DLA Appeals

Hi,

I'm hoping someone can give me a bit of advice about the following.

Last year I became ill and after a few months I was diagnosed with MS. Unfortunately, I have ongoing symptoms, with pain, fatigue and balance causing most of the problems. I applied for DLA quite early on as i new it was changing to PIP, I applied in early June 2013. I received a rejection letter in July and asked for a reconsideration.

I then received another letter in October rejecting my claim again. It was difficult to put in writing the problems I experience, as I am trying to get on with it and am continuing with full time employment. I therefore sent a further explanation to the DWP and requested an appeal as I feel that their decision is completely unjustified and they have not fuly considered the evidence I have sent to them.

I received a letter dated 24/12/13 advising that they have cancelled my appeal and changed the award. However, they have awarded me nothing for the mobility component, and only given the lowest end of the care component at £21 per week. I still feel that this is inappropriate, and I'm unsure how they can cancel my appeal without asking me if this is acceptable. I'm therefore looking for advice as to whether I should just accept this, even though they haven't asked for me to accept it or not, they've just basically said that's what I'm getting without giving me any option as to whether I can take it further and continue with the appeal. Is this a normal way for them to do things? I feel like I'm being fobbed off.

Thanks in advance for any advice

Thanks for your reply Gordon. My original decision letter was dated 15 July and there's nothing in my most recent letter about a MR, so sounds like I need to write back to appeal again. Just feel like they have ignored a significant amount of evidence and now, after I asked for an appeal, have made a small award based on a tiny proportion of the information I have sent to them.

Thank you.

I just wanted to check that you asked for an oral hearing? If you did not then the tribunal service may have made a decision based on the papers which they are entitled to do without you present.

Yes, I asked for an oral hearing after reading the guides on here Was surprised to receive their letter in December saying I was getting low care when this was the award I would have thought was the less likely of the two components.