Close up photo of a caucasian man's hands checking a document with a fountain pen in his hand and the judge's gavel next to him. 1. The DLA Decision Letter You must have the original decision notice  showing: The award given (or refused) Reasons for the decision The date of the decision (important for deadlines) 2. Deadline Awareness 1 month  from the date on the decision letter to request MR. You can ask for a late MR with reasons, but it is not guaranteed. 3. Detailed Writt

A silver metal sign board saying 'Department of Work and Pensions.' The 2025 UK budget (and associated welfare reforms) will have significant  effects on many people who are chronically sick or disabled. Some changes may help some people, but many others face increased risk of benefit cuts, stricter eligibility, or reduced support. Below I summarise what is changing, who is most affected, and what disabled / chronically ill people should be aware of. What the 2025 Budget / Re

A teenage girl with brown hair in an electric wheelchair, looking directly in the face of her mum who is kneeling down beside her. ✅ What is an Appointee? An appointee is someone authorised by the DWP (Department for Work and Pensions) to: Manage a person’s benefits Act on their behalf Report changes Make sure money is used in their best interests This is usually for someone who lacks capacity , is severely unwell , or cannot manage finances independently. 📝 How to Apply to

A photo of a lady (neck down) with a prosthetic arm, sitting at a desk in front of her computer. 1. Do NOT just say “I disagree” — explain why  the decision is wrong A successful MR explains what the assessor got wrong , such as: Incorrect assumptions Ignored evidence Misreported what you said Focused on what you can do once, not reliably Be specific: “The assessor said I can walk 200m, but this is incorrect. On most days I can only walk around 20m before severe pain forces

A little girl with downs syndrome having swing therapy with a physio holding her arms out wide as she swings back and forth When completing a Disability Living Allowance (DLA) Review for your child, it’s crucial to give a clear, detailed picture of your child’s needs as they are now — not just their diagnosis. The goal is to help the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) understand how your child’s daily life is affected compared to other children of the same age. Here's wha

Side view close up of a black young man wearing a neck brace and clearly in pain. 🔹 What is the “50% rule”? The 50% rule (sometimes called the “majority of days” rule) is a Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) guideline used when assessing how your condition affects you for PIP daily living and mobility activities. It means that: You must be affected by your condition on more than 50% of the days in the relevant period (usually over the last 12 months and expected to conti

A young woman with long blonde hair and a pink blouse transferring from a car into her wheelchair The headline proposals being reported (taxing Motability leases, tighter PIP eligibility and stronger misuse checks) would make it harder or more expensive for some  people to get or keep a Motability car — especially future claimants whose PIP awards are reassessed — while many current holders who already have the higher-rate mobility award would be less likely to lose cars imme

A young man with downs syndrome wearing a blue and white checked shirt using a tablet as an aid This is one of the most important parts  of understanding (and successfully claiming) PIP. The “reliability criteria” — safely , to an acceptable standard , repeatedly , and within a reasonable time  — are built into the law that governs PIP and they define how the DWP should judge whether you can really do something, not just whether you can physically manage it once . Let’s break

A caucasian man in his 20's in a wheel chair, drying a plate using a dish cloth while a young woman stands next to him doing the washing...

A young woman with blonde hair sitting on her bed and writing in a dairy. Keeping a diary is crucial for DLA, PIP, and AA applications...

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) does not maintain an official list of qualifying medical conditions. Instead, eligibility...

A close up of the PIP award letter head The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) recognizes a list of 87 musculoskeletal and related...

The letterhead and address of a DLA award letter While there's no set list of specific medical diagnoses required for a child to qualify...

A blind young man sitting at a desk, reading from a braille book the the library According to a recent report recently released by Policy...

Experts from the UN’s committee on the rights of Disabled persons (CRDP) have continued to urge the government to scrap upcoming changes...

Applying for Disability Living Allowance (DLA) can feel like running an emotional marathon. While the benefit exists to provide crucial...

There has been an uproar against proposed changes to PIP which the government had put forward in their green paper released in March...

I thought I would begin my blog with a comprehensive overview of the eligibility criteria for Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal...