Can I challenge the backpayment decision?

Hey everyone.

Our 8 year old son has recently been awarded DLA at the correct rates. My question however relates to the baclpaymwnt decision. I returned the form some 6 weeks after the 6 week period I was given to complete the form, I was told to give a reason as to why the form was late. I included a covering letter and did my best to convey what I think is a valid reason for the form being late.

I am a full time carer already to my wife, who is on the highest rates of both elements of PIP, so I am the only person in the household who is able to fill out the form. We had lost my wife's mother a couple of months prior so my wife's health took a significant turn for the worst meaning she needed more help. On top of this i suffer from chronic migraines, and over the Christmas period I had several instances where I would have migraines that lasted 8-10 days at a time, requiring me to be in bed whenever I am not looking after my wife or children. Just this month I had a botox treatment to try and alleviate the migraine symptoms. I got the form back to them as quick as I could.

When we heard back, my son was awarded the correct amounts which is fantastic. They only backdated the claim however from the date they received the form. They wrote "your reasons for lateness have been considered but not accepted". Is there any way I can get another opinion on this. I don't know what more I could have done to get the form back to them faster and I explained this to them as best I could. Would challenging this mean having to challenge the entire claim?

Any help you could give would be excellent.

Hey, thanks for the response. I did tell them over the phone we were having difficulties getting it back on time and I asked for an extension on the 6 weeks, I normally have to do this with the PIP application for my wife too. I was told they can't give extensions and I would just have to return the form late and provide a reason for the lateness which could then be considered.

Hey Gary,

Yeah I understand what you're saying. I just thought I'd odd that they say my "reason has been considered" as if there is a potential for it to be backdated from when I first got the form. Plus I was told over the phone to explain a reason for the the lateness and they would consider it. Then they say the reason has been rejected, this to me seems to imply the reason to them is invalid.
Do you know if its something I can wrote to them to reconsider or is that sort of thing on ever done for the benefit rates?