My question is what is the procedure for PIP?

marrium

This discussion was created from comments split from: Hi, my name is Pammie!.

marrium

Hi my marrium I just joined the community for the 1st time so hello to everyone on my behalf  :)I have recently been facing  to many health problems I have had my lower back problems for the last 22 years and swear depression from the last 14 years. I'm a house wife i have 3 young children and at the moment I'm bed bound. My question is what is the procedure for PIP? Because I am completely new. My doctor gave me a SSP but the are refusing to pay. Please let me know any information that you have about SSP. Many thanks .

Debbie_Scope

Hi Marrium,

Welcome to the community!

The area of welfare benefits can be a bit complex to navigate through.
We have information on our website about PIP and hopefully this will explain the benefit and help you to work out whether you should be putting a claim in. http://www.scope.org.uk/support/disabled-people/money/pip

If you're not currently working and haven't qualified for SSP then you may instead qualify for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Income Support. This does depend on your household and whether you have a partner living with you and their earnings. There's lots of things to explore and in the first instance it might be worth running the benefits calculator on our website to see if there's anything you might be missing out on. http://www.scope.org.uk/support/disabled-people/check-benefits

If you run into difficulties or none of it makes sense, do get in touch and I'll try and talk you through it all.

Best wishes
Debbie

marrium

Thank you so much Debbie for advice x

marrium

Hi Debbie, thanks for the advice. I live with my partner and 3 young children. I am 36 years old. My husband was a full time worker but due to my illness he has been part time for the last 3 months and still is. He gets the minimum wage and he works only for 20 hours. From last month i am completely bed bound I cannot even move. My husband has been off from work since the last 3 weeks, now we are facing a lot of financial difficulties. My social worker visited today and he said that the council is no longer providing carers, he also said that he will refer me to other agencies. The CICT came on the home visit due to OT, from now on they will come on home visits 3 times a week. If you have any information about my situation please share it. Many thanks!

Pammie

Hi Marrium.  If you have not worked for some time you are unlikely to have enough contributions for sickness benefits, which is why the DWP have refused your claim. Ask them about income based employment and support allowance, as if your household Income falls below a certain level, you would be entitled to claim.  If you are claiming PIP as a new claimant you need to contact the DWP benefit line to start a claim.  If you are claiming disability living allowance at the moment, you don't need to do anything as the DWP will write to you when you are changed onto the new benefit.  

marrium

Hi what is disability living allowance?

marrium

Thank you so much pammie for the advice x

Pammie

Hi Marrium. Disability living allowance has now been discontinued for people over the age of 16 and has been replaced by Personal Independence Payment.  This is what you should make a claim for now. You need to contact the DWP to make a new claim, which is usually done over the phone and then they will send you some forms to fill in.  When you receive the forms, you should get some help from a benefits adviser to fill them in, as your level of  benefit depends partly on what you say in the forms.  Please do not attempt to complete them until you have had proper advice, and if you can't find an agency to help you, contact me again on here and I'll help you as much as I can.

marrium

Hi I have recived the form and I talked to the benifits people they said that they would help me fill in the form but after they gave me a phone call and said that they are not going to come. I am bed bound so I cannot go any where. I am completely help less. This form is quite hard but I have my 13 year old son who is helping me but I don't think that he can help me that much because he is still a child. So if you can help me, it would be very kind of you. Thanks 

Pammie

You only have 28 days in which to return the form, so the best thing to do, would be to contact your social worker urgently to help you fill in the form or help you find a benefit adviser willing to come out to your home to help you.  If the social worker is not willing to complete the form for you and cannot find a home visit from someone who can, then is it possible for your husband to make an appointment to see a benefit adviser at their place of work ?  If he knows your condition well, then he could fill out most of the form with their help and fill in any gaps in his knowledge with you before you send off the form.  In certain circumstances your GP can refer you to a advocacy agency in your area, so it would be worth talking to your GP to see if this is possible, but you need to stress that you have a time limit.  There is an organisation called DIAL and they have benefit advisers who can help.  A number for your local DIAL should be in the yellow pages or phone book, but if you have any difficulty finding one, let me know the area in which you live and I will try to find the nearest one for you.  

