DLA

SethLaa

Am I correct in thinking that if I ask DWP to increase my Middle Rate Care of DLA to High Rate then this will start the process of DLA to PIP. Many thanks in advance for your assistance from Russ 

serena09

I believe if there are any changes to report, then yes you will be advised to apply for pip.

SethLaa

As I suspected, better get start then, thank you @Serena09

serena09

Glad I could help, good luck 

Matilda

@SethLea

You might want to ponder starting the PIP process before you really have to.  DLA to PIP transition often is not smooth and it is more difficult to qualify for PIP than for DLA.  You will continue to be paid your DLA for now and your invite from the DWP to apply for PIP will come round soon enough.

SethLaa

Thanks for that Matilda, got so much happening at the moment and with a bout of Chemotherapy about to start in the near future then methinks it may be better to wait for the PIP invite.

BenefitsTrainingCo

Hi SethLaa/Russ,

Yes, if you request a change to your DLA award you will be invited to claim PIP. As Matilda says, getting that process over with might be an idea but on the other hand, you've got a lot going on right now.

Whilst I'm on, I can answer your other question more clearly now. If you are due to have chemotherapy in six months (at the date of the DWP decision) then you are treated as automatically having limited capability for work AND limited capability for work-related activity. That puts you straight in the support group and no assessment is needed.

Worth pointing out though that PIP doesn't have the same alternative routes to benefit as ESA does. So in PIP, almost everyone will have the assessment, unless they are terminally ill, although technically it's still completely lawful to make a decision without an assessment for any claimant.

Hope this helps!

Will

SethLaa

Thank you all, am already in the Support Group but with regards Chemotherapy then I don't yet know when it's gonna start, as said in another post it is probably better to wait until I have got the Chemo over with first, from then on it will hopefully be 'onwards and upwards'.