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PIP Ongoing Award Critera

Rumbler303

Hello there,

I'm curious on this 'Ongoing Award' criteria which has a light touch review every 10 years.

I've been awarded PIP 2 months ago, and I'm going to keep this as a 2 year award for now, but I may upon reassessment ask the health practitioner about this.

Does anyone know what the criteria is to fit into this? I can't see my needs ever changing since I have autism, and I'm always going to need that extra support, but I'm not sure if that's enough for it to classify as a severe, lifelong condition?

Thanks.

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Rumbler303

Woops, seems I've placed this into Universal Credit, could this be moved please? Thanks.

Mary_Scope

Hi @Rumbler303

It may be because the assessor believed that even though you have a diagnosis and support needs, they were not severe or high enough to be awarded an ongoing reward.

Even though autism itself doesn't change, how it impacts your daily life and mobility can vary so in order for the ongoing reward you need to demonstrating the severity and stability of your limitations.

Hope that was helpful!

Rumbler303

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1008359#Comment_1008359

Hello @Mary_Scope thanks for your reply, yes that seems to be the way it has gone.

However, I don't see most of the descriptors changing for me long-term, might you suggest getting another note from the Doctor saying that these will be affected long-term and will stay the same? I don't really get what "severe" means or how it would apply, but for most of the points I know they'll stay the same for a long time.

Additionally, with regards to getting the "Ongoing Award," is it true that you need Enhanced in both Daily Living and Mobility? I don't have Physical mobility issues, so maybe I don't even need to worry since if I'm not in Enhanced physical mobility, then I won't be entitled.

Thanks.

Mary_Scope

Hi again @Rumbler303

If you believe that you should have been awarded different award or a longer award time, you can do a mandatory reconsideration but this can sometimes be a bit risky as they look at the whole award again.

If you do decide to do this, you can ask your doctor to write a note about how certain things are long term and will stay the same for you as medical evidence.

Yes that is usually the case for ongoing reward as most people are in receipt of enhanced in both categories.

Rumbler303

Hello @Mary_Scope no I don't think I want to do an MR and risk losing what I have right now, I'm okay with waiting until a Review.

Ahh okay, but is it possible to get Enhanced in Daily Living and Basic in Mobility and still get the 'ongoing award' though? I can go to my Doctor in about 2 years when I'm due for a review and can ask him to write something.

Could you please tell me though what the 'severe' part means? Severity seems to be quite subjective, but all I know is that these are going to apply long-term.

Mary_Scope

Hi @Rumbler303

Yes it is possible but most people on ongoing award do have both enhanced mobility and daily care but having medical evidence like a doctors note will be helpful.

For PIP, severe refers to the level of difficulty a person has with everyday tasks or getting around due to a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability.

For example, those who need a considerable amount of assistance or pose a significant risk to their safety would be seen as having a severe high level of need.

Rumbler303

Hi @Mary_Scope I know that I need a lot of prompting and assistance, and I know that for mobility I could have issues crossing the road, or losing my way due to cognitive issues.

Perhaps I can have a discussion with my GP when the time comes and ask for his perspective on it, and ask politely if he can recommend that I have an ongoing award due to my ASD and also having limited capabilities to work?

Perhaps asking my Doctor for his perspective would help, and hopefully he can recommend that I should have an ongoing award since the descriptors are not going to go away?

Thanks.

Rumbler303

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-fact-sheets/pip-handbook

Ongoing awards with a ‘light touch’ review

This is for claimants who have:

very stable needs which are unlikely to change over time
high level needs which will either stay the same or get worse
a planned award review date due on or at State Pension age
a special rules for end of life claim due when of State Pension age

These claimants would not usually be expected to have a face-to-face assessment at review.

If any of these apply, it's possible to get it? I'd say I get very stable needs which are unlikely to change over time.

Rumbler303

https://www.socialwelfaretraining.co.uk/light-touch-reviews-pip

Claimants would need to show either

very stable needs which are unlikely to change over time

high level needs which will either stay the same or get worse

a planned award review date due on or at State Pension age

It seems that it can be any of these? @Mary_Scope . But getting this backed up with a Doctor's note would help I think.

Government_needs_reform

@Rumbler303

For context. In the current system, people receive an ongoing award in PIP if the impact of their health condition or disability is not likely to change in the long-term, or if they have the highest level of award and the impact of their condition is only likely to get worse.

Ongoing awards can be given at any award level in PIP.

I'm on an ongoing award and they had plenty of medical evidence to prove I will never improve . I'm now retired and due a review "light touch" in Oct 27, I will be getting the form AR2 and won't need an assessment.

There is no magic bullet if you will ever receive an ongoing award I'm afraid.

Rumbler303

@Government_needs_reform I may ask my doctor to write me something as I don't see my level of needs changing, ever, since I have ASD. I can always ask the next time reassessment comes and if my GP is kind enough to write me something. Thank you for your time in explaining.

anisty

@Rumbler303 - what kind of age are you, if you don't mind my asking (just an approximate, if you think i'm being a bit nosey here!)

