Personal Independence Payments

plasfron

Personal Independent Payments

My wife is being switched from DLA to PIP and one of the questions asked was whether she had been out of the UK for more than four weeks in the past three years. We hadn't, but rather puzzled why this should be a factor?

We visit Spain occasionally so wanting to be sure of the facts we looked at the chat line on your web-site and noted an old thread advising that claimants on PIP can spend 13 weeks abroad. Just to confirm, is this either in one go or a total of multiple visits in any one year period, or periods of 13 weeks or less, irrespective of the total in any one year, so long as they are temporary visits?

We understand that, presumably, if one moves abroad permanently, the benefit would stop. Is this correct?

wilko

Not sure bit it could mean if you are out of the country. In hospital for more than 28 days continus then your benefits can or will be stopped, if you read your award letter PIP or DLA it will should tell you about a change in circumstances. 

wilko

Just to add to my last post by checking online you can claim benefits upto 13 weeks abroad and 26 weeks for medical reasons. 

Sam_Alumni

Hi @plasfron
I found this on the PIP handbook (updated Dev 2018)

Residence and presence 

Claimants will need to be present in Great Britain, habitually resident in the United Kingdom (UK), Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man and not subject to immigration control. 
They must have been present for at least 104 weeks out of the last 156 weeks in Great Britain. We treat serving members of Her Majesty’s Forces and their families as habitually resident in Great Britain when serving and stationed abroad. 
A temporary absence abroad for up to 13 weeks may be allowed, or up to 26 weeks if the absence is specifically for medical treatment. The claimant should notify us if they are planning to go abroad for 4 weeks or more. 

Leaving the country or planning to leave the country for a period of more than 4 weeks, even if this is a holiday 
This change may affect the claimant’s entitlement to PIP. We will need to know the date the claimant is leaving the country, how long they are planning to be out of the country, which country they are going to and why they are going abroad.

plasfron

Thanks for all your advice. Still not sure if that is 13 weeks in any one year or, whether multiple periods of 13 weeks is allowed?

cristobal

@plasfron - I think that it means 13 weeks in the year ...

Personally if you only make occasional visits to Spain I wouldn't worry too much - 

poppy123456

For PIP it's 13 weeks at any one time, 26 weeks if you're going for medical reasons. For means tested benefits it's 28 days.

https://www.independentage.org/information/money/benefits/benefits-abroad

plasfron

Thank you.

plasfron

However, just so I have the full picture: If we were to go abroad for more than 13 weeks but less than 26, I assume we could claim the 13 weeks benefit, while losing the remaining weeks, but, would the benefit simply resume on our return, or would we have to go through the whole process of re-applying again?

poppy123456

If you travel for more than 13 weeks and it's not because of medical treatment then your PIP will stop after 13 weeks. Your PIP won't just restart once you return to the UK.

Depending on where you're traveling to you may have to satisfy the habitual residence test before you can claim any benefits once you return to the UK. Before you travel you will need to get some expert advice from an agency near you.

plasfron

Thanks for that, Poppy, the max 26 weeks is the key to 'habitual residency' but, of course, we would be advised by the benefits agency if we needed to do that. Just wanted to know in advance..

Faryda17

Im not receiving me payment today expecting today 16.09.2024r bouth im don't receiving any payment please can you check with happen

Adrian_Scope

Good morning @Faryda17. Unfortunately we aren't able to check what's happened with your payment. You will need to contact the benefit office that you were expecting to receive payment from.