Awarded PIP out of the blue?!

RVJ11

Hi all,  
I need some help with a situation I've got.
When I initially applied for a mandatory reconsideration for PIP, I was, for a second time, scored 0 for everything, and turned down. They had also appeared to ignore medical evidence I had supplied. Unsurprisingly, I decided to appeal to a tribunal. So imagine my surprise when I received a letter from the DWP today, dated the 5th of April, informing me that they can award me PIP at the standard rate for daily living until 2021. What do I do. The DWP have played a very clever move. If I continue with plans to go to tribunal I might lose this award, however I'm not entirely sure that they're not just offering me PIP to discourage me from taking action. I'd be very happy if someone could advise me about what to do. 

CockneyRebel

Hi

What stage are you at with your appeal ?
Have you had the bundle and entered your own submission ?

What do you honestly expect as an award for your condition ?

CR

RVJ11

I'm still awaiting a time and date for my tribunal. I haven't yet received the bundle or had the opportunity to enter my own submission. As for what to expect for my condition, I really don't know. I would say that I was getting around £70 a week for DLA, but of course the conditions and criteria have changed so much since then. 

RVJ11

Yes. I assume that as soon as they got wind of the fact I was appealing to a tribunal they decided to change their tune. Though I did notice after reading through their explanation that they appear to have missed certain details of my mandatory reconsideration. For example, both I and my STR worker explained that I need prompting to manage my therapies. This was something i was scored zero for in my mandatory reconsideration, but they made no mention of it at all in this most recent letter. 

RVJ11

I think what I'm going to do is speak to the PIP adviser at my local CAB. 

CockneyRebel

If you haven't done so have a look at the B&W self test to see what you should score, be harsh when doing so

http://www.mybenefitsandwork.co.uk/pip/indexxx.php

RVJ11

Hi, I've taken the self test again, scoring myself for as little as possible, as low as possible, and I'm still getting 14 points. I think the DWP's criteria must have other, hidden rules attached to them. 

RVJ11

p.s 14 points for daily living. As for mobility, I have to have either someone with me, or have my phone on me so I can constantly look at a map, when I'm walking in unfamiliar places. I think that possibly if I went to tribunal I could explain this to them. I would be taken there by my father and he would be able to confirm this. I also note that the award is not indefinite; something I'm not happy about. I will not always have clinical depression, but no matter what happens I will always be autistic.

debbiedo49

Good luck

CockneyRebel

PIP is a finite award subject to reassessment. Currently the longest award is thought to be reaassessed after nine years, whether this will entail a f2f or just a paper based review is not known

CR