - HRC

Low Rate Mobility - LRM
High Rate Mobility - HRM

Hi All, Awarded until 5/9/2026, received renewal form last week . Will be sending off this afternoon.
Anyone know current wait time for renewals please?

Hi, did a MR in December (they took it over the phone in Nov, but gave me a month to send it in writing with additional evidence, unsure if this then goes from Nov, or Dec) following a refusal from COC, 25 weeks is at the end of May. Has anyone waited longer?

New to one of these posts.

NC
Phones for claim form 06/03/2026.
Received 17/03/2026; deadline to return 17/04/2026
Got school to fill in their bit before Easter holidays then had a DWP Home Visiting Team officer come to me on 07/04/2026 to help fill in form and go over evidence to ensure what was provided was relevant. She took it with her and left me a receipt stating she had taken it.

SD - 30/04/2026 text received stating that was date form received (is that the same as scan date?) and then letter received on 05/05/2026 stating the same.

Spoke to DLA helpline on Friday last week (22/05/2026) as I have been advised that they should take into account that it was taken away by the home visiting team officer and count it as received by the deadline date for backdating purposes. Person on phone said they have no knowledge of this and advised sending in a copy of the receipt letter left by the visiting officer along with the additional evidence that was recommended by visiting officer (a week long diary showing the support and supervision child needed; letter from SALT from their review last year and, when we get it, letter from school nursing team as he was referred to them but that’s not arrived yet) and they will ask the case worker who assesses the form to take it into consideration.

Now we just have to wait - although, I’m not sure how long it will take as I’ve read that new claims are taking an average of 9-12 weeks from SD to decision.

Hi everyone 👋 not sure if I’m posting in the right place.

I thought I’d make a post in case it helps any other parents and also because I’d love to find some people to go through this waiting period with.

My eldest son (now 7) had his original DLA form received on 05/04/2024. He was awarded Middle Rate Care and Low Rate Mobility on 02/08/2024 until February 2026.

His renewal form was then sent off on 08/12/2025 and we received a decision on 14/01/2026, with the same awards continuing until 2028.

I’ve now submitted my 5-year-old son’s first DLA claim. It was sent signed for and received on 28/05/2026. I haven’t had confirmation that it’s been scanned onto the system yet, so the waiting game begins all over again.

As a single mum to two boys, I always find this process incredibly overwhelming. Sitting and writing pages about all the things your child struggles with and can’t do compared to other children their age is heartbreaking, even when you know you’re simply being honest. The forms take so much emotional energy.

When I applied for my eldest in 2024, I actually met some lovely parents through groups like this and still speak to some of them now, so I thought I’d reach out again.

If you’re currently waiting for a decision, please comment with when your form was received and how long you’ve been waiting. I’d also be really grateful to hear if anyone has had a recent decision in 2026 and what current wait times seem to be.

Wishing everyone the best of luck with their claims. ❤️

Hi everyone 👋

I thought I’d make a post in case it helps any other parents and also because I’d love to find some people to go through this waiting period with.

My eldest son (now 7) had his original DLA form received on 05/04/2024. He was awarded Middle Rate Care and Low Rate Mobility on 02/08/2024 until February 2026.

His renewal form was then sent off on 08/12/2025 and we received a decision on 14/01/2026, with the same awards continuing until 2028.

I’ve now submitted my 5-year-old son’s first DLA claim. It was sent signed for and received on 28/05/2026. I haven’t had confirmation that it’s been scanned onto the system yet, so the waiting game begins all over again.

As a single mum to two boys, I always find this process incredibly overwhelming. Sitting and writing pages about all the things your child struggles with and can’t do compared to other children their age is heartbreaking, even when you know you’re simply being honest. The forms take so much emotional energy.

When I applied for my eldest in 2024, I actually met some lovely parents through groups like this and still speak to some of them now, so I thought I’d reach out again.

If you’re currently waiting for a decision, please comment with when your form was received and how long you’ve been waiting. I’d also be really grateful to hear if anyone has had a recent decision in 2026 and what current wait times seem to be.

Wishing everyone the best of luck with their claims. ❤️

New claim sent on my 4 year old in November 2025. They asked for a second form of ID for me in December so I sent my driving license and they returned it a week later. Have heard nothing since! So it’s been 7 months since they received application. I’m currently on hold on the phone to ask if this is ‘normal’ or if we’ve got lost in the matrix 🫣

Good afternoon; I’m slightly further along than you are, because my son received his award letter yesterday. Our scan date was 30/04/26 and DS has been awarded HRC & LRM from that date.

When I filled in the form I had help from an officer from the DWP home visiting team; she helped write the form, wording the answers in a way to maximise them being accepted by the DLA team. She reviewed the evidence being sent in and, at the end of it, she advised to also send in a 7 day needs diary detailing the support DS needs from us. I did the diary and sent it last week by recorded delivery guaranteed to arrive by 1pm next day along with evidence that the home visiting team officer took the claim form away with her as it was scanned after my deadline date and I was asking for them to consider backdating the claim to when I originally called up for the claim form on the grounds that it was in the possession of the DWP.

Anyway, the letter arrived the same day the decision maker made the decision on the claim but they hadn’t seen the documents so only awarded MRC/LRM from 30/04; I was hoping it would be revised to being from 06/03 (an extra 8 weeks!) but the DM declined the request to revise the award date but, after seeing the care needs diary, agreed to increase the claim to HRC/LRM and awarded for a period of 5 years.

Good luck with your little one’s claim.

Did you manage to speak to someone and find out what’s happened with the claim?

I sent my daughters new claim off on 15th april. I rang 2 weeks later as i did not get a text to say they had it. They said it was taking up to 6 weeks at the moment just to scan on the system! Anyway they said they would send another form.in case it was lost 🤦‍♂️. 2 weeks later no form but a text to say they had just recieved her original form. When i rang last week still was not with a decision maker. My cousin sent her little ones off feb it was awarded within 2 weeks. My friend sent her childs in march was back within 2 weeks. So i was surprised they said 25 week wait and 6 weeks to scan. My scan hate is 21st May