DLA Wait Times Autumn 2026

[Kirstylou91]

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

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

LRM - Low Rate Mobility
HRM - High Rate Mobility

A forum to discuss DLA wait times & any other advice or questions regarding DLA

Yeah it’s so so hard mentally aswell as there brains r just wired so differently and see the word different my son doesn’t u destined sarcasm jokes etc so socially rly hard as he will have a full on meltdown if someone plays a joke on him or anything and ohh no that’s hard my son cries and says y was I born with this brain I just want to be normal says he hates it as he can’t help it , he mainly says it when he lost something - he’s constantly losing his stuff the goes so dysregulated kus he can’t find it 🤦‍♀️ if he gets killed on Roblox well that’s another story 💛

Yeah my girl take everything in a literal sense was wearing wings and someone say shes a free butterfly so she jumped off climbing frame she picks her face due to high anxiety she she a fight or flight so can lit take down many people at once she was in ap which she got kicked out of as she was disregulated and attacked a girl took 8 member of staff to restrain her as she had to get revenge because a girl killed her bug but after all its happened its like she forgets what shes actually done and trying to explain to her that shes hurting herself and other she disregulated all over again

Exactly like my boy problem is the people that r uneducated think that here naughty rude and out of control that’s what gets me I’ve had number outs arguments with strangers , he has the inability to stay still or seat in quiet environments like the drs he’s a pure sensory seeker has to touch everything open everything climb on everything and people think it’s naughtiness when it isn’t it’s sensory seeking and hyperactivity, my son skin picks his skin of his hands, what’s ur daughter like with hygiene, on a serious note it’s so hard to get my
son to wash he says the water feels prickly I asked the paediatric nurse after she diagnosed him and she said it’s a severe sensory sensitive to water it feels prickly to him , also I have to buy plain shampoos showered etc as the smell causes distress, teeth brushing is a challenge. Literally people don’t understand and that’s what does me 💛

Yes I even fell out with friends because they classed her as a bully which that's one thing imo none of my kids are and honestly bathing is savage she love make up but teeth brushing hates it I half to brush her hair three times a day as just mattes up she loves water but more so swimming loves the rush of jumping into freezing water but hate a hot bath prefer cold water she's into making potions but bugger for waking up and doing it in middle of the night as she a sensory seeker to weighted blanket squish mellows toys spinning chair even been in a meeting at my son's secondary and she on the table trying to eat the plants because the scent drew her to it

I have zero friends I don’t socialise with anyone I say hi and by on the school run that’s it - I did have 1 friend but everything she came round always commenting on him saying he’s well naughty etc it was constant and believe it or not she has an autistic non verbal child and 2 teenagers with adhd so it rly pissed me off that the comments were hateful so see ya later and our lives sound so similar , when u understand neurodivergent kids u can relate when ur ignorant to it and uneducated it’s those that need to just keep opinions to themselves - I have to live it to know . My son also makes repetitive noises and up until his diagnosis I thought it was a release however the paediatric nurse told me it’s called oral stimming , I’ve got over 8 years experience with SEN but there will always be something u learn new everyday 💛

Honestly the ignorance of people is the worst my daughter is so loud but don't think she realises how loud she is she makes this dolphin noise goes right through me but she does it when she's happy so will never moan about it haha and definitely love learning new things about my girl I lit though she was so cl7mpsy but head teacher message me to talk about disprexa never heard of it absolutely madness as in her main steam school in year w she had over 200 accident form from falling over

Omfg that’s what my son makes a dolphin noise it’s so loud and pitchy and it goes on for ages that’s madness can’t believe that and same with my boy it’s nice to know my child isn’t alone 💛

Rung up today and guy said my COC 15/7 is with a decision maker. We also had her autism diagnosis today so it’s been a bit of a day. It was very expected but still feels bittersweet.

Honestly most ear scratching noise but when she done it getting out of her taxi after first full day at her specialist school made my heart happy 💗

Hopefully went okay for you and your little lady may I ask how long it took when my daughter has her ADHD she was already diagnosed before I went into room but my daughter ADHD is so strong I feel it overrides it was it many assessments or just one please her autism assessments is next week

SD 28/8 NC
Called today and it's still in the queue. She said they think the case handlers are working on last week in July/first week in August but it will go in date order.

Doesn't seem to match up with what others are saying though so who knows!

Hi guys I need help, I sent the form in on the 1st September and on the 2nd they told me they had received it. Is that the day they scan your application or is that another date ? How would I go about knowing what that is ?

@Haych95 yes that will be your scan date. Welcome to the thread!

Hi all, so we’re officially at 10 weeks today and not heard a thing which I’m not surprised about as the weeks are going on.

I’ve resisted the urge to call them again!

following a few DLA wait pages on Facebook and there’s been lots of activity on there in the last week and it seems from what I’ve read that those who have been awarded recently have a SD in the second week of August ( ours is 24th ) so on we wait.

let’s hope we get some good news on the thread this week.

@Zoflorabore heyyyy. The thread is the only thing settling my anxiety. Haha I spoke to them this morning. The person who scanned in my documents didn’t even register me on to the system. They said this should affect my position on the queue. My SD is 2nd Sept he said it should be soon. If I don’t hear anything by early December to call back. I’m sure you wil hear something soon !

@Zoflorabore he said it shouldn’t affect my position *

Just called up. Decision made yesterday 2/11, it was a COC SD was 15/7 successful increase to HRC.

So my daughter is 3 and a half and she was diagnosed based off information from her nursery, info from her SaLT, info from us as parents and also her own clinic observations.

I think because she is very obviously autistic it was easier. She presents with all the classic traits whereas my son had a spiky profile and it took longer and a more formal assessment was needed.

Good luck

Hi all so I just cracked and phoned the DLA helpline ( again! ) and got the most miserable man 😂 he said- reading from a script that my claim is in a queue and taking longer than usual blah blah blah.

i asked when I should maybe call back- he then said “maybe in January” and I almost choked- he then said “ well you can try in December”

been checking on the FB DLA waiting page and there have been loads over the last few days with SD of August 10/11/12/17th being awarded so surely it can’t be that long now?

good luck to all patiently waiting unlike me