Step 1 You get a letter telling you the result of your claim or review for DLA. You have been told that your child is not entitled to anything or you think you have been given the wrong amount.

You have one month from the date on the letter to ask for a ‘mandatory reconsideration’. This is where the DWP look at their decision again. (If one month has already passed, you should still ask. It is very likely to be accepted if it is within 13 months. But you must provide reasons for the delay). See How to challenge a DLA decision for a child - what to do.

Step 2  Ask the DWP to look again at their decision. This is called a mandatory reconsideration. Use our free DLA mandatory reconsideration letter tool to write a really good letter to the DWP that sets out your case.  

The DWP will look at your claim form again, the assessment report, and any other evidence they have, to see if they will change the decision.

Step 3  The DWP will send you two copies of their reconsideration decision. You will need a copy if you wish to appeal. If their decision has been changed and you are happy with it, you can stop here. But if it has not, don’t be put off.  

You have one month to ask for an appeal. (If one month has already passed you can still ask for an appeal, see How to appeal a DLA decision).

Step 4  Ask for an appeal. You can do this online or using the appeal form and posting it.  You can use the wording from the letter generated by our mandatory reconsideration tool to help you make your case. See How to appeal a DLA decision for our advice.

Step 5 Sign up to the Manage your appeal service using the link in the confirmation email (if you asked for an appeal online) or by emailing [email protected]. If you ask by email, you will need to include your National Insurance number, date of birth, and postal address.

This will enable you to keep track of how your appeal is progressing, upload evidence or a statement, or update your details if you move. You will also be able to ask for an audio recording of the hearing.
 

Step 6  The DWP will send both you and the HM Courts & Tribunals Service (who will organise the appeal hearing) an explanation of why they gave you the award that they did. Don’t be put off by the size of it. 

Sometimes the DWP sees they have made a mistake and make a new decision at this stage. If they do and you think it is now the right award - congratulations! If you still think you should be entitled to more, ask for an appeal again. You will receive the new award until your appeal is heard by the tribunal. 

Step 7 You need to prepare for your appeal and, if you can, send in more information about your  child's difficulties. See How to appeal a DLA decision for more help.

Step 8  You will be told the date of the hearing. If you have any further evidence about your child's difficulties that you haven’t yet sent/uploaded, do it now. 

Consider writing a statement for the tribunal. It explains why your child is entitled to a higher award and means that you don't have to remember everything on the day.

Step 9 Your child's appeal will be heard by an independent panel, called a Social Security and Child Support Tribunal. They will make a new decision.

If you are successful (and most people are), you will usually receive your extra money in 4-6 weeks. You will receive a backdated payment to when you became eligible for the higher rate, usually the date you first claimed.