Attendance Allowance have lost application……

Foxcubs

My 80 year old Mother in law sent an application for attendance allowance for my father in law on 1st March by recorded delivery. My father in law received a text saying the application had been received and was being processed. They have heard nothing since.

So, she’s rang the helpline 3 times now and they can’t find a record of the form on their systems, even though she has confirmation it was signed for and the text. She asked to speak to a manager and was told this wasn’t possible as they were working from home! She has been told she has to start over again and complete an application form.

I have checked the complaints procedure and it says you have to ring to complain, but ringing makes her no further forward. She is understandably so frustrated, as looking after my Father in law takes enough of a toll on her this just seems to be organised in a way that doesn’t help the claimant when things go wrong.

Please, does anyone have any advice of how she can proceed from here? Or, is it a case of starting all over again?

Thank you for reading and for any help.

Alice_Holt

If the DWP have lost the form, then I suspect a new one will be required.
Has she a copy of the original form?

The issue will be (assuming the application is successful) from what date DWP will make AA payments. I would expect them to use the date your mother first applied (March). To this end I would include a paragraph in the other comments section of the new AA form setting out the chronology and your expectation.

Your mother may wish to check if her local advice agency or Age Uk can help with the form:
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/attendance-allowance/claiming-attendance-allowance/help-with-attendance-allowance-form/
https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/money-legal/benefits-entitlements/attendance-allowance/what-to-include-in-your-attendance-allowance-application/

I think a complaint is worth writing. Include your MP in the correspondence, and repeat the request that payment is made from the date the original form was ordered.  
I'd write to the Attendance Allowance address, head it Complaint, and keep copies:
 

Newcad

In cases like this a Subject Access Request can often result in the DWP suddenly finding the missing form/letter/information.

(Which of course suggests they hadn't really looked very hard for it before the SAR).

https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/your-right-to-get-copies-of-your-data/

However SARs take time so continue with other avenues as well.

Foxcubs

Thank you for your responses, they are very helpful. 

Unfortunately, she didn’t make a copy of the original form, so it’s starting a new application, I will let her know to add into the other comments section and consider a SAR.
Again, thank you.