If you have to complete the form yourself it is vital to remember that you give as much information about your diagnosis as you can, list any medication and the dose, and send any medical evidence you have, such as doctors letters, etc with the completed form.  Also list contact details for any health professionals you are involved with. It's very important to read and understand what you are being asked for each question as it Is not your disability that will score points, but how it affects you in relation to the things they are assessing you for.  For each question they will ask how you cope with a different activity, such as washing and dressing, cooking a meal, and so on.  For each one, think about your disability and how it affects you when doing that activity and try to be clear about how you are affected.  Also be specific about hints like how much pain you are in, any breathlessness or other symptoms and also how you are affected after doing that activity.  For example, if you were to walk 20 metres could you do it without pain, without stopping and in a safe manner. Could you do it in less than twice the time it would take someone without a disability ?  Could you also do it repeatedly within a reasonable time or would you be so wiped out from doing it once, that you would be unable to do it again for hours, or would it affect your ability to do anything else such as cook a meal afterwards ?  Could you do it unaided or do you need aids or help from someone else to do it ?  If there are any aids you would not be able to use, or if you use an aid but would still need help from someone else, explain why. You are aiming to paint a clear picture of how your disability limits you in each of the activities they are asking about.  If you have a social worker, ask if they will provide a written report for you to send as evidence with your forms.  This would be helpful, especially if they know you well and can provide supporting evidence as to your disability effects.

If you decide to complete the form yourself and you are unsure of anything please don't hesitate to contact me, and I'll be glad to help if I can.

marrium

I have phoned many agencies and departments for help but they keep putting it onto the next agency/department. So I have decided to personally fill in the form because they need to receive the form by the 18th of June even though I got the form yesterday. So I barely have any time and no one is helping. The questions in the form are completely different to my situation, they ask about activities, tiredness, how much you can and cannot do. They are giving very tricky questions. My situation is about me being bed bound and my husband helping me even to get to the commode even though the commode is right next to my electric bed. My chair is at the foot of my electric bed so I also require assistance for that because my pain level is too high. I take morphine tablets in the morning and night and I take morphine syrup every 4 hours between the tablets but after that the pain is still very high so the tablets and the syrup is not effecting the pain. So if you could help me on the fact that the form is the complete opposite of me then it would be very nice of you. Many thanks.

Pammie

I'm really sorry, but the only way to apply for an award of PIP is to complete the whole form, otherwise the DWP will not consider it.  As mentioned above, you need to complete all questions in as much detail as possible - it sounds as though you may qualify for an award of both the daily living and mobility components, which, if awarded, could potentially give your finances a  boost, but the only way to qualify is to complete the form and then See whether the DWP require a face to face assessment  to make the award. If they do, the fact that you are bed bound may mean they do a home visit.  There are no trick questions on the form, but you do need to give clear answers.  I would certainly contact your social worker before attempting to complete the form, and it may be worth contacting the DWP to explain your situation, the fact that you only received the form yesterday and ask them for an extension of the time limit on returning the form.

Debbie_Scope

Hi Marrium,

Pammie has given some really good advice about this but if you're still having difficulties with that form you need to contact the PIP helpline 0345 8503322. You can either request an extension to allow you more time to complete the form or get some help with the form. According to the PIP Handbook. The DWP telephony agent will be able to assist with basic enquiries and will also find out what level of support you need to complete the form. Depending on the level of support you need they could arrange a call back to support you in completing the form. In the most vulnerable cases they can arrange for a DWP visiting officer to come to your home to help with the form. Claimants who are in vulnerable situations and are unable to return their form can be referred by the DWP directly to the assessment provider.

The PIP Handbook can be found at 
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/519119/personal-independence-payment-handbook.pdf 

With regards to finding your nearest DIAL, check out our Services Directory on the website http://www.scope.org.uk/Support/services-directory this will help you to find local support. You can also get help from local advice agencies such as Citizens Advice Bureau. Some local councils and housing associations have welfare rights teams who can assist with form-filling. It's also worth checking with some of the other charities such as MIND (mental health) and Age UK (older people) to see if they can offer assistance. It has become a lot harder to get help with form-filling so it might take a bit of searching to find help. 

Thanks for your input Pammie, you're such an asset to the community
Has your DLA to PIP journey completed yet?

Keep us posted on progress and best wishes

Debbie

marrium

Hey pammie, thank you so much for your advice. I have spoken to my social worker and he said that they will help me fill in the form. My son filled in a few pages so I spoke to the DWP and they are sending me a new form.
i would like to ask a question, my social worker is sorting out a carer for me and he is asking me if I want a carer from the council or direct he says that they don't have a difference. I don't know I will get pip at the end of the day so I don't want to be in debt. So if you know anything then please let me know. Many thanks.

marrium

Also thank you Debbie, you also gave excellent information. Hopefully everything will be sorted but thanks for the information.

marrium

Hi, my social worker has applied PIP for me. Do any of you know how long it will take for me to get a face to face meeting. Can I be awarded PIP without a face to face meeting? Many thanks 

