PIP questions

Jb73

My first post so hope someone can help.

I was awarded pip til Jan 2019 but I have recieved a letter and a review form. I was rather surprised I didnt expect to recieve anything or it to be looked at till at least 6 months before.

I rang the dwp and they confirmed that these forms can be sent out up to 1 year before your award date.

I have a couple of queries if everything is ok and they decide im still entitled will it just continue till my original reward date or will they renew it again for a set length of time.

I was reading on the citizens advice website that if nothing has changed and you just tick all the boxes to say so then you shouldn't need another assessment or loose your money.

What are peoples experiences.

Many thanks.

[Deleted User]

Its not unusual for them to be sent out 12 months in advance, if everything is as it was then nothing should change BUT they can decide to do a face 2 face if they chose. Date wise it would be for a new period.

poppy12345

Jb73 wrote: »

My first post so hope someone can help.

I was awarded pip til Jan 2019 but I have recieved a letter and a review form. I was rather surprised I didnt expect to recieve anything or it to be looked at till at least 6 months before.

I rang the dwp and they confirmed that these forms can be sent out up to 1 year before your award date.

I have a couple of queries if everything is ok and they decide im still entitled will it just continue till my original reward date or will they renew it again for a set length of time.

I was reading on the citizens advice website that if nothing has changed and you just tick all the boxes to say so then you shouldn't need another assessment or loose your money.

What are peoples experiences.

Many thanks.

Reviews are done 1 year before the award is due to end. Expect to have another assessment as most people have them even for review. Send more evidence to support your claim. When you go for the assessment they will ask you questions based on the PIP descriptors, the same as before.

If a decision goes in your favour a new award date is given. If a decision doesn't go in your favour payments will continue for a further 4 weeks after the decision, then they will stop, regardless of your award date. Good luck.

Jb73

Thanks for the replies.

What is the point of awarding the benefit for a specific amount of time only to review one whole year before. I never had this with DLA. I can understand maybe 6 months before so it gives time for forms to be completed, assessments and decisions etc but 1 year ?

Why is it that some people seem to only have to have a review and others have to make a new claim ?

If nothing has changed with my conditions and I say that on the form will I need an assessment again ?

So stressed by this, some people think being on benefits is easy, it certainly isn't.
Thanks.

Dee53

unfortunately DWP are sending out the renewal form a year early so there won't be any gaps in payment, but Beware, these forms are not as simple as they have you believe, many people are losing their awards as its set to simplify the process and allow DWP to reassess in full, or lower the award themselves if there is any indication of change. The forms are designed to get more people off pip that were given points "over generously" the first time round.
Comparisons need to be made between original points and now, plus details stating difficulties have to match. Medication changes also need to be explained look through your old form, assessment report, score sheet and decision. If you havent got it then err on the side of caution.
Where you are not sure if you mentioned a condition before, state "I have no change, and still having problems with my grip, because of arthritis etc, and I cannot chop or peel, my memory is still extremely poor, if not a little worse than before and I forget I have left pans on etc so avoid cooking. IF things have changed then you write down the new changes, and then state the old difficulties you have with more evidence..hope this helps . Fightback

Alice_Holt

Like Dee53 I have some reservations about the AR1 renewal form.

If only that you really need to have kept a copy of the original forms to answer the questions accurately.

One would hope at assessment that both the AR1 form and the original form are referenced. But from some of the DWP evidence bundles I've seen at my local CAB, I'm not sure that always happens.
For instance, going from Enhanced Daily Living to zero DL points within 18 months for chronic long-term neurological conditions, when the claimant ticked the No Change boxes on the AR1 form.
(There is, of course, the obvious caveat that we see those cases when things have gone wrong!).

I'd be inclined to err on the cautious side and put more info on the form as Dee suggests.

System

I had my review before my award was due to end, ticked no change on the form and still had to have an asessment (thankfully my award continued), its a bit of a pain with it being a year before it runs out (they might as well just award it for one year not two :mad: ) and stressful i know but best to complete it and get it sent off. Make sure you send as much evidence as possible even if you've sent it before