Confused about PIP and UC connection

Bluenunn_in_the_north

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81949919#Comment_81949919

TThank You for your insightful, thoughtful and empathetic remarks.

I agree with all your sagacious comments and appreciate you taking the time to respond out of your day.

It is a struggle in the South East, especially if you live on the border of London to have such a precipitous drop, perhaps from 100 yds away is a bit of a sledgehammer job. I live near Brighton and rents are ludicrous.

Thing that annoys me most is that my condition is worse than when I got DLA and low mobility now suddenly get no PIP. The grammar and content of the MR was appalling. 10 min stock sentence job that had nothing to do with my case.

And that they said they'd wait for my consultants visit, then ignored that and rejected my MR the next day.

TThanks

Muttleythefrog

I think sensible focus is required now.

As another poster says you have been notified of the change and you've had it explained - that you never found the statements section until now is unfortunate and I respect people can have disablements that would make any website confusing or difficult to engage but it is not particularly complicated for UC although they do keep re-arranging everything. Being brutally frank… most would either find the statements section or at least assume such must exist (since there is no award letters coming out) and ask how to find it. Anyway… park that issue in the past.. you will have seen the various options in the online UC account including for statements and the information needed here has become visible.

I imagine UC eventually will confirm the cap applies after you asked them what is happening to payments. In terms of timing - you are querying why they continued to pay the higher amount without cap after PIP decision…. it is only by looking at when the decision date applies from and looking at your monthly UC assessment period that it could be figured out if they applied the decision at correct time. However since you think you may have been overpaid I'd been inclined to leave the matter alone (unless you want to present the information required for us to look at) and if at later date they determine there is overpayment then pay back.

PIP reconsideration… to be honest… you need to let this go. They waited a couple of months it seems (standard is to allow a month after asking for MR to submit further evidence).. but up to 6 months to provide evidence seems excessive and if this was what you said in call and there is no documented evidence on their files they would wait this long (you'd have to find out) then you would be facing uphill task. (If you'd asked for advice here saying it could take 6 months for evidence for MR I think many a person would have advised not to consider it for the MR and focus getting it for a likely tribunal which could take a long time to happen and wasting more months for limited chance of gain not worth it). They've taken a decision and even if they had your coming evidence there is a good chance they would not have changed their decision notably favourably anyway… most MRs fail to change their decision. It's unclear how useful your evidence would be… some medical professionals provide irrelevant information they think is helpful especially if not guided while some can provide very good evidence specific to PIP activities.

Your hopes lie definitely with independent tribunal (where success rates are high) who will listen to you and look at all evidence including evidence you're getting in the background which should be available and submitted by you. Bring to the table the previous award and associated evidence (such as previous assessment report) that supports your case (given you will be saying your condition and disablements have not improved but actually gotten worse in some respects) and in submission and at hearing have clear in mind which descriptors apply to you and how you will evidence and explain that they do. The financial benefit of getting PIP reinstated should be strong motivation to focus on tribunal. Worst case scenario you fail at tribunal to get award and face possibly re-applying. Pick and choose the battles worth fighting!

Bluenunn_in_the_north

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81949947#Comment_81949947

Thanks for the input. As a riposte to your comment about most people would find the statement section. Not so, I'm completely new to UC. How would I know that exists, I never used the Home button as I thought the screen with menu, journal, to do was the home screen. How am I supposed to know I get a statement, I didnt for ESA. I also have a friend new to UC who hasn't got a clue at all, nothing was explained at the JC or by mail about portal functionality.

The HCI UI is appalling. I actually designed one for my BSc dissertation which was better. Being brutally frank and with due respect, I know you're helping for which I'm grateful, but I think you're being ever so slighty critical, unnecessarily!

My main point was I had no direct notification DWP, that's hardly complex or unreasonable if there's a change in benefit so people are aware, basic CS.

I don't think I've been overpaid and didn't say that. The BC was instituted after the MR was concluded and PIP refusal was upheld, I think. I'll await their reply.

My medical evidence from the consultant would be very salient I think, to PIP eligibility and he's the UKs leading expert in my condition.

