PIP review form questions

honeybee1234

I've just received my PIP review form. I've not had to complete one before, and am gathering information on how to compose my answers. 

Obviously the questions are based on the information given in my current claim, and I'm unsure what to answer where there's been no change. Is it as straightforward as simply writing "no change?" Or do I need to elaborate in any way?

I'm not sure what, if anything may be useful to add in the "Is there anything else...?" box. Is there anything that may help support my claim that I can add in here?

And lastly, I've been looking at supporting evidence. I have my current repeat prescription list, current safety plan, and my nurse, who I'm currently receiving relevant therapy from, is writing a supporting letter. Is there anything else that could be helpful? I'm claiming for mental health issues. 

Brie

I strongly suggest that you get someone like Citizen's Advice to help fill in the blanks for you.  They should know how to word things in a way that will meet the understanding of those reading and deciding on the review.

born_again

Do you still have the original claim form, with answers on?
If you do, look at rephrasing the answer, or highlight another issue for that section.

Write it up on computer & then you can save it for any future ones.👍

Spoonie_Turtle

The advice the most experienced posters here tend to give for reviews is to fully detail your difficulties with the activities and why, just like the initial claim.  If nothing has changed, you can even say 'nothing has changed.  Just like before, I … '

I seem to recall reading that they are supposed to have your previous form when looking at the claim, but let's be honest we can't rely on the process going the way it's supposed to.  Otherwise we wouldn't have year+ long waits for tribunals with ~70% success, plus the (small number of) MRs that succeed and the awards DWP put right just before the tribunal hearing to save further wasting everyone's time.

honeybee1234

Brie said:

I strongly suggest that you get someone like Citizen's Advice to help fill in the blanks for you.  They should know how to word things in a way that will meet the understanding of those reading and deciding on the review.

I have a welfare rights advisor who will be looking through the form so I'll ask them when I get to talk to them. born_again said:

Do you still have the original claim form, with answers on?
If you do, look at rephrasing the answer, or highlight another issue for that section.

Write it up on computer & then you can save it for any future ones.👍

Yes, I have a copy of both the original claim form and the change of circumstances form handily. Spoonie_Turtle said:

The advice the most experienced posters here tend to give for reviews is to fully detail your difficulties with the activities and why, just like the initial claim.  If nothing has changed, you can even say 'nothing has changed.  Just like before, I … '

I seem to recall reading that they are supposed to have your previous form when looking at the claim, but let's be honest we can't rely on the process going the way it's supposed to.  Otherwise we wouldn't have year+ long waits for tribunals with ~70% success, plus the (small number of) MRs that succeed and the awards DWP put right just before the tribunal hearing to save further wasting everyone's time.

I wondered whether to do this. I checked my change of circumstances form and recall the welfare rights advisor then saying to simply put "no change" in the relevant sections. Which I did, and for that form it was apparently all right? I wasn't confident but there were no issues.

Also I had one of those tribunals! 

born_again

Thanks.
Good luck you are in for a long wait.
We are 10 months to ours & it has only just to to the provider to look at.

poppy12345

You were very lucky that there were no issues when you just put no changes on some of a previous form. I have to say that I'm rather shocked to hear that someone from Welfare Rights advised you to do that because that's not something I would ever advise. 

Having recently had my PIP review decision when I filled out the form, I did it myself and I put as much relevant information as possible. I also included a couple of real world incidents of exactly what happened the last time I attempted each descriptor that applied to me. I included detailed information with those examples too. I took my time and made sure all the information I gave was relevant to the descriptors. From all of that I had a paper based assessment and my form didn't get sent to the health assessment providers either so there was no assessment report written. 

There's no specific wording you need to use when filling out the form, just tell it how it is. 

honeybee1234

born_again said:

Thanks.
Good luck you are in for a long wait.
We are 10 months to ours & it has only just to to the provider to look at.

OMG 10 months?! Naively I hadn't even considered that kind of wait for a review. poppy12345 said:

You were very lucky that there were no issues when you just put no changes on some of a previous form. I have to say that I'm rather shocked to hear that someone from Welfare Rights advised you to do that because that's not something I would ever advise. 

Having recently had my PIP review decision when I filled out the form, I did it myself and I put as much relevant information as possible. I also included a couple of real world incidents of exactly what happened the last time I attempted each descriptor that applied to me. I included detailed information with those examples too. I took my time and made sure all the information I gave was relevant to the descriptors. From all of that I had a paper based assessment and my form didn't get sent to the health assessment providers either so there was no assessment report written. 

There's no specific wording you need to use when filling out the form, just tell it how it is. 

I was incredibly surprised. I remember asking more than once, are you sure that's all right to put? I'm wondering if anyone else has ever been told this now? 

So is a review dealt with in the same way as an initial application in that the decision is either a paper-based one or is sent to an in-person assessment? 

tacpot12

I just wanted to suggest that you do think very carefully whether there has been any change or not, rather than just avoiding thinking about it because you think nothing has changed. Sometimes even subtle changes can result in extra points being awarded, and ultimately, this might result in a higher award. 

SnowWhiterThanWhite

I had my relative's PIP review form in Jan 2024 to complete. I have a friend who works for a LA finance team and advised me to to simply add 'no change' to each and every question ( there are no changes) I received the letter from PIP beginning of December advising that the claim will continue,  I think the letter said 3 years

honeybee1234

tacpot12 said:

I just wanted to suggest that you do think very carefully whether there has been any change or not, rather than just avoiding thinking about it because you think nothing has changed. Sometimes even subtle changes can result in extra points being awarded, and ultimately, this might result in a higher award. 

You're absolutely correct. My award is for mental health issues, and it's horribly confronting thinking about if my issues have gotten worse. Having to do forms involving writing about my issues is something that has a huge negative effect on me anyway, let alone considering them in intricate specific detail. 

I'm unsure at this point if anything has changed enough to increase my points and thus affect my award. I'm going to have a think and talk to my nurse as well.