Quick PIP Question

Amathyst

Hello,

I sent my PIP review form back in September 2024, I understand that they are backlogged, my award is due to end around the April 3rd 2025, I've read that they tend to send you an extension letter 35 days before it's due to end, is that correct because I've not received anything other than 2 texts saying they've still got my form etc or do you need to call and ask for a letter? I'm being asked for a letter to extend the mobility bus pass.

Thanks in advance.

poppy12345

Amathyst said:

Hello,

I sent my PIP review form back in September 2024, I understand that they are backlogged, my award is due to end around the April 3rd 2025, I've read that they tend to send you an extension letter 35 days before it's due to end, is that correct because I've not received anything other than 2 texts saying they've still got my form etc or do you need to call and ask for a letter? I'm being asked for a letter to extend the mobility bus pass.

Thanks in advance.

Yes it’s around 35 days before the award is due to end, that they send it. You also need to take into consideration how long it takes to receive a letter from DWP, which can often be anything up to 2 weeks. 

born_again

Not sure if we got a letter about still being paid, but the text received do say

You will still be paid until we review your claim.

Not sure if showing them the text would help of bus pass.

Rodders53

An award extension letter may well be on the way to you.

My wife's award expired 30 Sep 24.  It was extended in a letter dated end August 24:  that arrived in early September, just in time for a BB renewal (12 months only). 

Her Review award letter was dated mid-October, just a few weeks of the extension was needed!.

No harm in calling them on Monday/Tuesday to find out if a decision will be made or an extension letter is already on its way.

Amathyst

Thanks for the responses.

They've not dealt with it yet, I received a text last week which was the same as the previous one saying that they still had the form etc.

I'll ask my son to give them a call for me one day next week, I'm not overly bothered at the moment.

Amathyst

One other thing, I did a search for something on Google, can't remember what it was exactly but it was to do with PIP and something came up on the search results that said the longer you wait for your review to be looked at the more likely you are to have an assessment (basically trying to say it's because you are having to wait for them to get an assessor to look at your case) and at first it made me quite anxious because I have asked for a paper based due to reasons I won't bore people with and then I remembered being on another forum where people were saying that they were given paper based after waiting months, one of the people post on here too, she waited 11 months and was given a paper based assessment.

They have plenty of info from my last 2 assessments, plus GPFR's for both PIP and ESA which I've mentioned and they've given me 2 x 5 year awards so far, plus the last review form was filled out with plenty of relevant info. So even though I know it's common for people to have an assessment I'm trying to be hopeful.

poppy12345

That’s not true. The length of time you’re waiting is no indication of whether or not an assessment is needed. I waited 11 months and had a paper based assessment. My file wasn’t even sent to the assessment providers. A decision was made without sending it across. 

Muttleythefrog

Like Poppy I think I waited around13/14 months and my file wasn't even passed to the assessment provider for advice.

Length of time waiting unlikely to be a factor.

peteuk

Amathyst said:

One other thing, I did a search for something on Google, can't remember what it was exactly but it was to do with PIP and something came up on the search results that said the longer you wait for your review to be looked at the more likely you are to have an assessment (basically trying to say it's because you are having to wait for them to get an assessor to look at your case) and at first it made me quite anxious because I have asked for a paper based due to reasons I won't bore people with and then I remembered being on another forum where people were saying that they were given paper based after waiting months, one of the people post on here too, she waited 11 months and was given a paper based assessment.

They have plenty of info from my last 2 assessments, plus GPFR's for both PIP and ESA which I've mentioned and they've given me 2 x 5 year awards so far, plus the last review form was filled out with plenty of relevant info. So even though I know it's common for people to have an assessment I'm trying to be hopeful.

As Poppy and Muttley have said this is incorrect. As I have said before PIP assessments are triaged and a decision made to either undertake a paper assessment or a face to face/telephone assessment.

They wont look at your previous evidence, they will look at your last report and use that as the baseline for the activity eg at the last assessment they required aids for this activity.  And then add what they find.

They will not look at your ESA.  

I would set my mind to the fact that your going to need an assessment and then if you get a paper review then its a bonus, rather than hanging on to the hope of a paper assessment and the disappointment of having an assessment,

Muttleythefrog

To add to above.... to be clear.. in assessment or taking a decision they can and do look at other evidence including very historic information plus assessments for ESA (/WCA of UC) if presented. I don't want the above post to suggest all they will ever look at is the last assessment report.

Here's an excerpt from my last PIP award decision letter following a decision not to refer to assessment provider.
(The CPN report was almost 11 years old!)

poppy12345

I disagree that they won’t look at previous evidence because that certainly hasn’t been the case with me. 

For reviews all forms are sent to a decision maker first and from there they will decide if a decision can be made without sending it to the assessment providers, if it can they will do that. Otherwise it will be sent across to them.