PIP

Raeroman12

Hi, 
I applied for pip back in January and got help from Citizens Advice to complete the forms and was told I had a high scoring. 
I've just been declined any funding and with a zero points score for both parts.
I suffer with PTSD and severe anxiety/panic attacks.  I also have OA in my knee and hip pain and sciatica daily.
I'm 62 and have worked full time all my life. I have a monthly private pension of £750 a month which barely covers my rent and bills. 
I have just been awarded LCWRA and am waiting the amount to come through but won't expect anything due to my pension.
 Having never applied  for any financial assistance previously I feel totally defeated. 
How do I respond? 
Thanks in advance for any help or assistance.

poppy123456

PIP isn’t award based on any diagnosis. Whether there’s any entitlement will depend on how your conditions affect you.

You can challenge the decision by requesting a Mandatory Reconsideration. You have 1 month to request this, which you should put in writing stating where and why you think you should have scored those points. 

For UC as you’re aware your pension is deducted £1 for £1. Whether there’s any payments once the LCWRA element is included will depend on your circumstances. 

Have you looked at claiming New style ESA? It’s not means tested so other income, savings will not affect the amount you’re entitled to, apart from pensions of more than £85/week. For every £1/week  over this amount the ESA will be reduced by 50p/week. Whether there’s any entitlement will depend on your NI contributions in the previous 2 tax years so it will depend on how much you worked in those tax years. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-style-employment-and-support-allowance

If there’s any entitlement it will be deducted in full from any UC entitlement. 

Raeroman12

Thank you for your reply, its just such a minefield.
I will do the reconsideration letter as most of the report goes totally against what I wrote in the forms and what I said in my telephone interview. 
I was advised by job centre to not apply for esa but to apply for lcwra just going on advice, so il wait for my statement and take it from there.
Thanks again 

poppy123456

Raeroman12 said:

I was advised by job centre to not apply for esa but to apply for lcwra just going on advice, so il wait for my statement and take it from there.

I wouldn't take their word for it because they are not benefits advisors. If entitled to it, it can be very useful especially in situations like yours. 

£750/month pension is about £173/week. This would mean ESA would be reduced by £44/week. As you were found to have LCWRA for UC this would mean ESA Support Group and you would be entitled to extra money from the 14th week of your claim. 

The first 13 weeks you would be entitled to £90.50/week - £44 pension = £46.50/week.

From the 14th week it would increase to £138.20/week - £44 pension = £94.20/week. 

You can also backdate it to a maximum of 3 months. Depending on how much your UC is it maybe worth  claiming it. It just depends on the figures and your NI contributions in the last 2 tax years. 

Raeroman12

Thank you so much for the easy explanation.
I shall get on and apply for it see what happens. 

AndrewHall

Can you also apply for income related ESA?

poppy123456

AndrewHall said:

Can you also apply for income related ESA?

No, not anymore, Universal Credit has replaced it. It hasn’t been possible to claim this since Dec 2018.