We have chatted quite a lot and I have it in my head you're round about your 30s - but that's not at all from anything other than i know you have worked before (so i guess you're not early 20s)

You seemed keen to get LCWRA so i guessed you're not 60s

And you live with parents. I guessed you'd probably have moved out by now if you were in your 40s or 50s.

So - after that totally unnecessary explanation of how i have guessed you might be in your 30s, i will come to my point!

If you do happen to be in your 30s, you are doing yourself down FAR too early!! Even if you're 40s. Have you chatted to your parents about their thoughts on this?

They might be able to help you get the support you need to get living again. Please don't stay on this path of almost wishing for lifelong disability.

Autism is not always disabling. Yes, of course i understsnd that it is challenging to live with but you seem like an intelligent person to me and I know you get these anger outbursts but they could get fewer as you get older.

You could get help there to learn some strategies to manage them.

Understand yourself better so that you do not overwhelm yourself with challenge and focus on all the things you can do. I'm not at all talking about work either - you have a break from that now you're in LCWRA.

I am talking about a mindset change! Do you really need a doctor to say there's no chance of improvement? Is that really what you want to hear? That is devastating for anyone to come to terms with.

And, with autism, it absolutely is not true! You CAN learn new skills. You can set goals and have plans and do so much. But you have to believe that. And you're going to need support.

I wonder if you have anxiety and perhaps some depression all stirred up by these government proposals and it's more that you want a guarantee that your benefits will pay out life long? That is an understandable fear.

Maybe you need to have a good talk with your parents and see what financial provisions they have planned for you.

Your GP does not have a crystal ball. If i am way off the mark with your age, and you are in your 50s/60s plus and have been very stable for many years then he might write the letter you want.

Otherwise, how can he know? You really can take charge of your life, you know. Work out what is tricky and what you're good at. What you want to do short term and long term.

And there is help out there. If your parents won't help, your GP can signpost you to help. Just be mindful that you're not getting stuck in a rut of negative thinking and low motivation. Make the most of who you are!

Rumbler303

Hello @anisty I've pretty much been bullied all my life through school, work and also through relationships. I did leave a brief message about my struggles that you may not have seen, but I've been bullied at work recently well because of my ASD and I'm actually going to court over it and also taking legal action against the individuals involved — I'm pretty much done in as it stands, it was very severe harassment. My Union is supporting me as they've discriminated. I've been diagnosed with PTSD and I'm pretty much living it every day and have been for a year and a half now.

I've never really coped well with 5 days of working but I'm not against going back to work, but I think I need to do something much lighter, I'm nearly 30 now. To be honest with what I've been through, and although I won't tarnish everyone with the same brush, but I'm afraid to say I've met more bad people than good.

I appreciate the words of encouragement though and also your kind thoughts of me coming across as intelligent — my family have told me that I've had issues partly because people know I'm intelligent and they're somewhat intimidated by it. I don't claim to be intelligent though, but I've heard I give off that vibe.

Rumbler303

There are some good people though, of course, but most people pretty much terrify me these days. It's extremely difficult to open up and trust people, especially in-person. I've been bullied my whole life. From very early school days. My secondary education was actually very good and I do still have friends from then to this day, but ever since, I've been really let down by a lot of people. I got assaulted on the street also not too long ago and my bosses were ruining my mental health, my girlfriend left me also during all of this — it was a terrible time, and I'm still going through the after effects of it all today.

Rumbler303

Kids used to laugh at me in school because I stim as well and also I have echolalia, when I was younger I couldn't control it, as I've grown up and become more self-aware I can control it, but masking drains me as well. I did work at home during the pandemic so I'm likely to go back to that after some time off. I didn't have to mask as much then and I felt so much better.

Rumbler303

I sometimes overshare, apologies!

Government_needs_reform

@Rumbler303 After reading your message and the other messages on here, as you only in your 30s I doubt you would get an ongoing award as your so young, they will wait to see if you could improve and mange your disabilities before giving out these awards as they are rare.

I hope you can understand my point, take care and look after yourself.

Rumbler303

@Government_needs_reform that's okay, maybe (and probably there is a good chance) that I'll improve, just at the moment I feel pretty done-in with everything, but perhaps that's just my current headspace. Thank you.

Government_needs_reform

@Rumbler303 I do advocacy on other websites re benefits and I get so many people asking these types of questions about these ongoing awards back when Amber Rudd MP was the DWP minister at the time, she made these ongoing awards for older people that where expected to never improve that was close to pension age, that's NOT to say you won't ever be granted one.

Look after yourself.

Rumbler303

@Government_needs_reform I think what you're saying makes sense, they'll hold off on giving me one for a while until I'm on PIP for a longer period, but I will have to see how it goes with my own mental health as well as to whether I will improve. I appreciate your kind response. Thank you and take care.