DLA/ PIP and my car - need help

JoanneMontgomery

I have been in recipt of DLA middle rate for care and higher rate for mobility for the last 18 years since  i got a spinal cord injury in a hit and run car crash.  I had the awful experience of having my car and allowance taken from me for a year,  ten years ago.  Only to have a very angry Judge return it to me with the care rate increased to medium and he made my award indefinite at the same time so I'd never have to go through such trauma again!  My last car was due for replacement six months ago.  And not wanting to order it only to find I might have to change to pip,  I called the DWP to check when it was due here in my area of Hampshire?  I was told it wasn't due here for at least two to five years and as my award is indefinate,  to go ahead and get my car?  Well it took a while to get it but I've had it now for just over a month.  Today I got a text from DWP to say my DLA will be ending soon and I should apply for PIP if I think I'd be entitled to recieve it? 
Why would they do this to me when I phoned and checked?  I just don't understand?  I filled in a new DLA form they sent me in April and returned it.  Even though it took me a month to fill it in as few boxes at a time?  It's just torture.  I'm sure their aim is to drive us mad so we will all top ourselves and save them all money?  I just hate this and I can feel the panic welling up inside me again and I don't know what to do.  I spend most of my life in bed as when I'm up I need to take large amounts of morphine. My ability to get in my car and escape my home for a few hours with my daughter or to sit in it at the beach makes life bearable,  just.  I don't think I can go through all this again.  Now I can't pick up the phone to call them?  

JoanneMontgomery

Have I done something wrong?  I didn't get any replays to my first post?  Have I put it in the wrong place?  Advice please.  

Chris_Alumni

Hi @joannemontgomery, no you haven't done anything wrong, and I'm sure some of our community members will respond soon. I'm also going to tag in @BenefitsTrainingCo who are currently responding to some of our benefits-related posts, and they should be able to advise you.
 

JoanneMontgomery

Thank you so much for responding.  I thought I must have gone wrong as I'm not too good on the computer!  Bless you. 

BenefitsTrainingCo

Hi JoanneMontgomery

I work for the Benefits Training Co and we are helping Scope and the online community. 

Unfortunately for claimants who were aged under 65 on 8th April 2013 their DLA will end and they will need to claim PIP instead - even those who have an ‘indefinite’ award for DLA. DLA claims will not be automatically transferred and claimants should receive a letter informing them when their DLA will stop and how to apply for PIP. 

It could be that you will meet the criteria for PIP to replace your DLA and it is worth having a look at this information on PIP.

Entitlement to PIP is based on a points scoring system and this makes the form more straightforward to complete than the previous DLA form. I would stress it is a good idea to seek assistance to complete the form from a welfare rights adviser and please do not hesitate to come back on here if you have any questions about completing it or any other questions about PIP generally.

It could be that a lot of the information from the recent DLA form you completed is relevant to your claim to PIP in which case you could copy the information over to the PIP form. 

Finally if you want to talk about this in more detail please get in touch with the Scope helpline on 0808 800 3333 or email helpline@scope.org.uk

Thanks

Paul