Hi, my name is LouiseJo9!

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LouiseJo9

PIP I have been written to by PIP to say I may have been awarded more points under the changes of rules re social support in 2016. I have been told I should have been given 2 points for 9b Prompting and this was not uploaded to my file. But I cannot seem to find a section about this on my form. The extra points would have made a difference to my award. I am confused and wondering if anyone else has had letters or any luck with a claim please? Thank you

durhamjaide2001

Hi and welcome to the forum

sounds like the letter you’ve had is about the rule changes from 2016 that affected Activity 9 — “Engaging with other people face to face.”

Before 2016, some people weren’t given points for needing prompting or social support when interacting with others, but the courts decided that the DWP should be awarding points in those cases. That’s why they’re now reviewing some older PIP claims.

What 9b means

   •   9b = “Needs prompting to engage with other people”

   •   “Prompting” is reminding, encouraging, or explaining things to help you start or continue interacting.

   •   If you needed that help at least 50% of the time back in the period they’re reviewing, it should have been scored at 2 points.

Why you might not see it on your original form

   •   Sometimes the form wording is different from the points system in the law. You might have answered questions about “social situations” or “help meeting people” without realising it was scored under Activity 9.

   •   The DWP now looks back at your evidence from the time to see if those 2 points should have been awarded.

What you can do now

1.Check the period they’re reviewing — this is usually from the date of your original claim up to a certain cut-off.

2.Gather any evidence from that time (GP letters, support worker notes, statements from family/friends) showing you needed prompting.

3.Call the PIP review line (number should be on the letter) if you’re unsure what they need from you — you can ask them to explain exactly why they think you may have missed out on points.

4.If they change your award, they will usually backdate any extra payment to cover the reviewed period.

Some people on the forum have reported getting backdated payments after this kind of review, so it’s worth following through.

The other thing I would recommend to anyone who is new to the forum is to visit the coffee lounge for a general chat or the games den for some fun.