Important! It is no longer possible for claimants aged between 16 (18 in Scotland) and state pension age to make a new claim for DLA. People in this age should make a claim for Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
If you're challenging a disability living allowance (DLA) decision, it's worth knowing that around 70% of all Disability Living Allowance (DLA) appeal tribunals are successful.
You also need to know that for any decisions made from 28th October 2013, a new system of mandatory reconsideration before appeal has been introduced, making it harder to appeal.
Our detailed 37 page A4 guide 'Support for clients with DLA and AA appeals' was written for social workers, housing workers and other support workers but is equally valuable for claimants representing themselves at DLA tribunals. It covers:
- deciding whether to challenge a decision
- asking for a mandatory reconsideration
- completing an appeal form
- understanding the appeal papers
- how to go and watch tribunals before attending yourself
- written submissions
- using upper tribunal decisions
- inviting witnesses
- the importance of what the claimant and their representative wear
- how the claimant should travel to the tribunal
- what happens at the tribunal
- ensuring the tribunal cannot treat a support worker as an experienced representative
- dealing with difficult tribunal members
Just to say I represented at a tribunal in Plymouth yesterday and as always used info from your site to prepare the submission, not only did we get the award we wanted but the Chair congratulated me on the quality of my submission saying it was one of the best they had ever had!!
Over 50 ways to challenge DLA and AA medical report forms are explained in the best possible ways to challenge a DLA or AA medical report. The 27 page manual includes dozens of fully referenced extracts from previously unpublished DWP training resources, obtained using the Freedom of Information Act, and dozens of sample paragraphs for written submissions.
Existing Benefits and Work members can download all our disability living allowance appeal resources.
