PERSONAL INDEPENDENCE PAYMENT

Information

WHAT IS PERSONAL INDEPENDENCE PAYMENT (PIP)?

PIP is a non means tested benefit that is awarded to people aged 16 to state pension age if they are affected by a long term condition or disability. It is assessed on how the condition affects your day to day life, not on the condition itself.

It is a common myth that you need a formal diagnosis to be eligible- this is not true. As long as you can evidence that you have a condition that is affecting you and have had or are waiting for investigations, you may still be eligible.

For children below the age of 16 please go to the DLA page.

For adults of state pension age, please go to the Attendance allowance page.

I THINK I MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE FOR PIP, WHAT NOW?

If you believe you may be eligible for PIP, as you have a long term condition or disability, you can arrange a free consultation call to discuss your potential eligibility, but also you should not delay in requesting an application form from the DWP.

This is best done by telephone on 0800 917 2222 . Lines are open Monday to Friday 8am-5pm.

You will need your national insurance number, GP details, Bank details of the account for the benefit to be paid in to, your contact details, and details of any time spent in hospital or abroad.

You will either be sent a paper form in the post that will arrive approximately 2 weeks later, or an online form that will usually arrive the same day.

You will have about 4 weeks to complete the form, gather any evidence and send back to the DWP. If you need more time, you can request an extension to the deadline.

It is important to meet the deadline (or extension) as if you have phoned for the form, any award will be backdated to the day you phoned for the form.

MY FORM HAS ARRIVED! HELP!

You have a number of options, you can complete the form yourself, ensuring you carefully consider the sections, and think about how you do each task step by step. It is easy to overlook challenges you may have, as you may have got used to a new or different way of doing things, and not recognise them as a challenge anymore. It is worth asking a friend or family member for their opinion, as they may see things from a different angle

You can request support from a charity such as CAB or Turn2Us who can offer support with form filling for free, and will have lots of experience with this.

Or you can make an appointment with me. I can look at your form as an assessor would, gently probe in to each task and look at where your difficulties may lie, and discuss those that are commonly overlooked that may affect you. I can advise on evidence to send in, can complete the form on your behalf and even post it tracked and signed for delivery.

The usual time it takes to support you in this way is about 2 hours.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Once your form has been sent off either by post or electronically, it can take 2- 8 weeks to hear anything back from the DWP. The most common responses are:

You have been given an appointment for an assessment

This can be face to face, by telephone, or by video call. You are given about 2 weeks notice for this. A healthcare professional will ask you more questions in relation to your conditions and the completed application form.

The other less common response is

"You have been awarded PIP".

If you receive this without having an assessment, this means an assessor has looked at the evidence you sent in and decided they had enough evidence to make a decision without carrying out a formal assessment. Sometimes, they will call you out of the blue, from a withheld number to clarify one or two points but it will not be like a full assessment.

You can take another adult to support you during an assessment.

I can also support you during an assessment. I would meet with you prior to help you prepare then advocate for you during the assessment. These can take from 45 minutes to 2 hours depending on the complexity of the case.

If you have used my services either for form filling and/or assessment attendance, I will happily review the decision free of charge to ensure the award is appropriate and fair.