At AskEllie, we regularly hear from parents who say:
👉 “I didn’t even know I could claim that…”
👉 “No one told me this was linked…”
And in some cases, that lack of information has cost families thousands of pounds.
Recently, we’ve supported families who have received:
- £18,000 backdated
- £12,000 backdated
- £8,000 backdated
Not because anything new was created…
👉 But because they were already entitled — and didn’t know.
Where Does This Backdated Money Come From?
In most cases, it comes from how DLA links to other support, especially Universal Credit (UC).
When a child is awarded DLA, it can unlock additional financial support that many parents aren’t told about.
1. The Child Disability Element (Universal Credit)
If your child receives DLA, you may be entitled to the child disability element within Universal Credit.
This can significantly increase your monthly payment.
But here’s the issue:
👉 If it’s not added at the right time,
👉 or not backdated properly…
You could miss out on months or even years of payments.
2. The Carer Element
If you are providing care for your child, you may also be entitled to the carer element in Universal Credit.
This is often missed because:
- Parents don’t realise they qualify
- It hasn’t been added to their claim
- No one has explained how to request it
Again, this can lead to:
👉 Large amounts of backdated money being owed
3. Challenging Decisions (Mandatory Reconsideration)
Some families only receive the correct level of support after:
👉 Challenging a DLA or PIP decision
If a claim was under-awarded or refused incorrectly, and then corrected:
👉 Backdated payments can follow
The Common Pattern We See
Across all of these cases, the same issue comes up:
👉 Parents weren’t told what they were entitled to
👉 They didn’t know how the system links together
👉 They didn’t know they could challenge or backdate
So they simply:
👉 Missed out
Why This Happens
The system is:
- Complex
- Poorly explained
- Spread across multiple departments
There’s no single place that tells parents:
👉 “Now you’ve got DLA, here’s everything else you should check.”
What You Should Do Right Now
If your child has been awarded DLA — or you’re currently applying — it’s worth checking:
✔ Has the child disability element been added to your Universal Credit?
✔ Are you eligible for the carer element?
✔ Has everything been applied from the correct date?
✔ Have you missed any backdating opportunities?
Even one of these could mean:
👉 You are owed money
A Quick Note on Backdating
Backdating depends on your individual circumstances.
In some cases, it may be possible to request:
- Adjustments to your claim
- Corrections to start dates
- Reconsideration of decisions
But it needs to be:
👉 Clearly explained
👉 Properly requested
How AskEllie Can Help
At AskEllie, we speak to parents every day who feel unsure about:
- What they should be getting
- Whether they’ve missed something
- How to check or challenge it
Our Support Services
We offer affordable, practical support to help you:
- Understand what you’re entitled to
- Check for missing elements in your claim
- Identify potential backdating
- Take the right next steps
👉 Our services are available through our Stan Store
👉 You can also reach out via our contact page
Final Thought
If something doesn’t feel right… it’s always worth checking.
Because in many cases:
👉 The support is there
👉 The entitlement exists
👉 It just hasn’t been explained properly
And If It Does Help…
If you do end up getting money back that you didn’t realise you were owed…
👉 You can always buy me a coffee ☕
Need Help Checking Your Claim?
If you want clarity and don’t want to risk missing out:
👉 Come by and see us at AskEllie
We’re here to help you make sure you’re getting everything you’re entitled to.
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