Pip award after change of circumstances

RikiM

Hi,

I'm hoping someone can help make a decision on appealing my latest pip award which they reviewed after I told them about a change of circumstances.

So, my pip was up for renewal in spring of 2025. I was receiving enhanced for mobility and standard for daily living. I have been receiving them since 2020. I reported a change of circumstances in July 2024 because I have lost my hearing in both ears and as it's on my doctor's records and I have never mentioned it to pip I thought I would do the right thing and report it.

Well I chased this up last week to be told they had made a decision the day before I phoned. I now have been awarded enhanced rate for daily living and nothing for mobility. I find this all very strange as my support worker filled the form in and to the questions about my mobility and mental health she wrote no change as answers. I think it told you to do that anyway on the form. Whilst I was on the phone I was told I could appeal the decision. So what I want to know is, if I appeal about not receiving any mobility, even though my circumstances have not changed, will they look at both again or just the mobility. I have googled it and can't find any information on this.

Also, my 4 weekly payment was due yesterday but it was not given to me. I phoned again, another 50 minutes wait, and was told my next payment will be December 13th a month away. They said my award has gone to a debt recovery team and could take 8 days to be looked at. I don't owe them any money and asked but never got a straight answer. So I don't know really what's happening.

My situation is that I'm homeless, living in a van. I have no heating or cooking facilities and rely on the van to charge my phone whilst driving. I told the person on the phone that I had little money and needed that money to survive on. The reply was to phone universal credit but I told him I'm already paying off a budgeting loan that I needed in summer for van repairs.

Anyway, I had to tell the man I was putting the phone down because I was becoming distressed with my mental health and didn't want to say anything abusive so I did put the phone down.

I'm at a loss what to do. I don't know if I should appeal as I'm worried about losing the enhanced rate for daily living as well as the mobility if the appeal goes wrong.

Also, I'm not going to manage until the 23rd of this month until I receive my universal credit, so what do I do in the meantime. Just to add I have no family or friends and all alone.

I'm hoping someone can help me make more sense of what's gone off and would appreciate the help.

Thank you kindly in advance.

Albus_Scope

Hey @RikiM sorry to hear you're having such confusing with the DWP. If you ask for a MR (mandatory reconsideration, which is the step before an appeal) then they will look at both the daily living and the mobility. But I'd say never to put "no change" as often they wont have looked at previous awards, so it's best to fill everything out in full, to give them a full picture on how your disabilities affect you daily.
As for asking for an appeal, if you believe you should be receiving enhanced, then apply! It wont happen quickly, but at least it will all be back paid and you will receive your current award until the decision is made.

With regard to the debt team, if you currently owe the DWP money, for instance the loan to fix your van, they'll often take that money from any lump sums coming you way from other benefits. It could be worth you calling UC on Monday to explain your situation, you may be able to come to some sort of an agreement.
Have you spoken to anyone at the Trussel Trust or Shelter regarding food and warmth?

RikiM

Hi,

Thank you for your support.

If a do a MR will they look at the daily living as well because it's only my mobility that I'm appealing against ?

I'm finding it difficult to deal with at the moment because my mental health is unstable and my circumstances are not helping either.

I will contact UC on Monday to see if they can help further but I'm already paying off my budgeting loan monthly so don't understand they would want it all paid back in one go ? I will have to wait until I get my award letter and take it from there.

I have not contacted anyone about my homelessness as I've still got a little amount of money to get by for the next few days but thank you for your suggestion.

shazzle88

Hiya can i ask did you have an assessment? Ive just put in for a change if circumstances and im terrified?xx

RikiM

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/941825#Comment_941825

Hiya,

Yes, I had a telephone assessment which I asked to be recorded. They sent me a link by email to download it once finished.

I was feeling the same as you. The gentleman who called me was very understanding of this. Just don't rush your replies and take your time. Although I didn't get my mobility award I now know that was down to my support worker not answering those questions and just writing no change. I did wonder at the time if she was doing the right thing but trusted her decision.

However I did get enhanced rate until 2028 so I did ok in expressing my disabilities to him.

I'm sure you will be ok.

RikiM

shazzle88

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/942058#Comment_942058

Aawww im really glad you got it sorted in the end im so nervous about it but thankyou for your kind words x

RikiM

Hi Summer love, cool username by the way.

Thank you for your reply. What you say is exactly what I'm thinking. You have no idea who's going to pick up the MR and could go against me leaving me with another battle and I've enough to deal with at the moment by being homeless and other issues in my life.

I will be down around £40 a week but that's better than being down the whole lot I suppose.

If I could appeal just the mobility I would but it seems like I can't do that.

Thanks again.

RikiM

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/942068#Comment_942068

Hiya,

Thank you and you are welcome. Best of luck with your assessment.

RikiM

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/942072#Comment_942072

Hi summerlove,

I know to well the feeling of imprisoned. Seems like you deal with it well or at least with some positivity. That's good.

I have welcomed your advice, thank you, and I'm sure you are right and I'm going to leave things as they are. The extended award is a big piece of mind and I'm lucky to have a good support network around me that helped me get that.

Thank you again for your support, it means a lot. Riki.

chiarieds

Hi @RikiM - yes, with a MR another decision maker will look at your whole award again, & tho it often stays the same, it's very rare indeed for your award to decrease. Often people then proceed to a tribunal if it stays the same. If the tribunal feel your award, could in their opinion, be lowered, then they'll warn you in advance, so you wouldn't proceed.

I appreciate things are difficult for you, & tho a MR (then possibly a tribunal) take time, you actually have little to lose as far as your current award goes. With a MR, depending on your circumstances, you can also simply just ask for a longer award if you say you're happy with your current award, & only want the length of your award to be looked at, & can show that you're disability is long lasting & unlikely to improve.

RikiM

Hi @chiarieds

Thank you for your detailed reply.

I do find it very strange that I have received no points for mobility as before I was receiving enhanced rate. I'm sure it's because my support worker just wrote 'no change' to the questions about my mental health and never went into detail.

I will read my award letter when it arrives and post why they came to that decision.

Thank you again. Riki.

chiarieds

Hi @RikiM - you're welcome. Yes, you should never just put 'no change' without detailing exactly what hasn't changed, so it's a shame your support worker wrote this. Hopefully this may get changed with your MR, so you receive the mobility component. I just wanted you to know that your current award is very unlikely to decrease if you do a MR.

RikiM

Hi chiarieds,

At least I know now what to do next time, thank you.

I think my support worker read on the form that if nothing has changed to put that. Not to worry anyway as a support worker got me pip in the first place as I didn't know anything about it so more than grateful for there help.

Just a update on my missing payment last Friday. I telephoned debt management on Monday to see why my award has gone over to there department. They told me nothing was on file so I called pip again. I explained my situation that I'm homeless, living in a van and needed that payment for diesel and food. They went out of there way to help me. I received a call back from the manager and she would try and contact debt management and resolve it that day. Well she was as good as her word and did. Not only a call back but a payment that day to cover the missed payment. The following day I received another call to make sure I had received the payment and I was ok and also told me next Monday my arrears would be paid to me and the amount. I can't fault them for the help they gave me along with the kindness shown along the way I felt that someone cared and they did. I've never had a bad experience before and those agents those days were brilliant and never let me down.

I wonder if everyone gets the same experience ?

Thanks.