Need help with DLA to PIP

john_yate

hi i am looking for advice for my wife, she was on DLA for life for a learning disability but was instructed to apply for a PIP which they will not pay on, we have submitted a mandatory reconsideration which they still would not change there decision. we do not have any medical evidence as this was submitted for the DLA forms about eight years ago with help from a council jobcentre employee, the council have also lost there copy.

Sam_Alumni

Hi @john_yate I have moved your post to the Ask a Benefits advisor category where I hope you can get some help.

There is some info here about appealing a decision that might help.

lauraw3128

Hi John
Any forms, letters etc you submit with the dla forms the dwp should send back to you. If you have no evidence could you ask for any copies from any professionals that have worked with your wife over the years. I've just applied for pip for the 3rd year running but this time I have gone to new forest disibility centre for help. 

lauraw3128

Your local cab should be able to help you aswell

kenny

I think the changed to pips mean they will not pay for learning disability.

lauraw3128

Dla is for under 16 its disability living allowence anyone 16 or over are now on pip personal independent payment. They will pay out for a learning difficulties you just need to prove it and show as much evidence as possible and how it effects your wife at the worst possible times. PIp is for any physical mental or emotional disability. Pip is alot harder to get as you are point scored for 2 componants care and mobility and you need enough points in both areas to qualify. 

BenefitsTrainingCo

Hi john_yate,

Just to be clear about the above, PIP definitely can be paid for learning difficulties - the recent changes only mean that it may be more difficult to get points in one of the mobility activities. It doesn't at all mean that it can't be paid for people in your wife's situation.

I would strongly recommend going through the PIP self-test with reference to your wife so you can see what points she should have got. If you've got the assessor's report (it's a good idea to request a copy) point out where it is wrong or contradicts what your wife is actually able to do.

Examples of every day life situations and the problems she might have with doing things in the activities are a type of evidence. As for medical evidence, what is her diagnosis? If she doesn't have one, could she go back to her GP and start that process? Does she have any other professionals she sees about her learning difficulty? Anything you can supply which is relevant to the activities and is from an independent source is useful, but stories about what she can and cannot do and what she needs help with are also useful.

If possible, do get advice with the appeal from a local agency such as Citizens Advice. Make sure you appeal within the time limit (one month from the MR decision), and when offered the choice of a paper or oral hearing, to opt for the oral one - this means a hearing which your wife would attend in person, so the tribunal have more chance of understanding her difficulties.

I really hope you get this changed.

Will