DLA initial decision - How long is normal?

Can anyone help as to the likely outcomes?
I was refused ESA a few years back and didn't realise that I could apply for DLA.
We have been really struggling in self-employment as hubby has some major health problems and due to my problems everything takes probably 3-4 times as long as it used to - we didn't think hubby could claim anything as he's been in this country for 15 years - non EU.
Also didn't realise that we could have been claiming WTC - we've been living off savings which have now gone well under the 16K value - which we thought was the limit for any benefits.

We sent our DLA papers off beginning of April. Had a reply about 3 weeks later saying his was awaiting doctors report and mine consultant. About 3 weeks after that yet more replies this time his awaiting consultant and mine doctor. Today we had replies that apologised and said they are still looking into our claims and not to worry we won't lose any money.

WTC forms were sent off in March, phoned them last week & they said they had not received (yes, we should have sent them recorded in hindsight). Still awaiting new forms. Girl couldn't tell us if they could backdate any payments.

How long are things taking for decisions to be made? Is no news good news?
Are they likely to be able to backdate WTC?
Is it likely that we require medicals before any decision is made?

We were hoping to be able to live off savings until we reached retirement but now realise that it's impossible for us to survive another few years with very little coming in - sometimes nothing. Desperately need things doing to the house and have insufficient funds to do much of anything.

Life seems to have been on hold for the last 6-7 years, we never go out apart from to the doctors, hospital, or for groceries. We have an old car as there's no bus service but can't afford petrol. It's a pretty bleak existence.

Just wish we'd found this site quite a few years back as the help it gives in filling out the forms is invaluable. We had NO idea on how many times we'd have to repeat ourselves and had we sent in the forms filled in before we found the site I wonder if we'd have just had refusals as I did when I applied for ESA.

My first DLA application took about 4 months, if I remember correctly. My recent renewal took 2 weeks.

Thanks for that Gordon.

I tried before I filled in the forms to get one of the forms you suggested here filled out by one of the consultants - who did a botched job on my one rotator cuff repair - went in for just a bone spur removal, recovery a week and had to do a complete repair (still recovering 3 years on) as he hadn't bothered to do an MRI scan first - I'd told him I was in a great deal of pain but he didn't listen. The other shoulder with increasingly bad problems he just ignores and gives me steroid shots. He refused to fill in any forms and said my doctor would have more information on how my arthritis and shoulder problems affected me.

I'm under a few consultants for a few different problems - dreadful on names and have given the appointment forms in when I attended the hospital appointments.

Husband too is under a number of different consultants. Don't have last years diary when lots of appointments with various consultants took place.

We both try not to go to the doctors too often as know there is little that they can do to help as we both have long standing problems. Have told main doc that were are applying - she was very sympathetic & suggested herself I try for ESA a few years back so just hope she is as sympathetic now (seemed not interested when told about DLA claims).

Seems it's not panic time just yet but did wonder as it's been so long if the outcome is likely to be yeah not nay?

Lydia wrote:
Seems it's not panic time just yet but did wonder as it's been so long if the outcome is likely to be yeah not nay?

I'm afraid that there is simply no way of knowing, you should not try to read anything into this delay.

Well I've just been refused! Nothing/Nada!

Preparing a cooked main meal.

Although you have difficulty. you don't need help to

Use kitchen tools
Carry & lift safely

I can't peel a potato, carrots etc. and cutting them up is nigh on impossible or would take me about 10 times the amount of time it used to and a LOT of pain! I can't fill or empty saucepans, drain rice or pasta

Day attention

Although you have difficulty. you don't need help to
Manage your toilet needs
Wash and dry yourself
dress and undress etc. etc.

I can't reach my bra to do up or undo, can't wash my back & very often can't wash my hair. Sometimes hubby has to help with toilet needs if my shoulders are worse than normal.

During the night

At your own speed??? you can safely

sleep comfortably
turn over, change position or adjust bed covers.

I haven't slept comfortably for over 5 years. I can only sleep on my sides, have never been able to sleep on my back. However it's a nightmare trying to sleep when both shoulders hurt. I often get just 1-2 hrs broken sleep a night. Then I sometimes can crash out of sheer exhaustion for 12hrs after a week or so of this totally broken sleep. I feel like a zombie a lot of the time.

Turn over change position is very difficult. Adjust bed covers - OMG no I can't & if hubby adjusts his side I wake up instantly as it hurts my shoulders.

OK I told them all the above on the forms in triplicate often - so where do I go from here?

Anyone any suggestions please.