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Disabled people
Making a complaint about the Disability and Carers Service
The Disability and Carers Service is part of the Department for Work and Pensions and provides financial help to disabled people and carers.
It deals with claims for the following benefits:
- Disability Living Allowance
- Attendance Allowance
- Carer's Allowance
- Vaccine Damage Payments
How to make a complaint
If you are unhappy with the service the Disability and Carers Service has provided, you should contact the office dealing with your claim to make a complaint.
The contact details for the office dealing with your claim will be at the top of any letters the Disability and Carers Service sent to you. If you are not sure which office to contact, you can phone:
- DLA and AA Helpline: 08457 123456
- Carer's Allowance Unit: 01253 856123
- Vaccine Damage Payments Unit: 01772 899944
This process is different from the process if you think a decision about your benefit claim is wrong.
What happens next
Initially you will get a response from the team that deals with your claim. They will try to put matters right. Their response will invite you to write to their manager if you remain dissatisfied. If you are still unhappy with the service after the response from their manager, you may write to the Disability and Carers Service's Chief Executive.
If you are still unhappy with the way your complaint has been handled following a response from the Chief Executive of the Disability and Carers Service, you may be able to ask the Independent Case Examiner to investigate. The Chief Executive’s response will tell you how to do that.
At each stage of the process you will be given clear guidance on what to do next.
Your complaint will be dealt with in the best way for you. For example, if you want to be contacted by phone, instead of in writing, let the office know.
The Disability and Carers Service will aim to reply to your complaint within seven working days.
Other help available with your complaint about service
Independent Case Examiner
The Independent Case Examiner is independent of the Disability and Carers Service and offers a free and impartial review of a complaint. You must contact them within six months of receiving a final reply about your complaint from the chief executive officer of the Disability and Carers Service.
Please note that the Independent Case Examiner will not be able to look at your complaint unless you have received a response from the Chief Executive of the Disability and Carers Service telling you that you can do so.
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
You can also contact your Member of Parliament who may be able to send your complaint to the Ombudsman.
However, please note that the Ombudsman would expect you to first raise your complaint with the Disability and Carers Service. The Ombudsman will not normally become involved in a complaint until the Disability and Carers Service has had the opportunity to deal with your complaint through their complaints procedures, including, where appropriate, having the matter reviewed by the Independent Case Examiner.
If a serious mistake has been made
If the Disability and Carers Service has made a serious mistake, it may be able to give you a small special payment.
It will consider making a special payment if it agrees you have suffered financially as a result of a mistake made in handling your claim.
Disability and Carers Service leaflet for download
You can download a Disability and Carers Service leaflet in PDF format from the link below. It includes information about complaints. It is also available in several foreign languages, and in large print, audio cassette/CD, Braille and a BSL video/DVD. Please contact the office that deals with your claim if you would like to receive a copy.
If you think a decision about your benefit is wrong
If you think a decision about your benefit claim is wrong, you can ask the office who made the decision to explain it.
You can also ask to have the decision reconsidered and, if you're still unhappy, you can, in most cases, appeal against the decision.
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