New PIP Claimant

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TommyUK

Hello everyone, my name is Tom and I am a 36-year-old who has struggled with social anxiety, depression, and mental health issues since childhood. I was in care until the age of 16 and five years ago, a car accident changed my life significantly. Additionally, almost three years ago, I had an accident at work which exacerbated my existing back issues from the car accident, impacting my daily activities such as personal hygiene, eating, and sleeping. The loss of my mother to a brain tumour in October added to the challenges I face.

I applied for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in May of 2023, shortly after being awarded Working Capability Benefits (Full Award) due to my health issues. Despite submitting all necessary documentation, I did not receive any communication from PIP until November 2023, when they informed me that my information had been lost and sent me a new form to complete. 

Here is the timeline of events related to my PIP claim:

- 20th November 23: received a phone call from PIP regarding my claim

- 22nd November 23: received 'How your disability affects you form' from DWP

- 11th December 23: DWP indicated that they had not received the completed form

- 19th December 23: confirmation of form submission

- 20th December 23: introduction from Independent Assessment Services (IAS)

- 18th January 24: confirmation that a health professional is reviewing my PIP claim

- 19th January 24: telephone consultation scheduled by IAS

- 8th February 24: completed a 120-minute telephone assessment with IAS

- 12th February 24: DWP received written report from PIP assessment

Currently, I have questions regarding the process:

1. Can I challenge any potential decision made by PIP based on their error in contacting me in November instead of processing my initial claim from May?

2. The written report indicated that I scored 15 points for Daily Living Component and 22 points for Mobility. Will the decision makers base their decision on this report or conduct their own assessment?

Any advice or insights from individuals who have navigated similar situations would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

poppy123456

1/ If successfully awarded and DWP acknowledged they had lost your file then it should be paid from when you first applied in May 2023. If they don't then you can challenge that decision by requesting the Mandatory Reconsideration. 

2/ Mostly they do but it has been known for them to go against it. Before making a decision the decision maker will look at everything you sent, including the PIP2 form and the assessment report and then make their decision. 

Timescales for decisions are up to 12 weeks after the report was returned.