My daughter (almost
30) yesterday received letter about her DLA stopping & claiming PIP. She phoned
me in a right panic as did not understand the letter and all she could see was
“...your DLA will stop...” (she has Learning Difficulties, Speech & Language
Disorder, Autistic Spectrum Disorder & in ESA Support Group). To be honest
I was amazed that she had even opened the letter as she usually stacks them all
up unopened between a chair and the sofa! I have no problems with filling in
the PIP form for her as have always done her DLA & ESA forms. I know
criteria for PIP is different to DLA, having ‘been through a fight’ myself last
year with my own DLA to PIP transfer (& won after challenging the medical
report).
She has
until 26 August to claim PIP. The problem is we are away on our annual holiday
from 9-31 August & I do not have the time available to even draft out what
to put on the PIP form before we go.
It seems
generally that the PIP form arrives within a week of claiming. As we are away
9-31 August would it be best to:
(1) Claim
now & risk missing the date for returning the form? [We will be away when
form arrives];
(2) Take
letter on holiday, pray for strong continuous mobile signal & short queue
to claim on Friday 23 August? [PIP form should be sitting on doormat when we
return on 31 August – then phone, explain & ask for an extension];
(3) Wait for
‘reminder’ that PIP has not been claimed yet? [Would risk not knowing new claim
date until we return];
(4) Phone
up, explain situation & that the earliest I will be able to return the PIP
form would be the middle of September? [Would they be that cooperative???]
I know that
you can request previous DLA reports to be taken into consideration but she has
only been seen once by an EMP (whilst at college about 11-12 years ago). Do
they also consider our own previous private medical reports submitted, or do
they have to be resubmitted? I do not have a copy of her last & only EMP report, done
at nearest Jobcentre, so is there any way of obtaining a copy of it? I know you
can ask for all evidence used to reach a PIP decision but would rather have the
EMP report now, rather than later, as it would be useful for reference when
drafting PIP answers.
There is no
further medical evidence available as all her medical conditions are
‘life-long’. The last reports I have are from when she was at College (to get
extra support as it was not forthcoming). These were commissioned by the
College (“We see no problem!...”) from a qualified Speech & Language
Therapist & a Psychologist who each gave in-depth technical reports,
‘Diagnoses’ (same as Guy’s) and pages of advice. SALT & Psychologist each
said there was no change in her level of functioning relative to her age scale since
she was last seen at Guy’s Newcomen Centre (our family doctor referred her to ensure a placement at 5 in the correct
school & to keep her there at 11 when our LEA tried to de-Statement her!). LEA
asked for ‘second opinion reports’, who totally agreed with Guy’s lol.
Any help (or
suggestions of getting around our holiday problem [except ‘cancel it’ lol] would be greatly appreciated).
Many thanks
