Claiming PIP with a PO Box?

thewonderer

Hi all,

Just curious. A friend of mine has recently been diagnosed with a long term health condition, this is a blessing and a curse as it's given them answers for all the pain and strange symptoms they've been having but it's a condition that will only get worse so they're going to need to claim PIP and possibly give up working in the near future.

Problem is, they live between three different addresses. They are registered to vote at their family home, but their parents don't feel comfortable with them claiming any benefits at their address as their father is disabled and in receipt of certain means tested benefits. Similarly, the other two places they "live" at are not suitable for claiming either due to being places of work and their (relatively new) partners home who again, doesn't really want any implications of a benefit claimant being connected to their address.

So my question is....

A) Is it possible for a person to put in a claim for PIP (and if they are granted support maintain contact with the DWP) with a PO Box address? Or is this frowned upon? Would the DWP make steps to find out where the post was being forwarded to?

Would the DWP look into where a person is registered to vote, or what address is on their medical records, and would that potentially have some kind of impact on the validity of their claim? Could it cause any problems if someone at the address was also claiming benefits of any kind?

Any help or advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

KatrinaWaves

She doesn’t live at a PO Box.

She needs to put the house she lives at, which is clearly not her work.

It doesn’t matter who doesn’t want her to affect their benefits. She lives somewhere. Where does she live.

thewonderer

They don't live anywhere in particular. Two to three days a week at their parents, two days (sometimes more) at a work location, two days (weekends usually) at their partners or friends. They literally live out of a suitcase/car now. They can't afford to rent anywhere of their own at the moment.

So they don't have anywhere they consider their home address. I'm sure there are homeless/between residence applicants for PIP who must have some way of applying without an address.

cattie

One of the conditions of claiming benefits such as pip is that you must notify DWP straight away if your address changes, so straight away this would be a huge issue & I'm sure a barrier to making a successful claim. You couldn't have different addresses every few days.

What would happen if DWP decided a home assessment was required, where is the assessor to go, to a PO box? They fully expect to be seeing the person in their home.

You mention homeless people claiming benefits, but a huge proportion of homeless people claim no benefits simply because they have no fixed abode so unable to make a claim. Those that do claim do actually have a registered address, be it a hostel, friends/relatives address or a homeless outreach centre where they go regularly for hot meals or to shower, get clothing etc. It's a bricks & mortar address that is needed.

NeilCr

See if they can use the local job centre?

https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/homelessness/articles/get_practical_help_if_youre_on_the_streets/claiming_benefits_when_homeless

tacpot12

If they are going to be giving up work, they are going to be spending more time at 'home' so they really need to decide where this is going to be. If this is their parents house, then the family need to discuss how they decide if it is worth them claiming PIP. If the result is that the parents lose more income that the PIP award would bring in, then not claiming PIP might be the right answer. Citizens Advice could help the family ensure that the parents are getting the right benefits and the impact on these can be checked to see if a non-dependent person living in the house and receiving PIP will change matters. If it will have an impact, then the family need to discuss what is the best way forward.

[Deleted User]

Where ever they decide they are living it is not the diagnosis that gets you PIP but your care and or mobility needs

w06

She needs to be honest, sounds as though her main residence is probably her parents' home.

tomtom256

They are not homeless, they are registered to vote at their parents house and this would probably be treated as their main residence.

If parents are on means tested benefits and a non-dep may affect then this could potentially get them in trouble if she has not been declared there.

Is there a specific reason they live like this?

Someone else claiming benefits at the same address won't affect their claim unless they are part of the same household i.e. a partner. Their parents claiming should have no effect.