ESA and PIP reassessment

sue17

I am 65 in July 2019 - I have been in receipt of esa support for 5 years, I was reassesed in 2018 and continued and will be re assesed again in 2020 - I have been in receipt of PIP for 6 years and I am due a reassement in 2020 - I was paper assessed in 2018 and was informed I was getting the correct amount (high rate mobility and standard rate care) and was told I would be contacted nearer my 2020 renew date for reassesment.  They are so far behind with assessments that I fear they may well stop my pip before they have a chance to reassess.  Does anyone have any experience of these reassessments?

poppy123456

Hi,

Your ESA will stop when you reach state pension age because it's a working age benefit. You'll then be claiming your state pension. DWP should be in contact with you with information regarding this.

PIP reviews take place 1 year before the award is due to end. You'll be sent a PIP review form to fill in and return with all your evidence to support your claim. Providing you return the form by the date stated in the letter then your PIP will continue until a decision's been made on the review. Your award letter will tell you when you'll be contacted.

poppy123456

Hi,

Your ESA will stop when you reach state pension age because it's a working age benefit. You'll then be claiming your state pension. DWP should be in contact with you with information regarding this.

PIP reviews take place 1 year before the award is due to end. You'll be sent a PIP review form to fill in and return with all your evidence to support your claim. Providing you return the form by the date stated in the letter then your PIP will continue until a decision's been made on the review. Your award letter will tell you when you'll be contacted.

sue17

Thank you Poppy - yes I should have said I was aware that the esa would end at pension age. I am more concerned about the pip, especially as there is talk that because they are so far behind with these assessments they are talking about a soft assessment for those on higher rate pip to reduce the workload - Well what on earth does that mean? No further details available at this stage.

wildlife

They are probably so far behind because of rediculous timescales being set for conditions that are for life but Sue17 don't worry your PIP will continue till you are reviewed they have no reason to stop it other than you being reassessed and losing it. I'm also due to be reviewed in 2020 and am expecting to be contacted in 2019 a year before the review date. One can but hope that elderly people who already have PIP will be treated gently but I'm not holding my breath.  

poppy123456

sue17 said:

Thank you Poppy - yes I should have said I was aware that the esa would end at pension age. I am more concerned about the pip, especially as there is talk that because they are so far behind with these assessments they are talking about a soft assessment for those on higher rate pip to reduce the workload - Well what on earth does that mean? No further details available at this stage.

Your review will be a normal review and not a light tough review. The only ones that will receive these are those that have Enhanced for both parts of PIP.

When you do receive the forms then you'll need to put as much information as possible about how your conditions affect your ability to carry out the PIP descriptors. You need to treat the review like it's your first claim. Sending in any relevant evidence with the forms to support your claim. You'll continue to be reviewed regardless of your age.

Once they receive your forms then a face to face assessment is most likely as most have them. Hope this helps.

pollypocket_29

you need to prepare yourself for the assessment the face to face ones look like it's gone ok then they stop your claim before you get the letter 1/2 weeks later they are cutting more and more pip payments yo try save cash mine has been stopped waiting for a reconsideration I have a friend who was wheelchair bound needing 24/7 care and was told they were fit for work don't want to frighten you just prepare you in case it happens to you 

Yadnad

wildlife said:

They are probably so far behind because of rediculous timescales being set for conditions that are for life but Sue17 don't worry your PIP will continue till you are reviewed they have no reason to stop it other than you being reassessed and losing it. I'm also due to be reviewed in 2020 and am expecting to be contacted in 2019 a year before the review date. One can but hope that elderly people who already have PIP will be treated gently but I'm not holding my breath.  

Cough, splutter! The DWP make no distinction between those who are in their late 60's/early 70's when it comes to re-assessment. Three times I have gone from Enhanced Care & Mobility to 0 points following reassessment since I was 65 in 2013. 

Tarpuk4

I agree with all the comments above, and when you go for your face to face, answer as if it's your  first interview, remembering to answer as if it's your worst day ever.
Should it get stopped or reduced, you will have to appeal against their decision, gathering ad much written evidence as you can and a letter from your doctor.
You can go to the council and ask for an appointment with the benefits officer who will help you with your case.
Hope this helps xx

poppy123456

Tarpuk4 said:

 remembering to answer as if it's your worst day ever.

I am sorry but this is not the correct advice to give. Never ever attend a face to face appointment or fill out a form as if it's your worst day ever.

PIP is about how you are 50% of the time over a 12 month period. If you base it on your worst day and you're having one of your good days then they'll see straight through that and think something along the lines of " well if that's their worst day, they can't be as bad as they say they are"

This could be seen as benefit fraud.

Please please, always tell the truth, tell them exactly how your conditions affect you.

sue17

Thank you everyone I appreciate your feedback.  Fingers crossed and hope for the best.

Yadnad

Tarpuk4 said:

I agree with all the comments above, and when you go for your face to face, answer as if it's your  first interview, remembering to answer as if it's your worst day ever.
Should it get stopped or reduced, you will have to appeal against their decision, gathering ad much written evidence as you can and a letter from your doctor.
You can go to the council and ask for an appointment with the benefits officer who will help you with your case.
Hope this helps xx

I second what Poppy has said. You should complete the claim form and answer questions at the assessment based on as it is over a 12 month period - the good days and not so good days.
Medical evidence for example from your GP will normally be useless. Very few GP's will have seen first hand how your life is impacted over a period of time. They may know because you have told them but that is then 3rd hand information.
I don't know about your area but for most councils in certain areas they have disbanded their Welfare Advice departments. For most it was the first thing to go to save money.

Gary01522

i am 68 i had a pip assessment. no good at face to face meetings.the guy kept going on how far behind nhe was. and we needed to rush. i lost around £130 per month. he asked my wife/carer to get my prescriptions. this was a ploy to get her out of the room. then he virtually rubber stamped a lot of important answers.Like i said i go to pieces with face to face meetings. when i kept getting answers wrong my wife corrected me. she knows more about how things effect me. he badgered me.
this has left me even more terrified

Yadnad

Gary01522 said:

i am 68 i had a pip assessment. no good at face to face meetings.the guy kept going on how far behind nhe was. and we needed to rush. i lost around £130 per month. he asked my wife/carer to get my prescriptions. this was a ploy to get her out of the room. then he virtually rubber stamped a lot of important answers.Like i said i go to pieces with face to face meetings. when i kept getting answers wrong my wife corrected me. she knows more about how things effect me. he badgered me.
this has left me even more terrified

I feel for you. I'm 71 in a few months and have the same feelings at the assessment. My third and last PIP assessment was in late 2017 and to be honest it was a disaster. Unlike you I don't go to pieces I get frustrated instead when I feel that they don't listen to me which comes over as argumentative and hostile. My wife came to the assessment with me but remained in the waiting room as she had previously been told at an earlier assessment that there was no need to follow me into the assessment room. as her presence was not required.

I went from Enhanced Care & Mobility to 0 points. Only recently I have found someone to guide me through the appeal process.

Good luck