I think it may have held some persuasion if they were being honest. I will call them on Tuesday and see what they say, I have nothing to lose! If they say no fine, I'll go to Tribunal, they've already offered 2 months extra time on Thursday which unfortunately ends on the day I see him.

The evidence would come 3 months after they asked if I wanted time more time.

Like I say, my mine gripe is them saying they'd suspend conducting the MR and await additional evidence then reneging the next day.

Thanks for taking the time to contribute.👍

teaselMay

It's worth familiarising yourself with all of the tabs, potentially the UC payment changes every month and so they won't send a separate message every month, but a new statement appears a few days before your payment is due every time

Muttleythefrog

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81950002#Comment_81950002

Just quickly…

Remember UC is a bit different than other benefits. You do effectively get a statement for other benefits but it'll tend to be an annual one on assumption no changes (I suppose the annual uprating letter is such) for indefinite or already time stated awards… while UC is specifically a benefit assessed every month for entitlement level so the statements are monthly and for many claimant households the circumstances will vary month to month due to hours worked etc. Anyway… that's all understood now and hopefully as above you've familiarised with the options in the UC online account which frustratingly they do keep moving around and rarely to any benefit IMO. On the UC interface… perhaps an idea to give a quick user guide to new claimants (something I used to create myself as a software developer many moons ago for clients).. but you can probably guess how slow the DWP can be to make improvements and it has deficiencies and bugs that can be frustrating… it's been saying for years that I will receive a call in my to do list and nobody can get rid of it while the lack of prompt/upload to provide my housing costs/evidence is an annual annoyance.

Regarding your specialist…. I really do hope they can tailor the evidence they provide…. because an expert in your condition is one thing… providing helpful PIP relevant information can be another… so I would be inclined to do what I have typically done if intending to get doctor evidence for something and that's guide them a bit towards the difficulties you are claiming you have in your PIP claim. Anyway it sounds like your relationship is not a new one with this HCP and so hopefully that helps in getting evidence as well as having what sounds like an important medical engagement.

Bluenunn_in_the_north

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81950112#Comment_81950112

Yep have done now thanks. I just have a mobile so the UI is probably less intuitive than on a laptop screen. I was just 'blind' to the Home button.

Bluenunn_in_the_north

Many thanks again for contributing. My prime issue is chronic intense fatigue. That's the primary symptom of my condition so I'm sure he'll cover all the bases!

Bluenunn_in_the_north

Just a bit of a shock losing almost half ones income when I believe they've made a glaring assessment error.

After all, I'm only human.

I'll post back what PIP say Tuesday but not holding my breath. Oddly it's pretty easy to get through on their phone line, which is great. Talked to one guy who was malignant them as they were treating him unfairly too for his PIP!

Thanks again

peteuk

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81950199#Comment_81950199

UC will not see “you only having a mobile” as an issue for them to consider. Most libraries have computers which you can access for free. The fact that you don’t know or can’t access statements doesn’t mean DWP have to take this into consideration.

As others have advised loosing PIP means you loose the benefits cap exception. Yes it’s that cut and dry, and no it doesn’t take into account your desire to challenge PIP. Switch the view, they pay you in full for the next year, and when your attempts to overturn the PIP decision fails, you now owe them everything you’ve been overpaid.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81950369#Comment_81950369

Yet again we have I “what I believe” v “realty” argument. I totally understand you feel hard done by, what you believe is wrong, might just be right. PIP is horrible, there is little in standardisation and leaves claimants like yourself confused.

If you see a consultant every 6 months, then why are you waiting for your next appointment. I assume you provided the last letter from your appointment and that is what PIP took as evidence. If you disagree with their understanding, waiting 2-3 months until you can discuss it with a consultant isnt going to change the PIP decision. Who in PIP said they would wait?

You’ll need to compare the two assessments as to why they believe you only score 4 points,are these the same activities you scored in at your last assessment?

Forget the MR, forget the you said you’d wait…go get help and take it to a tribunal.Good luck.

PS phoning PIP isn’t going to help, it will just get you more angry.

Bluenunn_in_the_north

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81950962#Comment_81950962

Thank you once more for the wise guidance. I'll request an extension to the appeal application to coincidence with my consultants letter on the 13th, or submit it on time and add evidence afterwards.

About 3 weeks difference between the dates. Best approach?