Assessment reviews, for information news but old news

wilko

PIP PENSIONERS WILL STILL BE REVIEWED
In a written statement last week, a kindly Amber Rudd announced that the DWP would be “no longer undertaking regular reviews of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) awards for claimants at or above State Pension age unless they tell us their needs have changed.”

The DWP, however, rather undermined this gesture in its own press release on the subject, by explaining that rather than no reviews, PIP pensioners will have a “light touch review every 10 years.”

What’s more, this isn’t news at all.

Ten yearly light touch reviews were announced last summer, long before Rudd was in the job.

And, in January, we published DWP guidance that has been in place since last August, telling DWP decision makers that most claimants of state pension age should only have these reviews.

So, not entirely true and definitely not new.

It’s almost as if Rudd was desperately trying to win over Tory party members in advance of a leadership contest.

twonker

wilko said:

PIP PENSIONERS WILL STILL BE REVIEWED
In a written statement last week, a kindly Amber Rudd announced that the DWP would be “no longer undertaking regular reviews of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) awards for claimants at or above State Pension age unless they tell us their needs have changed.”

The DWP, however, rather undermined this gesture in its own press release on the subject, by explaining that rather than no reviews, PIP pensioners will have a “light touch review every 10 years.”

What’s more, this isn’t news at all.

Ten yearly light touch reviews were announced last summer, long before Rudd was in the job.

And, in January, we published DWP guidance that has been in place since last August, telling DWP decision makers that most claimants of state pension age should only have these reviews.

So, not entirely true and definitely not new.

It’s almost as if Rudd was desperately trying to win over Tory party members in advance of a leadership contest.

a 10 year review is not a regular review. Most claimants get 2/3/4/5 year awards which are regular reviews.
Nothing as of yet has been published as to which pensioners will get these 10 year reviews. Are they the ones that currently have enhanced/enhanced with a stable condition that can only deteriorate or are they to include those with standard care or mobility on a current review pattern of say 3 years as it is likely that the impact will lessen in that period?
For the latter surely they won't get their current award uplifted to 10 years?

As for 'most' current pensioners currently being given 10 years based on the August guidance is not actually what is happening. I know many pensioners that have received short awards despite their ages (up 71 in some cases) since August last year. The 10 year award was for those that are unlikely to improve in the long term.

To summarize, yes she did repeat bits of the previous statements but the new stuff that ALL pensioners will be on 10 year reviews has not been ratified despite assurances in the House. Anybody over 65 with a review from this summer onwards is still in limbo depending on their current award status. They may still get called up for assessment if the DWP believe that their impact is going to be short lived.  

Government_needs_reform

Yes Rudd has used some of what was in the pipeline before she become SOS.

As I posted this the other week. Light touch won't need an assessment at the 10 year point.

Government_needs_reform

@wilko a heads up, for your information PIP ongoing awards have always been in place since 2013. There was only a change to make guidance clearer last year.