DLA Re-Claim

purplegirluk1

Hi, I just wanted to say that there is a very long wait for re-claiming DLA at the moment. I have had the forms since before Christmas and have put them off over and over as they are so depressing. I have now found out that there is a possible 16 week wait for a decision, this means I will now be without any DLA payments for possibly a few months. This is bad news for me as I am struggling as it is. I just wanted to warn others who might be in the same position as me.

altocumulus

mmm, they took a week between deciding to reject my original claim and rejecting on review:
this despite saying it'd take 11 weeks -
it's now 3 weeks since I asked for a decision statement and it still hasn't been started - and I've got the appeal to decide before the end of this week.

Merry_Gentry

altocumulus wrote: »

mmm, they took a week between deciding to reject my original claim and rejecting on review:
this despite saying it'd take 11 weeks -
it's now 3 weeks since I asked for a decision statement and it still hasn't been started - and I've got the appeal to decide before the end of this week.

Ditto - first rejection within a week of application, second within a week of the phone call saying I wanted to appeal. I sent the letter stating I wanted to go to tribunal by registered post on Thursday and have the help of a lovely woman from DIAL. Mind you, having talked to the woman from DIAL I can see where I went wrong with my application - it was all about how I cope, rather than the help I might need.

Good luck. :beer:

[Deleted User]

Most new claims and renewals take somewhere between 8 and 12 weeks,of course with christmas and new year this might add a week or two,its always advisable to get renewal claims in within the month,they normally write and remind you 4 weeks after sending the renewal forms to you.Of course if you delay you take the risk that your current claim will end before the renewal is actioned.

justlikethat_2

I had to reapply for my daughter four months ago and I know how intricate the forms can seem. I'm sure if I added up all the minutes I did this thing and that thing for my daughter the total would show that a day was 29 hours!

A good thing to do is to keep a copy of your last application and just repeat it if nothing has changed. In my case there were additional things I had to add as my daughter has grown since the last application. It is easy to put off but once I sit down I usually find I can get it done in two or three hours with about the same number of large mugs of coffee.

Remember to put down everything you do / that needs to be done for you no matter how small they seem. Also make sure you don't underestimate the time taken better to err on the high side. If you still are not sure get someone else to help e.g. your carer or an independent advocate. Just don't put it off, better to start it the same day it falls through the letterbox.

elaina79

I put in my husbands renewal for just after the new year but have hear nothing yet. I now photocopy the forms before sending them as I couldn't remember what I put on the last form.

His claim doesn't run out till may so they have 3 months left. Hopefully they should have it sorted by then.

PolishBigSpender

16 weeks is unforgivable - presumably the person claiming at the time is already disabled and needs help now, not in 16 weeks time. I wonder how many people are forced into debts they can't afford because of such a long waiting period.

Wouldn't it make more sense to automatically pay the money pending a review provided two doctors agree? A condition of automatic payment could be that all money has to be repaid in the event of the claim failing.

To the original poster : I wish you the best of luck with your claim and that you hear something soon.

savemoney

My daughter had to wait a year for her DLA after she had to appeal

PolishBigSpender

savemoney wrote: »

My daughter had to wait a year for her DLA after she had to appeal

Do you mean it took a year for her appeal to be processed?

If so - it's completely unacceptable and disgraceful.

savemoney

No it took about 6-8 months for a decision then another 4 months or so to actually get awarded, I know it took a year because she got a years amount of DLA almost 3k

We also applied 2 years before that it it took ages, we didnt appeal that time even though her condition is the same, its so much aggravation trying to get DLA so dont believe what other say that its easy, it isnt

PolishBigSpender

Ouch.

I'm glad it was all sorted for you in the end, though.

Something I don't understand - 6-8 months for a decision is more than bad enough, but then to have another 4 months before granting the award is disgraceful. What on earth are they doing for it to take so long?

(and yes, I certainly don't believe it's easy to claim...)