PIP - new health condition

SJM2023

I was awarded PIP daily living, standard rate over 1 year ago for a physical condition, and UC LCWRA early June 2024 which i disclosed my physical condition as well as a recent new health condition regarding several mental health issues. I was awarded LCWRA due to my mental health.

My question is, do i have any obligation to inform the DWP/PIP straight away regarding my new health condition? My physical health condition hasn't changed at all.

I have been very reluctant to do this because i find the whole process very stressful as well as the very real possibility i could lose PIP at a new assessment based on if getting a bad assessor as i did previously with UC.

Also, i am aware of the uncertainty regarding PIP until hopefully the budget next month, and so I've been even more reluctant to start the process because of that.

I absolutely intend to inform them of my new health condition at some point, and the most likely outcome would be i get awarded enhanced rate, but it's still a risk to take, especially now that my financial situation has improved recently with the LCWRA award.

What would your advice be regarding this? My health work coach advised me early June to just leave it until i feel able to cope with the whole PIP assessment process again.

I don't want not informing them now to have any impact on when i eventually do.

I've been in a big dilemma what to do and my mental health is really bad atm.

Thanks

poppy123456

PIP isn’t awarded based on any diagnosis so you do not need to report any new health conditions.

If you report changes you will be sent another form to fill in and return. Once a decision is made your award could either remain the same, be decreased, increased or stop completely.

A new health condition or worsening of condition doesn’t automatically entitle you to more points for a higher award.

SJM2023

Thanks for your reply poppy, not sure what the other reply was about with that link!

Am i right in thinking, that if i inform PIP about a new health condition it will likely lead to a new PIP assessment?

JonnycJonny

You are right to be reluctant. PIP claimants should be cautious about informing the DWP about a change in their health condition.

Remember the descriptors - though overlapping in places - are different to those of the WCA. As you know PIP is not an out of work benefit - a large proportion of claimants are in work.

Unless you are absolutely certain you will be awarded extra points and are willing to go through the stress of another assessment I would err on the side of caution.

Either way I would obtain a copy of the WCA health assessor's medical report - UC85 - before making any decisions. You can then see what was behind the LCWRA recommendation. You can ask for this in your UC Journal.

The report could help you target possible overlapping areas under PIP - that is, if you were to choose to go ahead and inform the DWP about your change in circumstances. It is - as you say - a risk and may - or may not - open a can of worms.

Sorry to hear about your health deterioration and wish you all the very best.

SJM2023

Thanks for your reply, it's very helpful.

Yes, i already have a UC85 and so i can cross check everything when i eventually inform them of my new health condition.

Because of the stress and uncertainty about doing this, would leaving it all to my first PIP review in a year or so be a reasonable thing to do?

If i just informed them at the review stage about my new health condition, would that not be looked upon unfavourably based on the fact i would have had the new health condition for well over a year and it was disclosed on my UC assessment, or would it not really matter?

I really don't want to inform them about it until i really have to i suppose is what I'm saying for fear of losing PIP.

JonnycJonny

As Poppy has explained, a PIP award does not - in its current form at least - require a formal medical diagnosis so the fact that you suffer from a new unreported ailment would not go against you when it comes to any future review. The fact that it was disclosed at the time of the WCA is of no importance.