PIP Claim/Hospital

olgadapolga

Hi, just after a little information, please.


Someone I know made a claim for PIP in September 2020.

They were then admitted to hospital in October 2020 and discharged in November 2020, spending approximately 28 - 31 days (the person concerned is unsure about this as a lot was going on and they can't remember the exact dates) in hospital altogether. 

The PIP claim has continued and the telephone assessment was last week. No decision on the claim has been made as of yet.

The person was told by an advocate that as there was a hospital stay, then the claim would be cancelled and it would have to be started again, from the beginning. Is this true? Should the person concerned have advised the DWP that they were in hospital at the time, bearing in mind that no decision had been made on the PIP claim? I am not sure that the person concerned would have known to contact the DWP anyway as the claim had been organised by the advocate and the person concerned has learning difficulties.

I've had a look at some information and all I can find out is that PIP payments would stop if a claimant is in hospital for over 28 days but then the PIP payments would recommence once discharged? So in this case, if the PIP claim was permitted and backdated to September, then an amount of money would be subtracted to cover part of the hospital admission? 

Any help would be appreciated as the person concerned is really upset at the thought of the claim being cancelled and having to start again.

poppy12345

The 28 days in hospital do not include the day you go in and the day you go home. If the total days were more than 28 then PIP would have been suspended and then restart once they are home.

If the claimant has an appointee then it's their responsibility to report any changes.

olgadapolga

Thanks for responding. 

I don't think that the person had an appointee, it was more a case of someone guiding them through the various processes, including the PIP claim. The person concerned has very little knowledge of benefits. I am trying to help them understand but I know nothing about PIP.

So, should the claim be allowed, will it be backdated until September with a small amount substracted for the time in hospital (assume that it was over the 28 days, worst case scenario) or will the whole claim be cancelled and started from scratch (ie, date of new application)?

poppy12345

If the hospital stay was more than 28 days then there will be a deduction for any days over that. The whole claim will not be cancelled. Looking at the timescale of that claim, that's an awful long time to wait, even with the huge backlogs. Are you sure they started their claim in September 2020 or was that a typo and it should have said September 2021?

calcotti

olgadapolga said:
The person was told by an advocate that as there was a hospital stay, then the claim would be cancelled and it would have to be started again, from the beginning. Is this true? 

That is not correct. As advised by poppy the award (if any) should be paid from the date of claim and for the first 28 days in hospital (as poppy says, days of admission and discharge are not counted). Payment would then be suspended and reinstated from the day of discharge.

Where there are several stays in hospital any stays separated by 28 days or less have to be added together when counting the amount of time in hospital. Once there have been 28 days out of hospital the clock is reset.

Alice_Holt

It might be worthwhile your friend getting accredited advice to help completing their form from their local advice charity.

 

poppy12345

Alice_Holt said:

It might be worthwhile your friend getting accredited advice to help completing their form from their local advice charity.

 

The OP has said they had their assessment so the forms would have already been completed.

olgadapolga said:

The PIP claim has continued and the telephone assessment was last week. No decision on the claim has been made as of yet.

olgadapolga

poppy12345 said:

If the hospital stay was more than 28 days then there will be a deduction for any days over that. The whole claim will not be cancelled. Looking at the timescale of that claim, that's an awful long time to wait, even with the huge backlogs. Are you sure they started their claim in September 2020 or was that a typo and it should have said September 2021?

It should have said September 2021. I think that I've lost a year somewhere!

Thank you all for the help, the advice is really useful. I will pass it along.

born_again

olgadapolga said:

poppy12345 said:

If the hospital stay was more than 28 days then there will be a deduction for any days over that. The whole claim will not be cancelled. Looking at the timescale of that claim, that's an awful long time to wait, even with the huge backlogs. Are you sure they started their claim in September 2020 or was that a typo and it should have said September 2021?

It should have said September 2021. I think that I've lost a year somewhere!

Thank you all for the help, the advice is really useful. I will pass it along.

So given that the PIP claim has yet to be approved. Would any stay in hospital count at all. Yes once you start getting paid PIP it does, but pre getting paid?
@poppy12345

poppy12345

born_again said:

olgadapolga said:

poppy12345 said:

If the hospital stay was more than 28 days then there will be a deduction for any days over that. The whole claim will not be cancelled. Looking at the timescale of that claim, that's an awful long time to wait, even with the huge backlogs. Are you sure they started their claim in September 2020 or was that a typo and it should have said September 2021?

It should have said September 2021. I think that I've lost a year somewhere!

Thank you all for the help, the advice is really useful. I will pass it along.

So given that the PIP claim has yet to be approved. Would any stay in hospital count at all. Yes once you start getting paid PIP it does, but pre getting paid?
@poppy12345

The OP said the start date of the PIP claim was a typo and it should have been Sept 2021 and not Sept 2020. I can only assume the dates of the hospital was also a typo. If it wasn't then yes of course you are correct the PIP won't be affected if the hospital stay was October 2020.

olgadapolga

poppy12345 said:

born_again said:

olgadapolga said:

poppy12345 said:

If the hospital stay was more than 28 days then there will be a deduction for any days over that. The whole claim will not be cancelled. Looking at the timescale of that claim, that's an awful long time to wait, even with the huge backlogs. Are you sure they started their claim in September 2020 or was that a typo and it should have said September 2021?

It should have said September 2021. I think that I've lost a year somewhere!

Thank you all for the help, the advice is really useful. I will pass it along.

So given that the PIP claim has yet to be approved. Would any stay in hospital count at all. Yes once you start getting paid PIP it does, but pre getting paid?
@poppy12345

The OP said the start date of the PIP claim was a typo and it should have been Sept 2021 and not Sept 2020. I can only assume the dates of the hospital was also a typo. If it wasn't then yes of course you are correct the PIP won't be affected if the hospital stay was October 2020.

Sorry, the claim was Sept 2021 and the hospital admission was October 2021/November 2021. Hospital admission was after claim form submitted.

Sorry for the confusion, like I said, I seem to have lost a year!