Do you have to RE-apply for pip?

louloulouisa

Hi, I am speech impaired and have been trying to contact PIP for weeks using RELAY UK! But it's impossible!!!
Do you have to reapply for pip? My mum applied for me roughly a year ago, and I was awarded PIP. 
I moved in October last year, so I'm worried they may have sent letters to the old address?
THANK YOU  

Brie

As I understand it you don't need to reapply but they may reevaluate you at some point to see if you still require the payments.  Is there any kind of online journal such as one has for universal credit?  That might be a way to contact them.  Or send them a letter to ensure they have your up to date address??

Alternative might be to have a friend/advocate help you make a call?

louloulouisa

Thank you so much Brie, ok, i'll try to send them a letter, thank you

HillStreetBlues

Yes you do, PIP is awarded for a set time, atm many are having their awards extended because of a large backlog.
The reclaim form is different to the original form.

Muttleythefrog

Usually they review your entitlement in the last year of the PIP award to see if you should continue to get it and how much.. with forms sent out perhaps 8 or 9 months before end of award in recent times as they face backlogs. (They also could review an award if you tell them about changes in your condition/disablements).

It's important they do have your up to date address as that is primarily how you will be contacted so ensure that is correctly held by them.. also make sure they have your correct telephone number(s). To do that either persist with Relay UK service or get someone to call on your behalf (you might have to answer a couple of security questions to approve someone else speaking to them about your claim). You could send a letter (address at top of DWP PIP letter) but I'd be a little concerned it may not be properly processed (state you've been unable to reach them by phone, you could ask them to confirm to you that they have updated address). If your address hasn't been correct then it is possible you've not received the annual uprating letter around April (when benefits went up by an inflation linked amount as is common each financial year).

What date is your PIP award to..? (This will be stated on the decision letter and on the statement of entitlement document that came with it).

If you claim any other benefits ensure they also have updated address.

Spoonie_Turtle

So in short, yes you do have to reapply for PIP once your award nears its end date and they send review forms. 
You don't have to reapply just because of a change of address or anything similar that doesn't affect what you qualify for.

peteuk

louloulouisa said:

Hi, I am speech impaired and have been trying to contact PIP for weeks using RELAY UK! But it's impossible!!!
Do you have to reapply for pip? My mum applied for me roughly a year ago, and I was awarded PIP. 
I moved in October last year, so I'm worried they may have sent letters to the old address?
THANK YOU  

As mentioned above you will need a reassessment at the end of your PIP claim, your initial claim letter advising you of your assessment outcome should have a length of award date.  A few months before this date you will be sent a questionaire to see what has changed (I would put all the info and treat it as a new claim) At this point you will have a reassessment and a new decision on your claim.

There is currently a back log, so if your date is coming soon or has passed, then payment would normally continue until your new assessment.

Rodders53

Write ASAP Freepost DWP PIP 1 (no stamp, include your NI number)... You should have told them of your new address as soon as you moved!  Royal Mail offer a mail redirection service that you perhaps should have used but far too late now.

One has to hang on the phone for a long time but DWP do answer - call first thing when they open (9am)?  It's free to call them!

You should have had a PIP Award letter from the DWP --- find it and read it (ask Mum where it has been filed?).  Awards are given with a start and end date.  You should also have had a letter with the new payment rates early this year that applied from April. 

DWP write about 9-12 months before an award runs out with a form to be returned in quite short order...  They can decide to stop PIP payments if it isn't!

Brie said:

Is there any kind of online journal such as one has for universal credit?

ROTFL
No there is nothing!! Only way to contact DWP is as given on https://www.gov.uk/disability-benefits-helpline

Even then one cannot speak to the Decision Makers or anyone especially useful.

louloulouisa

Thanks everyone, sorry I can't reply individually to each of you, as writing is exhausting. I think my mum wrote on the original claim form that I was about to move, so put the old address and mentioned the new. I was 'locked inside' my own body at the time so I couldn't do anything. My mum used the mail redirection, but because I moved into a new build, that's caused more complications!
Anyway, I will write a letter, thanks everyone