PIP now age 65 & health changes

Flossytreadwell

Hello , I was awarded basic PIP a few months ago. I'm now 65 and have been diagnosed with Hyper Paratyphoid on top of my existing health issues. My Kappa lights were too high and out of range and current investigations are now going on. This explains why I'm finding walking more difficult and just exhausted all the time. Becoming very forgetful with medication & finding traveling very confusing now. I got lost trying to get to a hospital appointment. 
My question is now I have reached 65 on June 17th what happens with PIP. Am I meant to tell them about the new health issues or is it not PIP I deal with anymore? I have been awarded until 2030.

poppy123456

Reaching 65 doesn't mean anything because state pension age is now 66. Even when you do reach this age PIP will continue for as long as you remain entitled to it. PIP isn't about a diagnosis so you don't need to ring them to tell them this.

Reporting changes will mean more forms will be sent out to you for you to fill in and return. Another assessment is most likely because most people have them. Once a decision is made your award could either increase, decrease, stay the same or stop completely.

Conditions getting worse doesn't automatically entitle you to more points for a higher award.

Hannah_Alumni

Hello @Flossytreadwell

Welcome to the community!  

I see Poppy has answered your query, I hope that's eased your mind a little more. I was concerned to hear you are in so much pain, finding walking difficult and were forgetting medications. Can I ask, do you have support around you? 

Flossytreadwell

Thank you so much for your response. I was informed by PIP that PIP cannot be changed after I reach 65 because they were urging me to put in more information to receive mobility and said I only have until I'm 65 to do that. So checking online it does indeed say PIP can't be applied for after age of 65 even though pension age is now 66. So still confused. Because if this is the case do I contact PIP to make changes even though I'm over the age for new claim? They said to email changes to them back then but as I'm now 65 I thought there would be different procedure. It's confusing and I am slower to understand due to the affects of my conditions. Online information varies so I thought I'd get a clear answer here. However age 65 is the age for PIP not 66 even though that is pension age. 

calcotti

Flossytreadwell said:

Thank you so much for your response. I was informed by PIP that PIP cannot be changed after I reach 65 because they were urging me to put in more information to receive mobility and said I only have until I'm 65 to do that. 

That is not correct.
Daily Living can be varied at any age. The mobility component cannot be increased after pension age (currently 66, not 65) but even PIP mobility can change after pension age if the impact being considered can be demonstrated to have started before pension age.

The web site you have referred to is has clearly not been updated.

See government information
https://www.gov.uk/pip/eligibility
"You must also be under State Pension age"

Flossytreadwell

Hannah, thank you for your concern. It makes a huge difference to have response from someone who cares. I live alone and it's becoming more of a struggle. I do have a good GP trying to make up for the bad one I left last October. My issues were all spinal and I was shocked at the bone pain because osteoporosis isn't meant to be painful. However I've just been diagnosed with Hyperparathyroidism (I also have hypothyroidism) & the endocrinologists requested my Dexa scan, which is very revealing. However my old Gp never gave it to my new GP and didn't add it to my online NHS account. My new Gp just called to say the copy I took there on request isn't clear enough. I had to plead for a print out myself so it is pretty shabby. I put in a complaint to NHS england about the old GP who lied on her response. They also sent across information stating I was under psychiatrist for 3 decades. I only ever once saw one and he said the stress I'd gone through losing my home and partner leaving me homeless with a child was why I was stressed and understandable. NHS england can see many complaints about the particular GP so wasn't difficult to show I had been treated badly. However, they are still interfering with my health holding up the endocrinologist. Meanwhile I'm getting heart palpitations terrible incontinence & a lot of pain plus skin conditions seen in Amyloidosis. I wasn't awarded mobility because I said I could walk further than 50 meters if I stop and rest. I can't do this often but on good days I can. So I didn't make the 8 points. I'm not sure if I should ask for a social provider I believe they're called. All the information gets so confusing and they make it frightening to ask for change of circumstances as they warn all the award could be lost.

Hannah_Alumni

I'm so sorry that you had to go through that with your old GP, to the point of putting in a complaint! I hope the outcome is favourable for you and they are held accountable. Can your new GP not push a little more with the endocrinologist? I would also suggest calling their secretary, if you know which consultant you are seeing. If they have a cancellation list, you may get seen quicker. 

Is you GP aware of the newer symptoms coming up? 

If you feel you need support, you can apply for a needs assessment. They would help with things like shopping, cleaning and any adaptations needed to your home. If your award was in the last month, you can apply for mandatory reconsideration too. 

If you ever feel you need to talk to someone through all of this, Scope have so many lovely advisers on our Helpline