(ADP review) would this count as no change or change in circumstances?

Hobbit25

I've just been switched over from PIP (enhanced both parts) and due my ADP review in a couple of months. I got my PIP for mental health reasons as well some physical problems, mainly vertigo and drop attacks. I was last reviewed by PIP in 2021 (award stayed enhanced) and in March 2022, I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis and joint hyper mobility. I've been on methotrexate since and have just had my first assessment for biologics as well as waiting for physiotherapy.

I didn't report this to PIP as I was already scoring enhanced on both so it wouldn't have changed my award. Now that my ADP review is coming up, I'm unsure what to do as my original conditions that I claimed for are still there and haven't changed and even though I have been diagnosed with PsA, my needs haven't changed as I was already using aids I would be using for arthritis for things like my vertigo such as a walking stick, bath chair, railings, walked with an alteted gait and slowly etc and I already got points for those - 4 points for moving around, I got points for using aids to get in and out of the bath, I got a point for managing therapies etc. The only thing I didn't score on was taking nutrition and now I use adapted cutlery.

On the one hand, it seems obvious I need to report this as a change in circumstances since its a new condition but then I am unsure if it would count as that because I was already having difficulties with those descriptors and scoring for them so do I just put no change and explain in detail why my old conditions and then the new one affect those descriptors? I would understand if I were in a wheelchair now rather than using a walking stick, that would definitely be a change of circumstances. I hope this makes sense. I'm worried sick over it all. I've heard of people losing their ADP or PIP for reporting something new and I am terrified of rocking the boat. I'm probably over-complicating it all, too!

For evidence I have -

*GP records from my last PIP review until May 2024 (I'll ask for them this month so I have them in time)

*CPN letter from two years ago

*NHS and private psychologists reports from 2 years ago

*Rheumatology letters from consultant and nurse

*Podiatry letters and X rays (PsA started in my feet but now it's pretty much all over)

*ENT and neurology assessments about drop attacks

*Letter from DVLA confirming I had to surrender my licence due to health

*Husband has written a carers report and has diaries and goes through each descriptor with examples and references the evidence we've sent in and past evidence that hopefully DWP sent over

Any advice you could give would be most appreciated. I always worry over reviews but I'm worrying more about ADP as it's new and I don't know how it's going to go

poppy123456

For PIP it’s always advised to treat all claims as a new claim and I have no reason to believe that ADP is any different. The descriptors for both are identical. So yes, you should give as much relevant information as possible.

Including a couple of real world incidents of exactly what happened the last time you attempted each descriptor that applies to you is also advised. 

Hobbit25

poppy123456 said:

For PIP it’s always advised to treat all claims as a new claim and I have no reason to believe that ADP is any different. The descriptors for both are identical. So yes, you should give as much relevant information as possible.

Including a couple of real world incidents of exactly what happened the last time you attempted each descriptor that applies to you is also advised. 

Thanks for your reply, really appreciate it. From what I have heard, the ADP review form has two boxes and you either tick change or no change. My plan was to tick no change since despite having the new arthritis diagnosis, my needs haven't changed as I was still struggling to walk and using aids for other conditions and then I was going to send in a report with each descriptor saying how I still struggle with each one and add in how every condition I have (old and new) impact that and what help I need and examples of accidents and also send in the rheumatology stuff confirming PsA. I am debating whether to send in my medical records as they will be over 100+ pages as the ones I have from 2020 to 2022 are 70 pages alone! I want them to have all the evidence I have but I know too much can go against me but then I know ADP contact your GP (or maybe that is just for new claims, not sure about reviews?) so thought maybe sending in all my records would speed things up? Its hard to get a good grasp on what to do as there's not many people who have came through an ADP review yet with the backlogs. I do agree about treating it like a PIP review and like it was a new claim - I'm just worried about going into overkill mode when sending in evidence. I've heard all ADP reviews are light touch but not 100% sure on what that means.

Thanks again for your reply

BM65

When I did ADP review I just filled most of it out again. It is best I thought as the more info the better hopefully !!