Advice Please - PIP Renewal Form for DS

mark55man

Thanks again.  More interesting nuggets - and I can reassure you we are being thorough with the evidence, which is why the GP seemed superfluous.  Now I know they prob won't contact that makes sense given the onus is on us to provide the evidence

mark55man

Just an update - called the DWP PIP Helpline to ask for a short delay as per advice to be told the date on their records was 4 weeks later than the date on the printed form so either we had been extended without asking for it (possibly triggered by their not receiving the form yet) or there is a bit of slack built into the system. 

Anyway it worked as the Feb deadline forced us to do mot of the work, and we now just have a couple of bits of evidence to get from the GP and we are done. 

calcotti

mark55man said:

..we now just have a couple of bits of evidence to get from the GP and we are done. 

You can send the form in and send extra evidence later. You don't need to wait for the evidence before sending the form back.

poppy12345

I would assume that because of the postal backlogs this would be the reason why they've given those extra 4 weeks. I know there's been a lot of people that have had their PIP stopped because DWP haven't received the forms on time because of the postal delays. So it makes sense to give that extra time.

mark55man

Thank you calcotti.  Yes I know we could have sent the evidence later, but if we can get it I will try and sent it as one batch

Also thanks Poppy - what you say makes sense.  We should be ready to post it off by within a week or so as we are nearly there so hopefully that will allow for the delays

mark55man

Hello - so we haven't heard anything formal back in response to our submission.  My DS received his March payment (the last one from his previous award) as expected, and also got a letter informing him of the annual increases to PIP. 

We are assuming that the notification of increase is just routine administration and entirely separate from the decision to continue his benefits or not.  Unless anyone knows different .... , ie they only send the increase notification letter out if he's on the eligible list, but not if they have decided against.

maybe overthinking/clutching at straws - its only been a few weeks since submission so am expecting to wait a bit longer - I think the key test will be in April's payment and whether he gets  it or not

poppy12345

If it's only been a few weeks since you returned the form i'd say it's unlikely that a decision's been made already.

They may have extended his current award due to the size of the backlogs. You'll need to ring them to ask.

mark55man

on the list for Monday - thank you

mark55man

wow - a whole year has gone since my last post. 

Nothing happened in 2022 other than continuation of payments.  Then in Feb 23 we were contacted and informed the reassessment had begun, then in April we had a phone call reassessment (it was a video conference type thing) - and I was able to join in openly with my DS - although the technology broke down and we ended up phoning on speakerphone

End result - PIP extended for two years on the basis that expected improvements hadn't materialised with lockdown and the whole pandemic being a key factor in mental health deterioration 

Thanks for all your help - but I have to say it all seemed very much more professional and measured than the first time round, and the notes and report were thorough and reflected what had been said..  The first time round felt much flakier - with the fact that showering was a problem being like the deciding factor/LBM outside of everything else

Happy to chat if anyone has any questions but other than to repeat my thanks I'm not sure I'm that much more expert than I was so will leave it at that on a good news note