Sending PIP review form - recorded delivery or not? What to do?

ChrisSCOPEhtfc94

Going to be sending a PIP review form back next week after we’ve had help to fill it in, but I don’t know if if it should be sent back using a recorded delivery service for peace of mind? They want you to get stuff back to them quickly yet, they only provide a 2nd class envelope. 

It’s going to an address with Mail Handling Site A or B in its address, something like that. Would there be someone there to sign for it? 

poppy123456

Sending recorded delivery is a complete waste of time. This is because when sending anything to DWP it has to go through a Mail sorting process with Royal Mail. It will be signed for in bulk by someone at the sorting office. 

It’s not classed as arriving with DWP until it’s been added to the computer, which can take a couple of weeks.

All you need is proof of posting which is free from any post office. This is all the proof you need, that you sent it to them. 

Cher_Alumni

Hi @ChrisSCOPEhtfc94 and a warm welcome to our online community, how's your Friday going?

I hope Poppy's response has assured you that it's not necessary to pay for recorded delivery. Feel free to save your money and be sure to get that free proof of postage 

Take care and if you have any other questions, please fire away. 

ChrisSCOPEhtfc94

What we’re going to do is send the brown envelope using 1st class. We’ll pay for some 1st class stamps at the Post Office and the number 2 (for 2nd class) in the corner of the envelope will be covered by the stamps. We’re not going to use recorded delivery. Whatever amount of stamps it needs it just needs. It is what it is but 1st class will be better than 2nd class. 1st class is faster. 

DWP want things back to them yet it’s only a 2nd class envelope - absolutely stupid if you ask me. They should have provided a 1st class envelope. 

ChrisSCOPEhtfc94

I wish reviews weren’t part of the process, not been the same person since the dreaded form (albeit it’s a shorter one) came yesterday. I’m severely autistic, it’s been on my mind a lot. Looking forward to getting it sent back to them next week when it’s been filled in with some help. Hopefully then when I hear back I’ll pass with flying colours, I want to be left alone for a long, long time. It’s not like my difficulties are going to get any better, I have them for life. There’s no cure for autism.

OverlyAnxious

1st class isn't actually any faster than 2nd class for the majority of the time.  It's usually just a waste of money.

If you do wish to send the form by 1st class, it will be a 'Large Letter' because of the A4 envelope, and you will need to weigh it as cost depends on weight for those.  It will take at least 2x 1st class stamps.  (Adding to £2.20)  Or you can buy specific 'large letter' stamps instead. 

The alternative is to order postage online and print it off yourself if you have a printer.  When you do that, you get an order number, which can be used for partial tracking.  Royal Mail don't class it as a tracking number, but I often use it to make sure that even the most basic 2nd class items reach their destination.

ChrisSCOPEhtfc94

@Cher_Scope Extension granted of 2 weeks, won’t need to worry now about it not getting there in time before the old deadline which didn’t seem too far away. Just going to send it in the normal 2nd class envelope with no upgrade to 1st class or to a recorded delivery.

while on the PIP enquiry phone line it sounded like from the advisor that we won’t have to fill in the sections to do with activities with full sentences if there have been no changes in the circumstances. We were told we could just write “no change” and that if we put full sentences it would make the case manager’s job harder. They’d have to start comparing it all with what they’ve got on system about you. What the advisor told us, does that sound correct?

ChrisSCOPEhtfc94

If the advisor from the PIP enquiry line wasn’t right surely she wouldn’t have said what she said. She’s meant to be an advisor after all.

ChrisSCOPEhtfc94

It’s just that in life people can give different advice, we don’t all give the same bit of advice. This is about an actual advisor from the PIP enquiry line, giving the advice that if my circumstances are still the same for each activity then the wording “no change” can be written than having to put full sentences in the boxes. 

poppy123456

ChrisSCOPEhtfc94 said:

If the advisor from the PIP enquiry line wasn’t right surely she wouldn’t have said what she said. She’s meant to be an advisor after all.

The person you spoke to was someone from a call centre who has likely got no personal knowledge or experience of the benefits system. They are not advisors.

I agree that sending 1st class is no faster than 2nd class because all mail goes to a mail sorting centre first, which i explained in my first comment. It's not classed as arriving with DWP until it's been added to the computer.

ChrisSCOPEhtfc94

@poppy123456 then it sounds like the boxes for the activities will have to be filled in & not simply say “no change”, but we’re getting help next Wednesday from someone from the local council/Citizens Advice. She’s going to be doing a home visit to help us fill in the form. She’ll know how to word stuff to do with the circumstances being the same for each activity. 

I do wish next Wednesday would hurry up, it’s like I’m wishing my life away because of it being on my mind. Yeah you only get one life but it is like I’m wishing my life away. Hurry up next Wednesday. Can’t help because of how bad my autism is. 

ChrisSCOPEhtfc94

@poppy123456 we’ve got an extension now, that was granted, so we don’t have worry now about it getting back in time, the old deadline felt too near. We didn’t want to have any fears that it wouldn’t get there in time, especially because there’s a bank holiday coming up on 8th May. 

Old deadline - 14th May. New deadline - now 28th May. 

We’ll just be using the same brown 2nd class envelope and no 1st class stamps or using recorded delivery.

poppy123456

You should always treat any claim as a new claim and put as much information as possible, without telling your life story. Never just put no change and nothing else.

ChrisSCOPEhtfc94

@poppy123456 thanks so much for your advise, it sounded too good to be true what that person from the PIP phone line said. Yeah the form is more basic but I still had a strong feeling that the boxes for the activities could not be just left virtually empty with wording “no change”. 

We’ll be explaining stuff in detail. That person who’s coming to help fill it in will know exactly how to explain stuff. We won’t be saying that stuff has changed because things haven’t changed. We’ll give the strong impression that I am still very much the same person for the activities.

surfygoose

Poppy you are so knowledgeable. I love reading your replies. I am learning a lot from you! That’s interesting to know about proof of posting and not recorded delivery. Mum and dad were always thinking paying at post office was better idea and we didn’t know that information you put. That’s good to know.
I never put No Change in boxes either. We never had advice about it but we always just filled out every question fully each time and sent the latest care plans and other paperwork, even if the information was mostly the same we still sent the latest care plan seeing as they are reviewed regularly so had the newer date on confirming it is current and correct.