DLA to PIP

lisawright85

My son receives DLA and when he was 16 we applied for PIP. After over 6 months they awarded PIP and he is entitled to more money than his DLA award. I rang to ask if the difference in the 2 awards would be backdated to when we made the claim and the case manager told me 'No'. I asked why it wouldn't as it's not his fault they've taken so long and he said 'it's just the government policy'. Please can anyone advise if this is correct as it seems wholly unfair on the claimant and the DWP could've taken as long as they want and he wouldn't have received the higher amount until they decide?! Very unfair.
Thanks all

poppy12345

lisawright85 said:

My son receives DLA and when he was 16 we applied for PIP. After over 6 months they awarded PIP and he is entitled to more money than his DLA award. I rang to ask if the difference in the 2 awards would be backdated to when we made the claim and the case manager told me 'No'. I asked why it wouldn't as it's not his fault they've taken so long and he said 'it's just the government policy'. Please can anyone advise if this is correct as it seems wholly unfair on the claimant and the DWP could've taken as long as they want and he wouldn't have received the higher amount until they decide?! Very unfair.
Thanks all

I'm afraid that DWP are correct here and when transferring from DLA to PIP, even if the PIP award is higher there's no backdated money. It's because you can't claim both DLA and PIP at the same time. First PIP payment is usually about 7 weeks after the decision is made. It's been this way since PIP was introduced in April 2013.

To be honest, if the PIP award wasn't successful, you wouldn't expect to have to pay any of the DLA back would you?

RobinHill

lisawright85: Yes it is very unfair I elected to jump from DLA to PIP and encountered a 10 month wait, when other non DLA applicants were processed far quicker sometimes a matter of months. The DWP appear to process new claims for PIP over existing DLA claimants. There seems to be a conflict of interest here. I may be overly sceptical but nothing to do with saving the DWP money by any chance.

poppy12345

RobinHill said:

lisawright85: Ye The DWP appear to process new claims for PIP over existing DLA claimants.

At the moment they are yes because backlogs are huge purely because of covid. DWP are currently predicting a 10 month timescale for new applications. This is what the timescale was back in 2013 when PIP was first introduced.

Personally, i don't see anything unfair about no backdated money when transferring from DLA to PIP because naturally, you can't claim both benefits at the same time.

RobinHill

This is why it is unfair ...a new application in Guildford takes 3 months, but yet the same in Middlesbrough takes over 6 months. Sounds political to me. I would like to see the processing times for all regions. Backdating goes someway to leveling out this issue.

poppy12345

Naturally all areas are different but atm DWP are predicting 10 months. There are people that applied last November and still waiting. 

Anyway, I’m not getting into any debate here so I’m out. 

RobinHill

Someone in Guildford gets attended to in a matter of a few months but yet another in Middlesbrough well over 6 months. That is not fair on anyone's book. Simple. Hence the principle of back dating.

Spoonie_Turtle

[Oops, double post somehow, sorry!]

Spoonie_Turtle

Just like with UC, the DWP have no incentive to get decisions right in a timely manner.  I don't think this is necessarily by design, but the system evidently still can't cope properly.  No it's not fair, not very much about the entire process is fair, but discussing it here won't change anything.  Gotta get your MP involved for even the faintest, vaguest hope that some sort of concession may ever be made. 

This forum is for helping people to navigate the system as it actually is, not what it could or perhaps should be.

lisawright85

poppy12345 said:

RobinHill said:

lisawright85: Ye The DWP appear to process new claims for PIP over existing DLA claimants.

At the moment they are yes because backlogs are huge purely because of covid. DWP are currently predicting a 10 month timescale for new applications. This is what the timescale was back in 2013 when PIP was first introduced.

Personally, i don't see anything unfair about no backdated money when transferring from DLA to PIP because naturally, you can't claim both benefits at the same time.

I wasn't suggesting claiming both, merely the difference in the 2 awards. The DWP could take any amount of time they like to process these claims and delay paying the correct amount to claimants.

RobinHill

lisawright85: Exactly.