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More bad advice

bluefox

I’ve spoken to another welfare rights officer who said about, when reporting new conditions to the DWP, that you must make them aware. So I said but I thought you couldn’t get a higher award anyway I mentioned my suspected asthma and she said, that wouldn’t stop you from working and I said, so why would I need to report ADHD? That doesn’t necessarily stop someone from working, as I have a support for employment letter for modifications/adjustments?

I appreciate the advice given here. However the advice does appear to differ and it’s still a source of confusion.

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Comments

bg844

When you have been given appropriate advice here why do you consistently ask other groups/advisors?

If you are receiving the highest award of benefit and your condition gets worse or you have a new condition, there’s no need to report any changes and it is a waste of your and the DWP’s time.

poppy123456

I have to completely agree with this.

bg844 said:

When you have been given appropriate advice here why do you consistently ask other groups/advisors?

If you are receiving the highest award of benefit and your condition gets worse or you have a new condition, there’s no need to report any changes and it is a waste of your and the DWP’s time.

You really should stop asking the same questions in various places. Like i advised on another thread of yours, you can go ahead and report the changes if you want to but you will be sent more forms to fill in and return and another assessment will most likely be needed.

OverlyAnxious

Advice differs everywhere. You'll get multiple answers if you keep searching on any topic. All you can do is use your best judgement on the information you've got at the time.

I'm generally pretty good at finding stuff online so if I have to email someone directly to ask something, that's because the info isn't readily available. Yet the vast majority of info I get in reply to emails is incorrect!! Some people are ignorant, some are incompetent, some give outdated advice, some give personal advice that doesn't apply to everyone, some have minimal training and just supply generic info, others do really want to help but lack understanding... Overall, I've almost given up asking now. If I can't find the info from a reliable source online, I'll just do what I think best at the time and then try to manage any consequences of doing so in future.

MH2023

I think it's poor advice and poor form to tell someone not to ask questions else where. It is always a good idea to question advice given and double check for your own understanding.
On a forum it would be very difficult for anyone advising to understand all of the nuances and implications of someone's question which a welfare rights officer or face-to-face benefits specialist might have.

That said, the advice given here has been correct. While the official line from DWP is report all changes, if your change has no impact on your claim there is no obligation to do so. As already stated, if you are already in receipt of the highest possible award, a deterioration in your condition is of little consequence so there is no need to report. Especially if the change is a formal diagnosis of a condition, the symptoms of which I imagine were present during your initial claim.

poppy123456

MH2023 said:

I think it's poor advice and poor form to tell someone not to ask questions else where.

In this instance i disagree because the OP is just continuing to confuse himself. They've asked the same questions over many different threads and the advice has been the same in all of them.

When they go elsewhere and are advised to report the changes when they already have the highest award is very poor advice.

2oldcodgers

To settle this issue for my own interest as I have enhanced both for PIP can anybody point me to the law/act in question. That surely is the best advice.

poppy123456

2oldcodgers said:

To settle this issue for my own interest as I have enhanced both for PIP can anybody point me to the law/act in question. That surely is the best advice.

I’m not aware of it being part of the PIP legislation. You can see it here https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/377/made

If you already have Enhanced for both parts and if your conditions get worse then it wouldn’t be logical to report the changes. It doesn’t matter how many more points you score, you can’t have a higher award than you already have. Therefore it’s quite obvious that no changes need to be reported. Why would you put yourself through another assessment needlessly?

If health conditions improve then it’s completely different.

bg844

I completely agree with the comment above mine and I know a Decision Maker does too.

bluefox

So if your condition gets worse: you have to tell PIP?

poppy123456

bluefox said:

So if your condition gets worse: you have to tell PIP?

No! A worsening of condition doesn’t mean you’re entitled to more points for a higher award. What award do you currently have? I know you have standard mobility for not being able to go on any journey the majority of the time.

JBS2022

There are many forums that provide incorrect advice regarding benefits, this site is one of the best for reliable advice regarding all benefits. Just be careful what forums you use.

Lou67

@bluefox
Iv read a few of your posts and you have been given the best advice possible, over and over again.

As mentioned above if you’re on highest award, and reported a change off circumstances, you could possibly end up with a lower award.After a new assessment.

So hopefully you can put your mind at rest by knowing you do not have to report it.

bluefox

poppy123456 said:

bluefox said:

So if your condition gets worse: you have to tell PIP?

No! A worsening of condition doesn’t mean you’re entitled to more points for a higher award. What award do you currently have? I know you have standard mobility for not being able to go on any journey the majority of the time.

Standard living though I think they scored me wrongly for social support.

I got 2 points but I’ve read that a partner or friend can act as a social worker, so it should be 4 points.

L_Volunteer

Oh no @bluefox

This sounds really gutting. Did you explain and evidence the social support a partner/friend provides you with?

Also, would you like to tell us a little more about how you are currently feeling about everything?

We are here for you and listening to you if you would like to share more with us. Please don't hesitate to let us know if there's anything we can do to support you

2oldcodgers

It would seem that a change of circumstances is not covered by the PIP legislation. However according to the DWP you are required to notify a change either if it is a worsening or an improvement. I take and understand the view that a worsening and you are already on the highest award would make no difference. But from what I read it is not for the individual claimant to make the decision to not notify in those circumstances it is for the DWP to decide if the change is likely to result in no change in award.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP): Change of circumstances - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

poppy123456

2oldcodgers said:

It would seem that a change of circumstances is not covered by the PIP legislation. However according to the DWP you are required to notify a change either if it is a worsening or an improvement. I take and understand the view that a worsening and you are already on the highest award would make no difference. But from what I read it is not for the individual claimant to make the decision to not notify in those circumstances it is for the DWP to decide if the change is likely to result in no change in award.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP): Change of circumstances - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Your views on this are simply not correct. The adviced on gov.uk is very misleading, if a person already has the highest award then reporting changes for a worsening of condition would make no difference, so logically, why would you want to report changes.

I'm currious, have you posted here under a different username in the past? Your comments are starting to sound very familiar...

JBS2022

If you are already getting the maximum award there is no reason to report any changes.

bluefox

So if you’re on the lowest award and your condition worsens, you’ve got to inform PIP for a higher award????

poppy123456

bluefox said:

So if you’re on the lowest award and your condition worsens, you’ve got to inform PIP for a higher award????

No!!! As has been advised so many times a worsening condition of condition doesn’t automatically entitle you to more points for a higher award!!

chiarieds

If you report a 'change of circumstance' as already mentioned, then your whole award would be looked at again; you'd have to complete a new claim form & have another assessment. There would be absolutely no guarantee that anyone would get a higher award even if their condition had worsened. This is why it's usually advised on here not to do this unless more points would likely be added to either make an award, or change an award from the standard to enhanced rate.