APPEALS FOR INCAPACITY BENEFIT AND

DISABILITY LIVING  ALLOWANCE

 

All negative decisions, irrespective of type of benefit, should be appealed where there is a right of appeal. If you do not appeal, particularly for Disability Living Allowance, then there is a 60% chance that your next application for the benefit will be rejected (authors opinion). The appeal shows determination to pursue the benefit that you have concluded you are entitled to.

 

Please note that the author does not advise you to apply for a reconsideration of a

negative decision—go straight to appeal stage; the Department of Works and Pensions will reconsider your claim when the appeal is lodged so there is little point in delaying your decision to appeal.

 

Appeals should be submitted on form GL24 which the department will forward to you if you telephone the local benefits office and request the form.

 

At the point of appeal there is no real point in providing a detailed outline of your case; you have already done that upon completion of the DLA pack. All that is required is a statement as to why you consider the negative decision to be wrong: E.g.

 

     “I consider that my ability to walk is so limited that I am virtually

       unable to walk and I am therefore entitled to the mobility

       component of the DLA”

                  AND

     “I consider that my need for assistance with bodily function, supervision

       and/or cooking, is such that I satisfy the criteria for a rate of the care

       component of the DLA to be awarded”.

 

That is all it takes to have your appeal processed. Answer all of the rest of the questions on the form and post it off as quickly as possible.

 

One of the questions relates to representation. If you do not have a representative, do not delay in submitting the form until you do. Leave the space blank and complete the form as best you can. You can provide the department with the name of your representative once you have secured the services of such a person by writing to the :

 

          

 

 

enclosing a signed mandate.

 

REPRESENTATION

 

Your appeal will be better presented, generally, by a representative than by you on your own. Statistics show that your appeal stands a 50% chance of success if you are

represented. There are, unfortunately, out there, some VERY BAD representatives and so,

     DLA Unit, Warbreck House,

     Warbreck Hill, Blackpool. FY2 0SS