Pammie

Hi Marrium.  Whether you can get PiP without a face to face assessment depends on whether the DWP can get a clear idea of how your disability affects you, from the application form and from any supporting evidence you send.  The more detailed information you can give, the better. If you are housebound tell the DWP this on the application form, and request a home visit in the event that they need to see you.  It takes a few weeks from when you send the application form, to when you get either a decision, or an invitation to face to face assessment.  It's Important to send off the completed form as soon as you can, and within 28 days of the date on the form.  Post it by recorded service so you can make sure they receive it. As far as the carer is concerned, you need to have a chat to your social worker to clarify the situation.  If you are awarded PIP you will probably be expected to make a contribution towards care, but you really need to ask for information as to how the care is funded. I was under the impression that direct care is funded on a personal budget, but again, I'm not sure how this works.

marrium

My social worker had done everything considering the carer, thanks for your advice. Last week the DWP messaged me saying that they have recived my form. My doctor has made everything clear in a letter especially that I am house bound and that I am on a high dose of morphine. My social worker has also attached a report they have also made it clear that I am house bound I that I am on two different types of morphine and also on a high dose. The social services have given me a carer for 16 hours (7 days) a week. Many thanks.

Debbie_Scope

Hi Marrium,

I'm glad you've finished your form and have sent it off. Thanks again Pammie for your incredible input.

If you run into any difficulties, get in touch.

Keep us posted and let us know how things progress.

Best wishes
Debbie

marrium

Hi everyone. They recived the pip form 2 weeks ago. Does anyone know how long the procedure is for PIP. Many thanks, Marrium 

marrium

Hi Debbie, my direct payment is authorised and my social worker referred me to Penderels Trust earlier this month. A few weeks ago they came to meet me, they gave me a information pack and they also sorted out the carer for me. I have chosen a private carer and I have also sent there details, I was told to wait for a offer letter and a payment card. They offer letter and the payment card are both overdue from there 7-10 days offer, so I don't know what to do. Penderels Trust have already taken the carer details and I don't know how long it will take for the DBS, offer letter and payment card. i am stuck in my situation so i need advice on what to do next. Many thanks, Marrium

Debbie_Scope

marrium said:

Hi everyone. They recived the pip form 2 weeks ago. Does anyone know how long the procedure is for PIP. Many thanks, Marrium 

Hi Marrium,

The whole PIP process can take a few weeks from start to decision. 2 weeks is quite early on in the process so give it a bit more time. You could be looking at around 16 weeks but this will vary from one area to another. Let us know how you get on

Debbie

Debbie_Scope

marrium said:

Hi Debbie, my direct payment is authorised and my social worker referred me to Penderels Trust earlier this month. A few weeks ago they came to meet me, they gave me a information pack and they also sorted out the carer for me. I have chosen a private carer and I have also sent there details, I was told to wait for a offer letter and a payment card. They offer letter and the payment card are both overdue from there 7-10 days offer, so I don't know what to do. Penderels Trust have already taken the carer details and I don't know how long it will take for the DBS, offer letter and payment card. i am stuck in my situation so i need advice on what to do next. Many thanks, Marrium

Have you heard anything more about your Carer since you posted this Marrium?

marrium

Hi 
My carers started 6 weeks ago, and they come everyday , it is all sorted. But, I applied for PIP for 10 weeks ago and I have not heard anything yet. if anyone knows how long it will take then please let me know. Many thanks Marrium.

nerdwillis

Hi Marrium,

Unfortunately it is very area specific. It can take them 8-12 weeks to process the claim and give you an appointment for the face to face assessment. If you have access to your National Insurance number you could call the DWP on the helpline that Debbie posted above and ask them when you could expect an appointment.

After the appointment it can take them another 8-12 weeks to make the decision on your claim, using all the evidence that you submitted, and the face to face consultation to make the decision. The person you meet at the face to face consultation is NOT the one making a decision about your claim.

Best of luck and hang on in there! 

Debbie_Scope

Thanks @nerdwillis, you're right, it is very area specific and the times can vary from one place to another. 

@marrium When you applied for PIP did you provide a mobile telephone number? If you did you should be receiving text messages to inform you what stage you're at. I wonder if you have had any of these? In fact I'd be interested to hear if anyone has received text messages keeping them up to date with their claim.

I hope you hear soon but don't be surprised if you have to wait just a little bit longer.

I hope all is going well with your new care package

marrium

Hi Debbie,
I have only received this message when I sent my application form, I have not received anything else. "Thanks for sending us your 'How your disability affects you' form. We may need you to attend a consultation with a health professional before we make our decision". We'll contact you again if we do. Could you please exsplain what they are saying. Many thanks, Marrium.

Debbie_Scope

Hi Marrium,

The message you received was to acknowledge that they had received your 'how your disability affects you' form. The idea of these text message communications is to keep claimants up to date with the progress of their claims without the need for the claimant to make multiple phone calls to find out where they are in the process. 

