At a loss please help

Posted , 3 users are following.

So, last year following my pip being withdrawn and then refused on reconsideration i was finally reinstated on appeal in court in october and awarded middle rate care until 05/17. Yesterday i received an assessment pack which is more than a year early. I have spoken to pip who state they can choose to do this at any point during my designated period of award....how can this be fair? Is this true? I have only had my claim active for 5 months....im so angry and confused.

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • Posted

    This is entirely normal for the DWP. They are reviewing PIP awards approx 1 year before the end date. They argue that it gives them 12 months to sort out a new award when the old one finishes.

    In reality it seems that it is a way of making you jump through more hoops.

    If you fail in the re-assessment your PIP will cease even if it is before the original end date.

    Hence the reason why I chose not to transfer from DLA to PIP - I just couldn't cope with what is happening to you and others like you. I'd sooner do without the money than play their silly little games.

    • Posted

      I just feel let down by the system...how can an appeals court overrule pip original decision and then pip are legally allowed to undermine the award and its timescale by reviewing a year in advance? Surely there is a legal standing where this is in breach?
    • Posted

      The law allows the DWP to re-assess anybody at anytime. Those that have any length of fixed term award award can expect to be reassesed at least once in that time frame. The regulations allow 'unplanned interventions' - as and when the DWP feel like carrying out a re-assessment and 'planned interventions' - approx 12 months before the fixed term award will finish.
  • Posted

    This seems to be normal. I got a letter today saying that I've been awarded until 16th March 2019. So I felt relieved at last until I got to the decision makers notes who stated that although my circumstances may change they will not review my case again until 16th March 2018. Still a two year worry free period so better news than some people have received but should definitely be made clearer that at any time from 16th March 2018 - 16th March 2019 I can be called for a review rather than putting the end date of claim in bold on the front page and the real more likely end date in small print at the end of a long paragraph about why I wasn't entitled to mobility component. The reasons for that were simply that at my home visit I walked freely to answer the door and back to the living room which is about ten metres all in and I showed no sign of breathlessness or pain nor am I on strong prescription only pain relief! They refer an awful lot to the undercover observations of assessor who clearly studies you from start to finish silently taking notes. My advice would be to not give eye contact and tell them you don't feel well/are in pain several times during medical. If you don't complain they don't care! So even if you're having a good day just play out in your head what a bad day looks like as they judge on how you are on that day only. I'm not saying lie completely but just give them a display of one if your worst days if having to have the assessment hasn't run you down enough that is! Hope it works out and you have a better assessor next time.

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