Hi, my name is suebish! Is my PIP supposed to be backdated?

suebish

Hi everyone, I just joined and I have a question. 

I applied for PIP on December 23rd 2022. I have just received my award letter today, 8th December 2023. The letter says that I have been awarded PIP from December 23rd 2023 and my first payment will be on January 1st 2024. Do they not backdate it to when I first made my claim? I am a little confused. 

Thanks for your help. 

Sue. 

Rosie_Scope

Hello @suebish, welcome to the community. Hope you're doing well today.

I'm not too sure about this one but I'm going to move your post over to our PIP section where hopefully one of our members will be along shortly to offer some advice. Just wanted to pop in to welcome you and say hello!

poppy123456

There could be some possible reasons why it's not be paid from when you rang to start your claim. 

Did you transfer from DLA? Were you living in the UK for 2 out of the last 3 years when you rang to start your claim?

suebish

Hi, thank you for replying. I have not been on DLA or been out of the country. 

Thank you. 

poppy123456

Then you will need to ring them on Monday to ask them because they are the only ones that can tell you what's happened.

suebish

I will, thank you. 😊

Trixiebear

Here you go lovely, from the turn to us website. Check your bank regularly, as they usually just pay the backdated in. But yes you absolutely should get it.

When do Personal Independence Payment (PIP) payments start?

Your Personal Independence Payment (PIP) will start being paid after you receive your decision letter. Your decision letter tells you whether you qualify for PIP and how much you will get. Your PIP will be backdated to the date when you made the PIP claim, so you are likely to get a lump sum back payment.

This lump sum payment can be very large. The DWP might contact you and offer to pay it in instalments. This can be helpful if you have difficulty managing money. However, it is your choice whether you want the money as a lump sum or in instalments.

PIP is usually paid every four weeks.

poppy123456

@Trixiebear usually money owed goes into your bank before the decision letter is received. @suebish does mention anything at all about any money that's owed? Was this a Tribunal decision? That's an awful long time to wait for a decision for a new claim.

Trixiebear

That's right they do usually pay backdated in before you get the award letter, hope @suebish has checked her bank account, and I totally agree that's a disgusting length of time to wait for a decision. But she asked if they backdate payments and the answer is yes, tbh what other benefits or money you were in receipt of at the time of the claim,  or whether you were given the award at first try, appeal or tribunal makes no difference, they have to backdate from the date you put in the original claim, no matter how long ago it was, or the circumstances surrounding it, there's no get out clause for them. So yes @suebish you will get this money, you might have to call them to ask when your going to get it, but definitely not "if" you're going to get it. 

suebish

@Trixiebear thank you so much. I have checked my bank and nothing there yet. I got the letter this morning so maybe Monday. If not I will call them. 

Thanks again 😊

suebish

@poppy123456 thank you. Yes it’s a terrible amount of time to wait! 2 weeks shy of 1 year. Just awful. 

Thank you 😊 

poppy123456

Trixiebear said:

 tbh what other benefits or money you were in receipt of at the time of the claim,  or whether you were given the award at first try, appeal or tribunal makes no difference, they have to backdate from the date you put in the original claim, no matter how long ago it was,

That's not exactly correct, which is why i asked these questions here in my first comment..

poppy123456 said:

Did you transfer from DLA? Were you living in the UK for 2 out of the last 3 years when you rang to start your claim?

Although that doesn't apply here but there are people that transferred from DLA and for those there's no money owed from the date you start your PIP claim.

suebish said:

@Trixiebear thank you so much. I have checked my bank and nothing there yet. I got the letter this morning so maybe Monday. If not I will call them. 

Thanks again 😊

In the decision letter for money that's owed it should tell you how much will be paid into your bank and when. Does it say anything like that?

suebish

@Trixiebear it doesn’t say anything about back pay. But it says that as from 23rd December 2023 I am entitled to pip. But it was 23rd December 2022 when I first called to claim so I’m wondering if there has been a mix up somewhere. 

poppy123456

suebish said:

@Trixiebear it doesn’t say anything about back pay. But it says that as from 23rd December 2023 I am entitled to pip. But it was 23rd December 2022 when I first called to claim so I’m wondering if there has been a mix up somewhere. 

Sounds like to me that they have indeed made an error in the year.. 2023, when it should have been 2022. 

As advised, you will need to ring them on Monday when they open at 9am. 

Trixiebear

It does sound like that's a  typo, it's only the 9th Dec today, that sounds like they're saying your not entitled to it for the next 12 days but in exactly 12 days time you're suddenly going to go from not eligible to eligible, that makes no sense you would be eligible for regular payments from the date they made the decision and eligible for back pay from the date you made the application which ironically happens to be the exact date they've stated just the wrong year, I would give them a ring on Monday and get them to clarify exactly what date your going to get your first payment and when you'll get the backdated payment, and can they clarify the exact start and end date of the award period they'll probably say they'll send out the new award letter with the correct info on, but if they don't, ask them to send it again just to make sure you've got a correct record of what the dates are, and the payment amount in case you need to produce you're award letter for anything else in future. I know its a pain having to call them but they'll be able to check their records and see the mistake straight away and rectify it for you. Would love yo know how it goes x

suebish

@poppy123456 thanks I’ll definitely ring them on Monday. 

@Trixiebear I will let you know what happens for sure. Thanks 😊 

Trixiebear

I would wish you luck but I really don't think you'll need it, sounds like a mistakes been made, easily sorted and all the backdated will be sat in your account soon xxx