ANYONE HEARD ABOUT PENSIONERS LIGHT TOUCH REASSESSMENTS PLEASE

Zorro
Zorro Online Community Member Posts: 4 Listener
in PIP, DLA, ADP and AA
Has anyone had a 10 year light touch pensioners reassessment yet?  Would be great to hear if you have.   Thanks in advance.

Comments

  • wilko
    wilko Online Community Member Posts: 2,438 Championing
    Hello, this piece of information has not been confirmed in respect to a start date and the term and conditions of who and when this come into effect and who will be affected.
  • Government_needs_reform
    Government_needs_reform Online Community Member Posts: 872 Trailblazing
    This is the latest information @Zorro

    Reassessing PIP claimants over State Pension age In her Written Statement to the House on Health and Disability on 5 March 201927, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Amber Rudd, announced that, among other things-

    We will improve and simplify the customer experience by 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.

    "following advice from the Assessment Provider (i.e. Atos or Capita) that no review is required and the claimant’s restrictions on Daily Living and/or Mobility are stable and unlikely to change significantly or they have very high levels of needs which will only deteriorate; or
    • where the claimant is awarded the enhanced rate of both the Daily Living and Mobility components and their needs are not going to improve or would only deteriorate."

    A written answer on 8 April said that the DWP was “working to implement this change as soon as possible and [we] expect this to occur by late spring 2019.

  • twonker
    twonker Posts: 617 Empowering
    You are mixing up two different sets of announcements
    Your 3rd paragraph relates to a decision that goes back to August last year.

    Your final paragraph relates to the March 2019 announcement. The two are totally different. 

    The report the OP should be looking at is now in the Parliamentary Library 
    https://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/CBP-7820#fullreport

    Not heard of anyone having a light touch for those over SRA.

    There is talk on Rightsnet that it is not acceptable to single out those over SRA as no PIP regulation actually gives the DWP the right to use age as a means of awarding PIP. It is possible that the March 2019 statement will end up in the long grass never to see the light of day.
    https://www.rightsnet.org.uk/forums/viewthread/14486/
  • davet
    davet Online Community Member Posts: 77 Contributor
    this is all very good but does anyone now know thestate retirement age? as it seems to change every year
  • twonker
    twonker Posts: 617 Empowering
    https://www.gov.uk/state-pension-age
  • Fetlock
    Fetlock Online Community Member Posts: 79 Contributor
    Pension age light touch starts tomorrow


  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    edited May 2019
    Fetlock said:
    Pension age light touch starts tomorrow


    Not for those who already claim it, it doesn't. The link you posted says this....

    Currently the change will only apply to new claimants who start claiming PIP from Friday onwards.

    Almost 287,000 pensioners who already claim PIP are still waiting for a date when their re-tests will end.


  • twonker
    twonker Posts: 617 Empowering
    edited May 2019
    poppy123456 said:
    Fetlock said:
    Pension age light touch starts tomorrow


    Not for those who already claim it, it doesn't. The link you posted says this....

    Currently the change will only apply to new claimants who start claiming PIP from Friday onwards.

    Almost 287,000 pensioners who already claim PIP are still waiting for a date when their re-tests will end.


    It is clear that not all state pensioners will be awarded this 10 year cycle with only a light touch.

    It is for those who, in the opinion of both the assessors and the DWP, have a condition(s) that is/are unlikely to change.

    These pensioners will probably have to be awarded the high rate of both care and mobility to qualify and that their conditions will be in scope, such as Parkinsons, MS etc. That category of pensioner will benefit from this change.

    The rest, those with standard rate awards will still have to be assessed as normal as it would be clear that their condition is not serious enough to warrant a high rate/it is likely to change. Otherwise you would be having claimants with 8 points from 4 sets of 2 points for aids, being given an unconditional 10 year award with no further retests. Ridiculous to think otherwise.

    "It applies a common-sense approach to treating those whose conditions are unlikely to change.

    "And we want to introduce it as quickly as possible for those who will benefit from it."

    This statement agrees with what the Welfare Rights Officer for SSAFA told me this morning - it will happen but not for many and certainly not for me as I do not have a qualifying condition..

  • jimzac
    jimzac Online Community Member Posts: 3 Listener
    just to say i was due an assesment at the end of aug..im on hige rate for both living and mobile needs..any way recieved a letter from them this morning to say they have looked at my claim...and since my needs are on going i have been awarded 10 years...so no need for me to go through the anguish of more assesments..james.

  • CockneyRebel
    CockneyRebel Online Community Member Posts: 5,188 Championing
    That is great news
  • atlas46
    atlas46 Online Community Member Posts: 817 Pioneering
    Hi @jimzac

    A very warm welcome.

    Could I ask how old you are?

    Many thanks.
  • jimzac
    jimzac Online Community Member Posts: 3 Listener
    hi atlas46..i have just turned 50.

  • cristobal
    cristobal Online Community Member Posts: 984 Championing
    @jimzac - it's possible I've misread this....will you not have an assessment in 10 years, and then once again, before you reach pension age??

  • jimzac
    jimzac Online Community Member Posts: 3 Listener
    yes sorry cristobal i will have a light touch assessment in 10 years..but its a relief that i can have a break from it for now lol
  • Government_needs_reform
    Government_needs_reform Online Community Member Posts: 872 Trailblazing
    edited July 2019
    I'm in the same boat but, I already have an ongoing award and I won't need another assessment even though mine was done PB and stated I will never improve, the joys of getting old.


    Edited to add... also changed it's not just for people on enhanced both, I've read people getting standard awards are also getting ongoing awards now too.

    This May be of interest to some.


    @jimzac

    This is how you got your review done, see section before your award review.



    And this statement today from the DWP.

    Thousands of pensioners to benefit from PIP assessment overhaul

    Unnecessary reassessments for Personal Independence Payments (PIP) are today (9 July 2019) being scrapped for around 290,000 disabled pensioners.

    See in full here 

    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/thousands-of-pensioners-to-benefit-from-pip-assessment-overhaul

Categories