So, it looks as though they have definitely received your form which is good. The healthcare professional will review the form and decide whether they have enough information or whether you will need to have a face to face assessment. If you're called for an assessment you'll be sent a letter confirming this with the date, time and location you are required to attend. If you can't attend the assessment centre you can request a home visit with medical evidence from your GP. It can take a while for this to happen though so don't be too surprised if you have a bit more waiting time before notification of whether you need an assessment or whether a decision can be made based on the paperwork. The waiting times can vary quite a lot from one area to another so don't be too concerned at this stage. 

As always keep in touch and do let me know if you have any further questions.

Debbie

marrium

Hi Debbie,
My social worker rang pip yesterday, I recived a call this morning from pip and they said that in a few weeks I will receive a appointment via a letter which will be coming soon. I don't know what will happen next because I am worried now. Help would be appreciated. Many thanks. 

Debbie_Scope

Hi Marrium,

From what you've said it sounds as though a face to face assessment will be needed to assess what level of PIP you're entitled to. You will be sent a letter informing you of the date, location and time of your assessment. Are you going to be able to travel to an assessment or did you write on your form that you would need a home visit?

Try not to worry (easier said than done I know), you'll know more once you get the appointment letter through. As soon as that comes through let me know and we can go from there.

Have a good day
Debbie

nanof6

hi Marrium, i had my face to face at home, on the 9th of june, then i had a letter at the end of August saying i got high rate for mobility and care, but payment wouldn,t start till  the end ofSeptember , luckly i was on DLA, so they pay you 1 month after you are granted PIP not from when you first apply, like DLA, hope this is of some help.

marrium

Hi Debbie,
today I recived a letter from Capita. They sent me a initial information pack. I am not sure on what will happen next. Do you know what stage I am on? I have spoken to my social worker and he said that if they send a letter for a appointment then we will send them a request for a home visit. I am worried. If anyone knows anything please let me know what will happen next. Many thanks Marrium.

marrium

Thanks nanof6 

Debbie_Scope

Hi @marrium,

From what I've read, the next stage will be Capita sending you an appointment for an assessment at an assessment centre. If you're not able to attend the assessment centre, you can ask to have the assessment carried out at home but you will need evidence from your GP to support your need for a home visit. Some claimants have had difficulties getting home assessments so do let us know if you have difficulties with this.

I hope this helps.

Best wishes
Debbie

marrium

Hi Debbie,
I have recived my appointment letter from capita and they have said that they are coming for a home visit. I don't know what will happen  next. I am really scared and nervous. Many thanks Marrium.

Debbie_Scope

Hi @Marrium,

Thanks for updating me. When are they coming to carry out the assessment?

I posted this link in another thread yesterday and it's a link to the PIP Assessment Guide for providers carrying out PIP assessments. You might find it helpful to have a read through as this will give you an idea of how the assessment should be conducted and what should be taken into consideration.
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/547146/pip-assessment-guide.pdf 

Have a great weekend
Debbie

marrium

Hi Debbie,
The link does not work. Please let me know if there are any other links available. Many Thanks Marrium.

BenefitsTrainingCo

[email protected]

Try this link ... https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/547146/pip-assessment-guide.pdf

Thanks
David

Debbie_Scope

Hi @marrium

Sorry the link I posted didn't work. Thanks to @BenefitsTrainingCo for popping in the one that works. I'll try to edit the post if I can work out how, so that I can get the correct link in.

Hope you found the guide helpful.

Best wishes
Debbie

marrium

Hi Debbie, I have had a assessment from capita they came on a home visit. I just want to know how long it will take for the DWP to make my decision.

Debbie_Scope

Hi @marrium,

Sorry I missed your call today. I've set a reminder to call you on Monday though.
In terms of how long it will take to make a decision; this can vary from one part of the country to another.
The latest clearance times for new PIP claims take on average 11 weeks from registration to a decision but you've already gone past 11 weeks so we can't use that as a guide. I would probably allow 2 weeks to pass before contacting them but realistically 4 weeks to allow for any further delays. From what I hear on the front line the decisions tend to come quite soon after assessment (around 2-4 weeks) but again this varies from one area to another.

How did you find the assessment? Was it better than expected?

Have a lovely weekend and I look forward to speaking to you on Monday

marrium

Hi,
sorry for the delay. A few weeks ago a ladie came from capita for a home visit. At the beginning of this week I received a text message that the DWP has all the information that they need and they will send a letter When they make a decisions. Does anyone know how long this will take? If anyone does then please Let me know. Many Thanks Marrium.

marrium

Hi Debbie voakes I won pip and. I got enhanced rate of mobility and standard rate of disability. Thank you so much for helping me in such a difficult time. You are such a nice lady who helps others. God bless you thanks a lot X.  Marrium 

marrium

Hi everyone,
I received my pip decision letter 3 weeks ago. The Pip people have not said anything about when I will recive my pip payment. My claim is on hold. Can anyone tell me how long it will take for them to pay me. If anyone knows then please let me know. Many thanks Marrium.