DLA renewal affecting existing award?

purplebutterfly

My DLA award is due to end in December 2014 and I've received a renewal pack. There is no date to return it by but it advises to send it back asap.

My question is: if they decide to change me to a lower rate, would that start on the date my existing award ends or would it supersede the existing award and change from the date I return the form?

My condition has actually got worse but that doesn't mean they won't mess about with my award and it could mean losing 4 months' worth of money if they change the claim at the return date

I'm torn between returning it immediately so that it gets dealt with before December or holding off for a month in case it messes up my existing award.

Can anyone help please?


Apologies, I'm sure this has been answered somewhere in another thread but the search function isn't bringing anything up

poppy12345

purplebutterfly wrote: »

My DLA award is due to end in December 2014 and I've received a renewal pack. There is no date to return it by but it advises to send it back asap.

My question is: if they decide to change me to a lower rate, would that start on the date my existing award ends or would it supersede the existing award and change from the date I return the form?

My condition has actually got worse but that doesn't mean they won't mess about with my award and it could mean losing 4 months' worth of money if they change the claim at the return date

I'm torn between returning it immediately so that it gets dealt with before December or holding off for a month in case it messes up my existing award.

Can anyone help please?


Apologies, I'm sure this has been answered somewhere in another thread but the search function isn't bringing anything up

It will start once your existing award ends. Is your renewal pack for DLA or are you being moved to PIP now?

Simon7685

I may be wrong here but it was always my understanding that any new award does superseed a current award.

From my personal point of view I have always delayed sending back my renewal for that very reason. This was advice that was given to me by Age Concern and also from a well respected source on here. It is not guaranteed that it will happen but it can superseed from the new award date.

In 2012 I delayed until a month before it was due and it was renewed within 2 weeks of sending it. I did the same again this year and it was done in days, this time for an indefinite period and care element increased.

At the end of the day it is your choice what to do for the best for you. By delaying sending it in you are guaranteeing it can't be superceeded but you take the risk that if it takes a while for them to do it, you could have a period without the money, though you would get the arrears once sorted.

To me it was worth that risk, if you do wait then when you send it back, make sure you leave enough time for it to get to them and send it recorded signed for, so you hve proof of sending it. It is worth the extra 80p to do that.

Just a last thought and maybe I am a bit cynical but if they disallow your renewal and you have sent it back 6 months before your current award ends, then it makes perfect sense for them to superceed the award and save the department a few quid.......

Maybe cynical but it makes financial sense for them.

nannytone_2

if an award is raised or lowered, it is effective from the date of the devision and not the end date of the current award.
obviously if the award is kept the same, there will be no difference